Kye Rowles' reaction to Hearts boos shows he's going to be a massive player for Steven Naismith - Ryan Stevenson

Playing for Hearts isn’t easy, let me tell you. If you’re having a shocker of a time then Tynecastle is not the stadium to seek hiding places.

People go on about the Gorgie boo boys but for me the worst memory is when the entire stadium rose to their feet and APPLAUDED me being substituted. Not because I’d played well. But because I’d stunk the place out and I knew it. I was going through a tough of a spell where I couldn’t kick my own backside. Towards the end of it there was a game against Dundee United at Tynecastle where I was absolutely horrendous and I got the hook from Jim Jefferies.

As soon as my number went up the whole stadium started clapping and cheering. It was a case of ‘thank f*** he’s off and we’re not a man down any more’. Sod’s Law had it that I was on the far side of the pitch and it seemed like the longest walk of my life to get off the park. I just wanted the ground to swallow me up.

You can feel like the world is against you at times like that but I was honest enough to realise the fans were right - because I was absolutely rotten that day and every pass was finding anything but a maroon shirt. Billy Brown was assistant at the time. He took me aside in training and in his own blunt manner told me I was hopeless but that I’d come through it.

He just said to run harder than I’ve ever run in training because sulking won’t get me anywhere in life. He was right. Now to my point. Kye Rowles has had to come through a tough spell this season but on Saturday against Aberdeen I think he showed everyone exactly why he is a top defender for Hearts and Australia.

He’s faced flak, calls to be dropped and worse. But taking that on the chin and coming through the other end will only make Rowles an even better and