Robbie Neilson taking big time Hearts to next level and I couldn't help but snigger at same old Hibs - Ryan Stevenson

Robbie Neilson has taken Hearts to the next level. Now a piece of major silverware would put a fitting seal on the improvements.

The aims for this season are obvious. Hearts need to finish third. Their task is also to better last season’s tally of 61 points and eat a bit more into the gap to the Old Firm. If anything happens in Europe, that would be absolutely amazing. But the biggest thing would be winning the Premier Sports Cup or Scottish Cup. That would be, especially for Robbie, the biggest thing – to get over the line and win a piece of silverware.

At least Hearts have already got Hibs out of the way in the first one. When I saw the Easter Road side going out of the competition and then complaining about the timing of it, I started sniggering – the usual. I actually quite like Lee Johnson, who Hibs have brought in, and some of the players who have been signed are also decent.

But when I read some of the stuff moaning about the competition starting early, an ineligible player turning out and gripes about when the first Edinburgh derby of the season has been scheduled, I’m thinking, ‘You can bring a new manager and new players... but it is still same old Hibs’.

Anyway, back to more serious matters and the chance of Hearts managing to achieve their ambitious goals in the weeks and months ahead. I’ve got to be honest, having clapped eyes on them in person sitting alongside Gary Mackay and Gary Locke at the Stoke game last weekend, I believe they are ready to take the next steps.

Seriously, they have made more big strides even during the summer. You could see when Stoke came on to the pitch, they are all big boys and big athletes. I know some of the boys at City and they are very good players. But over the course