Even the most ardent of Celtic fans are taking Hearts seriously now.
At the start of the campaign, there was a lot of talk about Hearts, amid investment from Tony Bloom, wanting to win the Premiership title, and how history simply wouldn’t allow them to overcome the decades of dominance from Celtic and Rangers.
Since the turn of the century, it has been Celtic ruling the roost in Scotland, including winning the double under Brendan Rodgers last season.
But with Hearts sitting top at Christmas, and despite the best efforts of Martin O’Neill during his interim spell, things could become very interesting during the second half of the campaign, as Simon Jordan wants the unthinkable to happen.
Will we hunt Hearts down and win the title?
Simon Jordan and Celtic hero Martin O’Neill on Hearts winning the Premiership title
Celtic and Rangers have both sacked or parted ways with their managers this season for the first time in history, which sums up the chaos and drama that has unfolded in Glasgow.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan stated that Celtic and Rangers have made this season ‘all about them’, when he feels the ‘real story’ should be about the current Premiership leaders.
The former Crystal Palace owner added that he wants Hearts to win the title this season because of what it would do to the Scottish game, as well as the ‘attitude’ of Celtic and Rangers.
Jordan: “The interesting thing is that Celtic and Rangers have made this season’s story all about them, for different reasons than they normally do. Because of the discourse and the challenges.
“The only period of harmony they had was when he (O’Neill) was there. The real story of the Scottish Premier League is Hearts. That’s the real story.
“I hope for Scottish football that Hearts win the SPFL because I think it will change the attitude of Celtic and Rangers. It may raise the bar for all the other clubs in there. It may show other teams a different way of doing things.
“It gives people a different focus on the Scottish Premier League than just Rangers and Celtic, Rangers and Celtic, and Rangers and Celtic.”
O’Neill: “I don’t disagree with your thinking. I think they are really well in it. They have beaten Rangers there. They deserve to win the game, and they have the wherewithal, I believe, in the January transfer window, which will be very, very important, for them to push on.”
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Scottish teams, and the last time they were champions…
Hearts deserve respect for what they have done this season, regardless of the troubles the champions of Scotland have faced.
To beat Celtic twice, including at Parkhead, as well as seeing off Rangers, is some going and they deserve to sit at the top of the tree.
But the fact of the matter is that it has been a long time since anyone outside of Glasgow has lifted Scottish football’s main crown, and that piece of history still has to be overturned.
The last time (in years) Scottish teams last won the Premiership title:
- Celtic – 0
- Rangers – 4
- Aberdeen – 40
- Dundee United – 42
- Kilmarnock – 60
- Dundee – 63
- Hearts – 65
- Hibernian – 73
- Motherwell – 93
- Dumbarton – 133
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