Lawrence Shankland fires back at Hearts boo boys after Euro shocker claiming 'it doesn't help'

Lawrence Shankland has bit back at the Hearts boo boys - insisting they’re not helping the Jambos’ dire situation.

The Tynecastle skipper reckons the punters went way too early with their jeers on Thursday as Neil Critchley’s side crashed out of the Conference League to Moldovan minnows Petrocub to add to their Premiership woes. Boos could be heard as early as the fifth minute as an expectant home crowd urged their side to make an early breakthrough. But it turned toxic after the visitors took a 20th minute lead - and was poisonous by full time as their fate was confirmed.

Shankland admits it was a missed opportunity as Hearts blew the chance to secure Euro football beyond Christmas for the first time in 35 years against the side that finished bottom of the 36-team league phase. Critchley, his players and the board got it in the neck from irate punters and will face them again tomorrow afternoon when St Johnstone visit Gorgie for a crunch bottom of the table clash.

Hearts are rooted to the basement - a point behind the Perth side - with a Boxing Day derby against Hibs at Tynecastle also on the horizon. And Shankland has called on his team mates to block out the noise and deliver the goods ahead of Christmas.

Asked about the toxic atmosphere inside the ground, he said: “From five minutes in… it doesn’t help. I was actually looking forward to the game, I thought they’d be right behind us from the off. But it was a kind of weird atmosphere.

“Listen, the fans are really good and I’m happy to give them credit when they are good. But I just felt like they were waiting on one mistake to turn on us and all in all it didn’t help the way the game went.

“I’m certainly not blaming the support for what happened on the pitch. I’m just