Craig Halkett shares Hearts European football dream as he looks to stake Scotland World Cup claim

CRAIG HALKETT knows Hearts are going places and he hopes it will allow him to get his passport out for his first European adventure.

The Jambos lost six first-team stars through injury at Tannadice but still managed to show their resolve by battling back for a valuable point.

It has seen Hearts take seven points from a possible nine and also strengthen their grip on third place. Robbie Neilson might not admit it but anything other than a late collapse should see them finish best of the rest for the first time since 2015-16.

Hearts already have a double- digit lead over fourth place and it could put them into the play-off round of the Europa League if any of the top three were to lift the Scottish Cup.

It would be uncharted territory for Halkett, who has yet to sample European football.

The 26-year-old stated: “It would be a dream come true for me to play in Europe. It is something I have never achieved in my career but it is one of the reasons I wanted to join Hearts when I left Livingston.

“It was a massive club with a great fanbase, a club who makes semi-finals and finals regularly and contests for trophies.

“The club has been in Europe before and to be part of the team which made it back into Europe after just getting promoted would be massive.”

Hearts can now put the league to one side and concentrate on St Mirren in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. Halkett knows a very good season has the potential to get even better.

“It’s been a great season for us so far,” the former Livingston star claimed. At the start of the season people look at us coming back into the Premiership and we are one of the top teams in the country.

“Some people said it would be good if we finished in the top six. But as a squad, we know how