‘If they win they’ll be legends’: stakes high for Hearts in Scottish Cup final

Hearts had more cause than would be customary to revel in Scottish Cup semi-final success over their city rivals, Hibs. The securing of a place in the Europa League playoff round means guaranteed European group stage football, if perhaps in the Conference League, next season. With that comes a financial boost loosely estimated at £5m and widely categorised as a game changer.

The mistake, however, would be in assuming Hearts have any interest in parading balance sheets. Saturday’s meeting with Rangers provides opportunity to win the Scottish Cup for only the ninth time in a club history hurtling towards 150 years.

“I want to make sure we are at least third in the league before trying to eat into the gap [to the top two] but I don’t want us to be a club that ‘wins’ third place every year,” says Andrew McKinlay, the Hearts chief executive. “I am trying not to let myself think what it will be like if we win this cup. You could only appreciate the enormity of it if it happens. It means so much to Hearts; look at how the teams who won cups previously here are revered. It doesn’t matter whether these are the best teams Hearts have ever had or not. Whoever plays on Saturday, if they win that cup they will forever be club legends.”

If Celtic can be delighted with the reclaiming of the title and Rangers with a run to the Europa League final, there should be pride at Tynecastle over this campaign. Having returned to the top division – and amid grumbling from their supporter base at performances – Robbie Neilson’s team coasted into third place. High praise is due to Neilson, the sporting director Joe Savage, chair Ann Budge and McKinlay. Hearts kept cool heads when their head coach was under extreme pressure, largely because of a