John McGlynn: Hearts’ drop could be a blessing

Ex-Hearts manager John McGlynn reackons relegation could be a good thing for the Jambos.

Former Hearts boss John McGlynn believes the Tynecastle club’s relegation could turn out to be a blessing in disguise!

Gary Locke’s men face the prospect of having their demotion to the Championship confirmed if they lose to Hibs in the Edinburgh derby today.

And while that is exactly the kind of scenario fans dread, the man who led them to last season’s League Cup Final argues it is crucial to remember the bigger picture.

“Whenever it comes, the exact moment the relegation becomes reality is going to be tough,” said the Livingston manager.

“However, this has been a long time coming.

“That the club are going to be playing outwith the top flight is not going to be a surprise to anyone with even a passing interest in Scottish football.

“With the 15-point penalty and all the transfer embargoes, this has been an extremely testing season for everyone at Tynecastle.

“They have accepted the punishments for going into administration and focused on the most important thing ensuring there is a Heart of Midlothian Football Club going forward.

“In difficult circumstances the kids have done their absolute best and shown a great deal of character. They all have.

“They will definitely improve for the experience, and will get the chance to show just how much in what should be a terrific Championship next season.”

In addition to facing McGlynn’s club, Hearts will compete in a division that also includes Rangers, probably Falkirk, Raith and, potentially, Dunfermline.

“It is very exciting,” he said.

“The presence of two of Scotland’s biggest clubs in the League is going to be a boost across the board.

“You are looking at a big increase in crowds and, I would guess, a lot more in the way of media attention.

“Rangers’ climb up through the leagues is, I would guess, being followed by football fans across the world.

“Next year that is going to be even more the case because they will actually be competing for a place in the Premiership.

“And in the same way it will be interesting to see how Hearts fare against teams who may still be full-time but operate on smaller budgets than the ones operated in the Premiership.”

McGlynn’s guess is they won’t do too badly.

“When Hibs went down at the end of the ‘90s, it worked out well for them,” he said.

“From struggling in the Premier, they started winning every week and the crowds went shooting up.

“They eventually won the division by 23 points and went up in much better shape than they had been.

“Circumstances are different in this case. Rangers will be favourites and there are a lot of other tough opponents in the division.

“I certainly don’t believe they will struggle the way they have done this season and would expect it to be a much more enjoyable experience.”