FINAL WARNING FOR BLINKERED OLD FIRM FANS

HEARTS' display and result at Celtic Park on Saturday was surely the last alarm call needed for any dozy-headed Old Firm fans who had previously refused to wake up and smell the coffee where the Tynecastle revival is concerned.

Plenty of people have spoken about what George Burley might need to do in the transfer window next January to strengthen his squad.

Has anybody given any thought to what Celtic and Rangers might have to do at the same time to counteract the assault on the championship that will not go away?

I heard some Celtic supporters on Saturday night whingeing about Dougie McDonald's performance. But whatever was responsible for Gordon Strachan's team being unable to replace Hearts at the top of the table, it had nothing to do with the referee.

The truth of the matter is Hearts stepped into the lion's den in Glasgow for the first time this season brimming with confidence.

Edgaras Jankauskas was a handful for Bobo Balde. Steven Pressley matched up to the strength of Chris Sutton and John Hartson.

Paul Hartley was outstanding in midfield and Rudi Skacel was a constant threat to Celtic's defence.

Oh,and Paul Telfer made a complete mess of the first goal. That's why the home team dropped two points.

If the Celtic fans were being honest, they'd admit Hearts were impressive while giving as good as they got. They were sharper than their opponents and their only difficulty is changing the mindset of Old Firm fans who cannot, or will not, own up to the presence of a third party in the championship race.

Hearts have met the Old Firm now and dropped only one point. It's Rangers and Celtic who have to take a look at themselves because Hearts aren't going away. The Glasgow sides have let their standards drop but neither can afford to consider the possibility of finishing third and failing to reach the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

If Hearts strengthen their squad when the window opens the Old Firm will need to react. This is a re-awakening that can't be dismissed on the grounds you are simply not old enough to remember when it happened before.

Strachan went for experience to confront Hearts at the weekend and I thought he made the right decision to be conservative.

Celtic had been flying with Shaun Maloney in the side and he lifted the crowd on Saturday when he came on to replace Alan Thompson.

There was a livelier, more energetic look to the midfield when Maloney burst into the game but that isn't the same as saying the manager picked the wrong team.

He went for the experience of the Englishman and the Irishman, Neil Lennon. The captain was eventually replaced but there are factors which need to be taken into account in his case. Lennon hasn't played since the 1-0 win at Easter Road on September 18 because of his infamous three-match ban.

But there's no doubt it suited Hearts to discover that Celtic had deliberately left out quicker players than the ones they fielded.

Burley had people like Skacel who were influential in the match. Celtic had someone like Shunsuke Nakamura, who only played on the fringes of the game and flitted in and out of the midfield.

The overall impression is the league is shaping up nicely. What Hearts are doing is good for the game and watch out for Edinburgh's other half sneaking upon the blind side.

Hibs are looking like a good side again and they're not too far off the pace at the top end of the table.

It's time for Glasgow's big two to take a look over their shoulder at the other end of the M8 because Edinburgh's finest can't be dismissed lightly.

Taken from the Daily Record