2018–19 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2018–19 season was the 138th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian (Hearts) with the team participating in the Scottish Premiership. Hearts were playing their fourth consecutive season in the top tier of Scottish football, having been promoted from the Scottish Championship at the end of the 2014–15 season.[2] They reached the Semi-final of the Scottish League Cup and reached the Final of the Scottish Cup.

Heart of Midlothian
2018–19 season
ChairmanAnn Budge[1]
ManagerCraig Levein
StadiumTynecastle Park
Premiership6th
Scottish CupRunners-up (lost to Celtic)
League CupSemi-final (lost to Celtic)
Top goalscorerLeague:
Steven Naismith (10)

All:
Steven Naismith (14)
Highest home attendance19,667 (v. Hibernian, Premiership, 6 April 2019)
Lowest home attendance7,486 (v. Cowdenbeath, League Cup, 24 July 2018)
Average home league attendance18,441

Results and fixtures

  Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed

Friendlies

Hearts will return for pre-season training on 21 June,[3] with the first preseason friendly scheduled to take place against Arbroath[4] at the start of July.[4] Further preseason friendlies are scheduled to take place against Dumbarton,[5] Partick Thistle,[6] Queen of the South[7] and Forfar Athletic.[8] A scheduled trip to Germany for a training camp[9] was cancelled.[3]

During the winter break Hearts travelled to Murcia for a five-day training camp.[10] Whilst in Spain they are scheduled to play a bounce game against Lokeren.[11]

3 July 2018[4] Friendly Arbroath 1 – 2 Heart of Midlothian Gayfield Park
19:30Hester 90'Hearts Report
Evening News Report
Keena 43'
Callachan 85'
Attendance: 664
Referee: Newlands

Premiership

The Scottish Premiership fixture list was announced on 15 June 2018.[13] Hearts began the season[14] with a 4–1 away victory against Hamilton Academical at New Douglas Park.[15]

1 September 2018 Scottish Premiership Heart of Midlothian 4 – 1 St Mirren Tynecastle Park
15:00Naismith 4' (Penalty), 41', 43'
Lee 30'
BBC ReportDunne 19' (Own goal)Attendance: 17,714
Referee: Clancy
7 October 2018 Scottish Premiership Rangers 3 – 1 Heart of Midlothian Ibrox Stadium
15:00Kent 3'
Morelos 13'
Worrall  24'
Arfield 32',  40'
BBC ReportSmith  15'   55'
Dunne  27', 67'
Mitchell  43'
Attendance: 49,865
Referee: Beaton
14 December 2018 Scottish Premiership Livingston 5 – 0 Heart of Midlothian Almondvale Stadium
19:45Menga 76'
Halkett 72' (pen.)
Hardie 77', 79'
Byrne 86'
BBC ReportDjoum  52'   74'Attendance: 4,201
Referee: Walsh
22 December 2018 Scottish Premiership Aberdeen 2 – 0 Heart of Midlothian Pittodrie Stadium
15:00Cosgrove 2', 69' (Penalty)BBC ReportMitchell  65'   86'Attendance: 16,451
Referee: Beaton
For upcoming Scottish Premiership fixtures, see the official Heart of Midlothian F.C. website

League Cup

Having not qualified for Europe Hearts entered the League Cup at the group stages.[17] On 25 May, Hearts were drawn in Group C, alongside Cove Rangers, Cowdenbeath, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers.[18] On 18 July 2018, Hearts played Cove Rangers, which marked the first competitive match at Balmoral Stadium.[19] Olly Lee opened the scoring after 11 minutes, before fellow debutante Steven MacLean doubled the advantage in the second half.[20] Cove pulled one back via Paul McManus with 15 minutes remaining, but were unable to equalise.[21] During the 65th minute of the match Andrew Irving entered the field of play, replacing Olly Lee.[22] Irving's contract extension had not been correctly lodged with the Scottish Football Association, rendering him ineligible to play as his registration expired on 9 June.[23][24] An SPFL disciplinary hearing took place on Monday 23 July,[25] as a result of which Hearts were deducted two points from the group stages and fined £10,000,[26] with £8,000 of the fine suspended until the end of the next season.[27]

Hearts next group match was against Raith Rovers. Kevin Nisbet opened the scoring early in the second half for the home side, before Michael Smith equalised from 25 yards out.[28] In the 90th minute Christophe Berra had a goal disallowed for impeding the keeper, however replays showed the foul was committed by a fellow Raith player.[29] With the sides level at 1–1 penalties were taken, with Hearts taking the bonus point 4–2 on penalties.[30] The group stage was wound up with two 5 – 0 wins at Tynecastle Park against Cowdenbeath[31] and Inverness Caledonian Thistle,[32] with goals from Steven MacLean, Uche Ikpeazu, Peter Haring, Steven Naismith, Michael Smith and Ben Garuccio.[32][33] The result against Inverness meant Hearts qualified to the Second round on goal difference.[34]

21 July 2018[35] League Cup Group C Raith Rovers 1 – 1
(2 – 4 p)
Heart of Midlothian Bayview Stadium
15:00Nisbet 51'SPFL ReportSmith 78'Attendance: 1,452
Referee: Robertson
Penalties

Scottish Cup

Heart of Midlothian entered the competition in the fourth round of competition as one of the sixteens teams to enter in this round of the competition.[40] Their first opponent was at Tynecastle Park to Premiership side Livingston where a goal from Sean Clare saw the team win the match 1–0.[41]

In the fifth round they was drawn against Junior club Auchinleck Talbot at home who had knocked out a Championship side in the previous round.[42] The match saw four different goal scorers with Christophe Berra scoring the opener in the tenth minute of play. Two more goals from Demetri Mitchell and Steven MacLean opened the gap to three goals before the break. A goal in the second half from Aidan Keena secured the 4–0 win but not before an injury forced them down to ten men for the final twelve minutes.[43]

The quarter final saw the team travel to Firhill Stadium for the match against Championship side Partick Thistle. After an early goal from Christophe Berra, the team dominated the game with 59% of the possession. The tie though headed into a replay after Christie Elliott scored to level the match in the 72nd minute.[44] The replay at Tyncastle Park saw the away team getting the opening goal in the 17th minute from a Scott McDonald tap to give the championship side the early lead. But a goal from Uche Ikpeazu and the penalty conversation from Sean Clare saw Hearts qualify for the semi-final.[45]

For Hearts, this meant a semi final with another Championship side in Inverness in the first of two matches at Hampden Park. After a lacklustre first half, Uche Ikpeazu broke deadlock for the Hearts in the 49th minute with the shot coming off a deflection. After Jamie McCart goal was deemed offside in the 61st minute, John Souttar doubled the lead only four minutes later. Sean Clarke gave Hearts a 3–0 victory after Ikpeazu was brought down by Mark Ridgers to give a penalty which was converted.[46]

First team player statistics

Captains

Christophe Berra continued as captain for season 2018–19, having been re-appointed as captain the previous season.[48][49] Only six games into the season Berra suffered a torn hamstring at Tynecastle against Celtic, ruling himself out for a period of around 6 months.[50] In his absence three other players were given the opportunity to captain Hearts. Fellow defender John Souttar was initially appointed captain in his absence at the age of 21,[51][52] however whilst on international duty with Scotland Souttar injured the lining of his hip and was ruled out for five months.[53] With Berra and Souttar injured Steven Naismith took the captain's armband for the first time against Aberdeen on 20 October 2018.[54] Naismith's stint as Captain lasted just three games, as he suffered a tear in the cartilage in his knee during the League Cup Semi-final and was ruled out for a period of six to eight weeks.[55] This led to Peter Haring becoming the fourth player of the season to play as captain.[56]

Berra returned as captain earlier than anticipated[57] on 2 December versus Rangers.[58]

NoPosCountryNameNo of gamesNotes
6DF Berra35Captain
4DF Souttar9Vice Captain
5DF Haring4Vice Captain
14FW Naismith3Vice Captain

Last updated: 25 May 2019
Source: Competitive match reports.
Competitive matches only
Matches started as captain only
Country: FIFA nationality; No.: Squad number; P: Position; Name: Player name; No. Games: Number of games started as captain.

Squad information

During the 2018–19 season, Hearts have used thirty-five players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.

Last Updated 25 May 2019[59]
NumberPositionNationNameTotalsPremiershipLeague CupScottish Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1GK  TCHZdenek Zlamal40029+007+004+00
2DF  NIRMichael Smith38228+005+124+00
3DF  IRLConor Shaughnessy11010+000+001+00
4MF  SCOJohn Souttar35123+106+005+01
5DF  AUTPeter Haring37726+057+023+10
6DF  SCOChristophe Berra35225+004+006+02
7MF  AUSOliver Bozanic34315+1033+201+30
8MF  ENGOlly Lee41623+836+034+00
9MF  ENGSean Clare35623+530+105+13
10MF  CMRArnaud Djoum40330+232+006+00
11DF  ENGDemetri Mitchell23114+602+001+01
13GK  IRLColin Doyle1109+000+002+00
14FW  SCOSteven Naismith271419+0106+042+00
15FW  SCOCraig Wighton1908+900+001+10
16DF  NIRAaron Hughes701+402+000+00
17DF  AUSBen Garuccio23113+403+013+00
18FW  SCOSteven MacLean35717+836+033+11
19FW  ENGUche Ikpeazu25815+232+134+12
20MF  SCOHarry Cochrane806+200+000+00
21FW  SCOAnthony McDonald600+300+300+00
22MF  AUSRyan Edwards512+200+001+01
23MF  IRLJake Mulraney30115+613+103+20
25MF  SCOJamie Brandon705+200+000+00
26DF  CANMarcus Godinho14111+110+002+00
28DF  CGOClévid Dikamona23112+911+100+00
31DF  NIRBobby Burns913+212+101+00
32FW  CZEDavid Vaněček703+200+001+10
35FW  IRLAidan Keena811+400+101+11
38MF  SCOCallumn Morrison35115+1014+301+20
40MF  SCOAndy Irving301+001+100+00
45MF  SCOConnor Smith302+100+000+00
51MF  SCOAaron Hickey301+100+001+00
Players who left club during the season
3DF  IRLJimmy Dunne14212+022+000+00
9FW  NIRKyle Lafferty711+113+200+00
12MF  DENDanny Amankwaa400+200+200+00

Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in Scottish Premiership, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Disciplinary record

During the 2018–19 season, Hearts players have been issued with ninety-five yellow cards and five red. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player. In addition striker Steven MacLean accepted a retrospective two match ban for violent conduct against Celtic's Eboue Kouassi in the League Cup.[60] Having gone over the SFA disciplinary points threshold, Steven Naismith served a one-match ban.[61]

A yellow card issued for simulation to Uche Ikpeazu during the game versus Aberdeen on 30 March 2019, was rescinded on appeal.[62]

Last updated 25 May 2019
NumberPositionNationNamePremiershipLeague CupScottish CupTotal
1GK Zdenek Zlamal30001040
2DF Michael Smith71000071
3DF Jimmy Dunne10000010
4DF John Souttar10101030
5DF Peter Haring70100080
6DF Christophe Berra30000030
7MF Oliver Bozanic20000020
8MF Olly Lee20000020
9FW Kyle Lafferty10000010
9MF Sean Clare70000070
10MF Arnaud Djoum1311020161
11DF Demetri Mitchell31101051
14FW Steven Naismith80000080
15FW Craig Wighton10000010
17DF Ben Garuccio51000051
18FW Steven MacLean40100050
19FW Uche Ikpeazu40100050
22MF Ryan Edwards10000010
23MF Jake Mulraney10000010
25MF Jamie Brandon01000001
26DF Marcus Godinho30000030
28DF Clévid Dikamona20000020
31FW Bobby Burns20000020
32FW David Vaněček10000010
38MF Callumn Morrison10000010
51MF Aaron Hickey10000010
Total8456030955

Goal scorers

Last updated 25 May 2019

PlacePositionNationNamePremiershipLeague CupScottish CupTotal
1FW Steven Naismith104014
2FW Uche Ikpeazu3328
3MF Peter Haring5207
FW Steven MacLean3317
4MF Olly Lee3306
DF Sean Clare3036
5MF Arnaud Djoum3003
MF Oliver Bozanic3003
6DF Michael Smith0202
DF Jimmy Dunne2002
DF Christophe Berra0022
7FW Kyle Lafferty1001
DF Ben Garuccio0101
DF Marcus Godinho1001
MF Callumn Morrison1001
FW Aidan Keena0011
DF Demetri Mitchell0011
DF Clévid Dikamona1001
DF John Souttar0011
DF Bobby Burns1001
MF Jake Mulraney1001
MF Ryan Edwards0011
Total41181271

Clean sheets

Rank Position Nation NamePremiershipLeague CupScottish CupTotal
1GK Zdenek Zlamal83112
2GK Colin Doyle4026
Total123318

Last updated: 25 May 2019
Source: Match reports in Competitive matches

Team statistics

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation[a]
4Aberdeen38207115744+1367Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round[b]
5Hibernian381412125139+1254
6Heart of Midlothian38156174250−851
7St Johnstone38157163848−1052
8Motherwell38156174656−1051
Source: Soccerway BBC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification and second stage group allocation).[63]
Notes:

League Cup table

PosTeamPldWPWPLLGFGAGDPtsQualificationHOMINVCOWCOVRAI
1Heart of Midlothian[a] (Q)43100132+119Qualification for the Second round5–05–0
2Inverness Caledonian Thistle4300198+192–02–1
3Cowdenbeath42002510−562–51–0
4Cove Rangers4100335−231–22–0
5Raith Rovers4001327−511–1p0–2
Source: [65]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[66]
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Notes:

Division summary

Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAA
ResultWWWWWDWLWWDLLLLDWLLWWLWWDLDLWLWLLLDLLL
Position11111111111113444455565555555555666666
Updated to match(es) played on 25 May 2019. Source: [67]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Management statistics

Last updated on 25 May 2019
NameFromToPWDLWin%[nb 3]
Craig Levein[68]18 July 201825 May 20195023819046.00
Austin MacPhee1 September 20181 September 20181100100.00

Home attendances

Last updated on 25 May 2019

  Win  Draw  Loss

CompDateScoreOpponentAttendance
League Cup24 July 20185–0Cowdenbeath7,486[69]
League Cup29 July 20185–0Inverness Caledonian Thistle10,030[70]
Premiership11 August 20181–0Celtic19,113[71]
Premiership1 September 20184–1St Mirren17,714[72]
Premiership22 September 20180–0Livingston17,798[73]
League Cup26 September 20184–2Motherwell14,377[74]
Premiership29 September 20182–1St Johnstone17,240[75]
Premiership20 October 20182–1Aberdeen18,051[76]
Premiership31 October 20180–0Hibernian19,410[77]
Premiership10 November 20180–1Kilmarnock17,417[78]
Premiership2 December 20181–2Rangers19,429[79]
Premiership8 December 20181–0Motherwell15,915[80]
Premiership26 December 20182–0Hamilton Academical16,475[81]
Scottish Cup20 January 20191–0Livingston11,077[82]
Premiership23 January 20191–2Dundee15,518[83]
Premiership26 January 20192–0St. Johnstone16,672[84]
Premiership6 February 20190–0Livingston15,147[85]
Scottish Cup10 February 20194–0Auchinleck Talbot14,946[86]
Premiership23 February 20191–1St. Mirren16,705[87]
Premiership27 February 20191–2Celtic18,258[87]
Scottish Cup12 March 20192–1Partick Thistle10,351[88]
Premiership30 March 20192–1Aberdeen17,880[89]
Premiership6 April 20191–2Hibernian19,667[90]
Premiership20 April 20191–3Rangers18,212[91]
Premiership4 May 20190–1Kilmarnock17,103[92]
Total attendance:418,663
Total league attendance:350,396
Average league attendance:18,441[93]

Last updated: 25 May 2019
Source: Match reports in Results

Club

Staff

Boardroom
NameRole[97]
Ann BudgeExecutive chairwoman[97]
Craig LeveinManager & Director of Football[97]
Jacqui DuncanFinance director[97]
Stuart WallaceFoundation of Hearts Chairman[97]
Eric HoggNon-Executive Director[97]
Donald CummingNon-Executive Director[97]
Kevin WindramNon-Executive Director[97]

Deaths

The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former vice chairman and director Pilmar Smith,[98] 1956 Scottish Cup club captain Freddie Glidden[99][100] and defender Tommy Darling,[101]

International selection

Over the course of the season a number of the Hearts squad were called up on international duty. John Souttar[102] and Steven Naismith[103] were called up to represent Scotland, Arnaud Djoum to represent Cameroon,[104] Aaron Hughes, Michael Smith[105] and Bobby Burns to represent Northern Ireland,[106] Marcus Godinho to represent Canada,[107] Jimmy Dunne to represent Republic of Ireland[108] and Ben Garuccio to represent Australia.[109]

In addition a number of the Hearts squad were called up to represent Scotland at youth level. Callumn Morrison and Jamie Brandon were called up to the under-21 squad,[110] Morrison was also called up to the under-20 squad,[111] Harry Cochrane[112] and Chris Hamilton to the under-19 squad,[113] Harry Stone, Cammy Logan, Connor Smith[114] and Aaron Hickey to the under-17 squad[115] and Jay Charleston-King and Leo Watson to the under-16 squad.[114] In addition Bobby Burns was called up to represent Northern Ireland at under-21 level.[116]

A War of Two Halves

The interactive play A War of Two Halves was presented at Tynecastle, dealing with the stories of the original 13 players who joined the 16th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Scots. It was first shown as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 27 August 2018.[117] It ran again in the run-up to the centenary of the Armistice of 11 November 1918.[118]

Awards

Craig Levein[119] and the following players received Scottish Professional Football League awards over the course of the season. The club's annual award ceremony took place on 12 May 2019,[120] with Steven Naismith winning both fans and players player of the year award.[121] The full list of awards are included below.

Club awards

NationNameAward
Aaron HickeyYouth to Pro[120]
Alex PetkovReserves Player of the Year[120]
John SouttarYoung Player of the Year[120]
Olly LeeGoal of the Season[120]
Bobby ZlamalSave of the Season[120]
NAHeart of Midlothian 1 – 0 Hibernian
29 December 2018
Easter Road
Moment of the season[120]
Steven NaismithFans Player of the Year[120]
Steven NaismithPlayer's Player of the Year[120]
Andy KirkSpecial Recognition[120]
Bill Smith and David SpeedDoc Melvin Memorial Cup[120]

Transfers

Contract extensions

The following players extended their contracts with the club over the course of the season.

DatePlayerLengthPrevious ExpiryExpiry
15 January 2019 Lewis Moore1 yearMay 2019May 2020[194]
15 January 2019 Dario Zanatta1 yearMay 2019May 2020[194]
18 January 2019 Michael Smith2 yearMay 2019May 2021[203]
29 January 2019 Christophe Berra1 yearMay 2020May 2021[204]
29 January 2019 John Souttar2 yearMay 2020May 2022[205]
7 March 2019 Uche Ikpeazu2 yearMay 2020May 2022[206]
14 March 2019 Clévid Dikamona1 year20192020[207]
3 May 2019 Peter Haring1 year20202022[208]

See also

Notes

References