Steven Naismith insists Hearts B players will reap great benefits from Lowland League spot

Playing in the Lowland League will prove beneficial for Hearts B players, Steven Naismith reckons.

The Jambos' development manager has described the chance to play competitive football as a "brilliant opportunity" for the youngsters pushing for a first-team spot. He believes that the advantage of playing for the B side rather than spending a season on loan provides the players with a better chance to connect with the first team and boss Robbie Neilson.

Speaking after Hearts B started their preparations for a season in the Lowland League with a 4-0 victory over East of Scotland First Division side Whitehill Welfare, the ex- Hearts forward was is looking forward to seeing the squad play competitive football during the 2022/23 campaign. Naismith will take charge of the B team this season as they take part in Scotland's fifth tier, with home clashes being played at Whitehill's ground in Roswell.

During the warm up clash, a mixture of 18s and youth team players showed their promise in front of healthy support. An early penalty from Scott McGill was followed by goals from Makenzie Kirk, Finlay Pollock and Callum Sandilands in the second half.

After the game, Naismith said: “It was good, it was a good run out for us. The bigger thing is [getting] minutes more than anything else; since we’ve come back we have worked on things more so for the B squad than the 18s on the understanding of what is required at first-team level and the style of play and what’s expected.

“Ultimately it’s about getting the minutes in the legs and coming up against guys who are streetwise, who try and play, and are grown men. A lot of the good stuff was what we worked on in training.

“As a club we need to have an identity of how we want to play and