Hearts' Champions League-style preparation aimed at ending 22-year wait for Scottish Youth Cup

The last Hearts team to lift the Scottish Youth Cup had a 17-year-old Craig Gordon in goal back in 2000. Rangers were the opponents back then and they stand in the Edinburgh club’s way again at Hampden Park tonight.

Naismith, in his first season as a coach, has already given Hearts Under-18s a guided tour of the National Stadium. He knows the venue intimately from playing Scotland international matches there as well as cup finals with Rangers and Kilmarnock.

“We all went over to Hampden as a squad to experience where you go in, the changing rooms, the pitch. So on Wednesday it’s not totally new,” explained Naismith.

“I likened it to being a player in the Champions League. You train in the stadium the night before the game. I was fascinated by all these places. You turn up for training and go gallivanting round the stadium trying to see as much as you can.

“I remember going to the Nou Camp and you’re just strolling about in the tunnel looking at things, trying to push doors to see behind the scenes. It’s no different for young players at Hampden.

“Some guys go through their whole careers and never get to play there. The familiarity will hopefully help.”

Hearts beat Rangers 5-3 after extra-time back in 2000 but failed to replicate that success in the intervening period. “I was surprised how long it’s been. This is the biggest thing in the season for young players,” said Naismith.

“The league has so many variables because players move up and down to the first team. Last time we played Rangers we had five boys with the first team, so it was basically an under-16 team.”

Some relative experience is available this time in the shape of Finlay Pollock, Mackenzie Kirk and Macaulay Tait. All three have been on the fringes of the