Each game a cup final for Hamill

Jamie Hamill has revealed he's happy for his team to be labelled as underdogs this season, as it gives them the chance to prove everyone wrong.

The Jambos start the season on minus 15 points but the right-back believes that, come the end of the season, people will be talking about nothing other than how he and his team-mates kept Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

Speaking to the Sunday media after he scored the second goal in Thursday night's 2-0 win over Crusaders in Belfast, Jamie said: "The pre-season games have been good to bed in people. We've got younger players and if you look towards the bench you've got young kids there as well so it's vitally important that they come away on these trips and kind of break the ice with the older boys and getting them involved and doing lots of different things.

"It's important to mix with the younger kids and give them that bit of experience. Talking about quality on the park, well everybody is here because they're really good players. We need to take that into the season with the opening game against St Johnstone. It'll be a very tough game and we're really looking forward to it.

"We're happy enough to be underdogs, as such. Hopefully, come the end of the season, we can put that right and make sure that people will be talking about the boys doing themselves justice.

"I keep saying it but this season is one that I'm looking forward to. If you ask anybody in the dressing room it's one we're all looking forward to and we see each game as a cup final. If we can stay up then I'm quite confident that it'll be the biggest achievement in the club's history.

"It's going to be a long season but hopefully the young boys can continue to progress the way they have been. I don't think we'll be far away.

"If you look at the depth of the squad then I think you're going to have to get people chipping in with goals. I've got a wee bet on with Stevenson and I'm still one ahead of him in pre-season, so long may it continue throughout the season!"

Hearts World