Hearts and Everton relationship explained: how it works and why Duncan Ferguson plays a key role

Football and social heritage dominate the areas surrounding both Tynecastle Park and Goodison. It stands to reason, then, that Everton players should find settling in Gorgie fairly straightforward. Beni Baningime and Ellis Simms are two such examples.

There are more technical sporting reasons for Hearts’ recent transfer business with the Merseyside club, though. Loanee striker Simms followed permanent signing Baningime north to Edinburgh this season as Riccarton officials tapped into a market they may well revisit in future.

Both players were scouted extensively in an Everton Under-23 side which favours an appropriate style of play for the Scottish Premiership. Manager Robbie Neilson monitored Simms for years, while sporting director Joe Savage was a long-term admirer of Baningime.

Relationships with Everton Under-23 manager David Unsworth and first-team coach Duncan Ferguson are integral to Hearts’ recent recruitment from Goodison. There is nothing official in terms of a link-up between the clubs, it is simply an association between coaches and technical staff.

The fact three of them are Scottish probably helps. “The way Everton Under-23s play is more in line with how first teams play,” explains Neilson when asked by the Evening News what is behind the attraction.

“That’s down to the way David Unsworth has got them playing. I know big Dunc very well so I speak to him about players. You know what Dunc’s like, he will tell you straight down the middle what he thinks of a player. He’s very honest about them.

“There are certain clubs we look at where we know we can get players who are more suited to coming up here. It’s not just solely one club, there are a few others.

“Some of the Under-23 teams in England play football