Hearts are giving fans something to believe in

FOOTBALL supporters should be encouraged to be illogical, to dream, to see the possible in the impossible. It’s part of going week in, week out, particularly at the clubs outside the Old Firm. To hope this might be the season of all seasons. To daydream over the rolls of the dice that might go your way and turn those little ‘what ifs’ into a big ‘why not?’.

That’s why it was so lovely to traverse the Gorgie Road after Hearts’ 2-0 win over Motherwell last weekend and feel the electricity again, the sense of hope there is something special brewing there after all the rancour and unrest.

There is certainly the potential for a pretty strong team. What has been particularly pleasing, though, are the really strong messages.

Boss Robbie Neilson has spoken about the necessary changes in the signing policy.

Whether through his influence or that of sporting director Joe Savage, the focus has been on technical capability rather than size and strength. Already, the benefits are showing.

Most pleasing last Saturday, though, was the willingness to talk about challenging Rangers and Celtic. Liam Boyce set the target of staying at the top until May. Neilson (left) asked his men to go to Ibrox and win on Saturday. Former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes talks today about why he wanted everything coming out of Pittodrie to be bland when his side threatened to push an ordinary Celtic in 2016. That felt counterproductive, though. The financial gap between the Old Firm and the rest is huge. To bridge that, you need to use everything, build momentum, whip up the punters, turn your ground into a cauldron. Aberdeen spent that campaign telling their fans not to expect too much rather than utilising them as a weapon.

At Hearts, comparisons are already being drawn between this term and the season in which George Burley, with Neilson at right-back, won eight out of his first 10 games before being sacked.

Yet, Neilson has been witness to a stronger league challenge and it is that campaign — the Scottish Cup-winning journey of 1997-98 — from where he can arguably draw greater lessons.

He was in the youth set-up. The big team, meanwhile, were up there until the last half-dozen games, when a late equaliser at home to Motherwell knocked them sideways.

Although much has been said about Ibrox in six days’ time, it is not as crucial as many think. Jim Jefferies’ 1998 team were up against stronger Rangers and Celtic sides. They failed to beat either of them in the league, managing three draws out of eight.

However, from late

August until early December, they won 11 games out of 12 against the rest and built themselves a platform.

Jefferies had a fine mix in midfield and a squad of huge spirit. Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin are a strong engine room of this one and Neilson suggests there is now a better blend of personalities than last year.

Winning at Ibrox would light up the season, no doubt. However, Neilson has seen how a real title bid can also be constructed on beating everyone other than the Big Two. And this side suggests it might be capable of that.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, for sure, but coaxing your fanbase to roar like lions behind you seems an essential.