Jorge Grant makes Hearts and Nottingham Forest comparison as he relishes first taste of European football

Jorge Grant has heard all about the magic of European football from Nottingham Forest legend Des Walker. And as he puts roots down in Edinburgh with Hearts the midfielder can’t wait to branch out and make his first venture into continental competition count.

Grant grew up with Forest, Sampdoria and England legend Walker’s two sons, Tyler and Lewis, and came through the ranks at the City Ground with the former who is now at Coventry. Not only did he have Walker senior - who was a youth at Forest when Brian Clough’s side mixed it with the cream of Europe in the early 1980s - filling his head with tales from the club’s glory days but his coach Steve Chettle was another member of that Cloughy era.

The chance to taste the European stage was a big factor in the 27-year-old choosing Hearts over League One clubs in England when he left Peterborough two months ago. And now, as he prepares for the Jambos’ Europa League play-off crunch against Zurich on Thursday, he’s determined to make memories of his own.

He said: "When I was making the decision, I could have gone back to League One and done the same thing that I've done for the whole of my career.

“This opportunity was something that is completely different. It was a step out of my comfort zone, playing in Europe and playing in the SPFL.

“Forest has got so much history and you can tell that from the fans' passion. When I was there they were nowhere near that. But I know a few people who used to play in Europe for Forest.

“I know both Des Walker’s sons and Steve Chettle and his son, so I know about those European nights at Forest. To have some of those up here would be great.

"There's a few crazy tales in there. Des spoke about European memories and so did Steve, he was one