Heart of Midlothian

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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James Penrice has been the standout performer for Hearts in what has been, until recent weeks, a turbulent campaign for the Tynecastle club.

The 26-year-old defender made the move to Edinburgh in the summer after the expiration of his contract with Livingston and made his competitive debut in the opening game of the season against Rangers which they drew 0-0.

Penrice says he became aware of Hearts interest in early January last year when they met Livingston in the Premiership.

"I hit a good bit of form just before January and I knew I was going to leave but Livingston had offered me another deal," Penrice said.

"I had to say to David [Martindale] I'm not going to sign it, which he wasn't too pleased with, but he quickly understood.

"Then we played Hearts on 2 January. As I'm walking around the pitch, Naisy [Steven Naismith] pulled me aside and basically said that he'll be speaking to me soon. Then after the game there, Clare [Cowan] from the club came up to me and asked what was going on with me and if I'd signed a pre-contract anywhere.

"At that point I wasn't really thinking and then they got in touch with my agents. There was talks at other clubs, my agent was talking to a few, but as soon as Hearts was in the pipeline, it was the only decision for me."

Penrice was brought up in Livingston and was a pupil at Meldrum Primary but all he wanted to concentrate on was his football.

"My primary school and high school were kind of taken over by what I was doing in my football career," Penrice added.

"At that time, your club wouldn't really let you play with your school, so it was never a big thing for me.

"It was almost a relief when I actually left a couple of clubs and I managed to get to play for the school. My school was the usual black ash pitch. I broke my collarbone on it playing football at lunch.

"It was just a really, really good school to be at and it only helped my love for football really. It was kind of just my wait until the bell goes for either break or lunch and then eat as quick as you can and then run outside.

"It was a real bad day when it used to rain and we weren't allowed outside. It was like all the kids just sitting in the window looking at the football pitch.

"They let us on as much as possible. As I say, I've got probably a couple of cuts on my body from that time, even that early in my life"

The next step for Penrice is the national team.

The defender has never before featured at international level at any age group but admits it's one of his burning ambitions in the game.

"I think I got maybe in one provisional squad when I was at Thistle but that was the closest I got," he said.

"It's definitely a dream of mine but I'm under no illusion that the left-back slot at Scotland is a tough gig.

"My main focus is to get in and help Hearts. If that was to come in the future, that'd be brilliant.

"It's anybody's dream to play for their country. So I'd be thrilled if it happened but I'm not under no illusion that the squad's incredible right now."

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Calem Nieuwenhof "feels like a new signing" as he prepares to make his long-awaited return from injury for Hearts.

The Australian has been sidelined since March 2024 when he suffered a hamstring injury but made the bench in last weekend's win at Dundee and hopes to feature in Monday night's Scottish Cup tie at St Mirren.

"It's been tough because, obviously, as a footballer, I want to play football," the midfielder said.

"I love the game, I love competing and, to go such a long time without that, it's been tough. The support from my team-mates and the staff here has been incredible. I couldn't thank them enough.

"It was really frustrating for me to be having such small setbacks.

"Now I've been feeling good and just so happy to be back on the pitch again and hopefully, being able to play again very soon.

"As a footballer, when you're injured, you don't really have any choice other than to sort of knuckle down and just do all you can do to get back.

"That's what I'm really focusing on and now I'm in a good place where I feel good in my body, I'm not taking it for granted and I know that now I'm fit. I need to stay fit."

Nieuwenhof hasn't played for Neil Critchley, who joined the club in October, and craves the chance to impress.

"I do feel like a bit of a new signing coming in at the moment, which is funny because I've been her a year and a half now," he said.

"I just can't wait to get back on the pitch in front of the fans again."

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Former league-winning Hearts goalkeeper and Hall of Fame member Gordon Marshall has died at the age of 85.

The shot-stopper made his debut aged 17 in 1956 and went on to win two league titles and three League Cups during a seven-year spell with the club.

Moves to Newcastle and Nottingham Forest followed before Gordon joined Hibernian in 1969, becoming one of a select pack of players to play for both Edinburgh clubs.

He also had stints at Celtic and Aberdeen before seeing out his career at Arbroath.

His son, Gordon, went on to have a successful goalkeeping career, too.

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Neil Critchley says Hearts' transfer strategy "makes the decision-making process a lot easier" as he declared himself delighted with the squad's January revamp.

Hearts, working in conjunction with Jamestown Analytics, added five new players - four on permanent deals and Union St-Gilloise striker Elton Kabangu on loan - while five players moved on, including Australia defender Kye Rowles.

Kabangu, with five goals in three starts, and defender Jamie McCart have already impressed and head coach Critchley said: "They brought a freshness to the group, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well.

"Obviously we've not seen really Michael [Steinwender] and Sander [Kartum] too much and hopefully they'll start to be a bit more evident further down the line.

"But Jamie's been magnificent at the back since Kye has left the building and Elton's come and had a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

"They've been a massive help and it just goes to show that recruitment and getting the right players in is a huge part of developing your squad. I've been delighted with the work we've done."

Among the departures were late moves for two players who only arrived last summer, Daniel Oyegoke and Malachi Boateng.

"I just think sometimes you're not prepared for what's going to come your way and what the player wants to do as well. You have to take that into account," added Critchley.

"We had offers that we thought were acceptable for the club and the players also expressed an interest in wanting those moves to happen.

"But if you look at our work right across January and the players that have left and the players that have come in, you always want to try and end the window as stronger than when you started it.

"I think we've done that and we've got a strategy of how we want to move forward. When you have that, it makes the decision-making process a lot easier."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Neil Critchley has been speaking to the media before Hearts visit St Mirren in the Scottish Cup on Monday - live on BBC Scotland.

Here are the key lines from the Tynecastle boss:

• Critchley is delighted with the first manger of the month award of his career, adding: "It is recognition of all the work that's been going on."

• With Hearts unbeaten in seven, he is determined to keep the momentum - "we enough experience to make sure we don't take the foot off the pedal" - but cautions there is a "long way" to go in getting the team and squad to where he wants.

• Critchley is pleased with the club's business in the transfer window - Hearts added five players and moved five on - and hailed the early impact of "magnificent" Jamie McCart and Elton Kabangu for bringing a "freshness" on and off the pitch.

• On deadline-day arrival Harry Milne: "He can play left-back or left centre-back. If we decide at any point to play in a three, he can play left of a three. I really like his journey."

• On the January exit of summer signings Daniel Oyegoke and Malachi Boateng: "We had offers that we thought were acceptable for the club and the players also expressed an interest in wanting those moves to happen."

• Critchley is braced for a "tough game" against St Mirren and says "form goes out the window" in cup ties.

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Hearts head coach Neil Critchley has been named Scottish Premiership manager of the month following his side's impressive climb up the table.

Critchley's men went unbeaten in January, with wins over Motherwell and Dundee United followed by a draw at Aberdeen, victory over Kilmarnock and a 6-0 trouncing of Dundee at Dens Park.

The Jambos were 11th at the start of the month but now sit seventh, just one point off sixth-place Motherwell.

"I'd like to dedicate this award to all of the staff, not just at Oriam but at Tynecastle too, and the players who have performed very well in the month of January," said Critchley.

We asked for your thoughts on Hearts' business in the January transfer window.

Here's what some of you said:

Ian: Would have liked to see Hearts sign an out-and-out winger. Only time will tell if the new players are the real deal or a flash in the pan. It was an unexpected but welcome win against Dundee, but let's not get carried away just yet. I certainly won't be eating humble pie about Neil Critchley just yet. One swallow doesn't make a summer.

Neil: Critchley has undoubtedly proved me and the other doubters wrong. Jamestown Analytics are doing what we were promised with the signings of Elton Kabangu and the others they have identified.

David: The ins and outs in the transfer window look to be very positive. It's just a pity we couldn't add another speedy wide player. Hopefully our recent improved form and confidence will continue. The downside is Jorge Grant, Yutaro Oda and Barrie McKay have not moved elsewhere.

Chris: Certainly exiting the window stronger than when we entered. Disappointed to see McKay, Grant etc hanging around costing us money rather than wanting to play football. The only black mark is failing to secure Danny Armstrong from Killie as what we have on the left isn't what we have on the right. We are weak at right-back also. Overall solid 8/10 window.

Tom: The signings have all been sensible rather than spectacular. Although the players who have come in have the potential to improve under, what appears to be, a very good coaching team. A buy option for Kabangu could turn out to be a masterstroke, if his form continues and if we can afford him.

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Ask a Hearts fan what their lasting memory of Saulius Mikoliunas is and they'll mention his wing play, his passion, and most likely an incident against Rangers.

In the final moments of a fiercely contested match at Tynecastle in March 2005, the away side were awarded a 90th-minute penalty just moments after Hearts had scored an equaliser.

Miko, as he was affectionately known, remonstrated with linesman Andy Davis and was sent off for clashing with him before Fernando Ricksen's spot-kick consigned Hearts to a 2-1 defeat.

The Lithuanian - who had only joined Hearts a couple of months earlier - was shown a second red for swearing at referee Hugh Dallas and eventually ended up with an eight-match ban.

"Some players from Rangers, they just jump on [Hearts striker] Lee Miller's back, so it's almost a foul against, or, for us," Miko tells the new BBC podcast Romanov: Czar of Hearts.

"I thought it was a goal kick, I went to take my position and then I saw something happening on the linesman, Andy Davis, and then I saw the referee talking to him.

"And then something, I don't know, I lost my head. I just wanted to come to him and argue. You know, I was thinking maybe I can change something."

This incident led to Vladimir Romanov's first clash with the governing bodies of Scottish football.

"Obviously after the game, everybody was against him," recalls former midfielder Paul Hartley.

"The Scottish media, the referees, they're all corrupt and all that stuff [Romanov thought] and then that's why he hated the players talking to the media."

Romanov wanted answers, and his PR man Charlie Mann witnessed his post-match rant in person.

"They say, right, we need to do something about this. We need to question the SFA. This is horrendous, this is terrible. This goes on all the time. We need to do something about that."

However, the Hearts owner wasn't fazed by the punishment that came his way, as Martin Geissler outlines on the podcast.

"Romanov's outburst brought him a charge of bringing the game into disrepute and a fine of £5000.

"But if you're a man with your own bank back in Lithuania - this is the kind of money you can lose down the back of the sofa."

Romanov: Czar of Hearts episodes 1-3, available now on BBC Sounds.

With the transfer window now closed, how do you feel about Hearts' January business?

Defender Harry Milne arrived from Partick Thistle on deadline day, taking Hearts' January haul to five.

Milne joins fellow permanent signings Sander Kartum, Michael Steinwender and Jamie McCart, while new loan recruit Elton Kabangu has already made a big impression.

Malachi Boateng was a deadline-day departure and Daniel Oyegoke, Kye Rowles and Liam Boyce have also left, along with Andres Salazar, whose loan was ended. Macaulay Tait, having had a taste of first-team action, has gone out on loan.

So, are Hearts well equipped for the remainder of the domestic campaign on two fronts? Or did they need strengthening elsewhere?

Have your say on Hearts' transfer business., external

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What earns someone the tag of 'signing of the window'?

A player who immediately improves the squad? A player who does something others in the squad aren't? A player who's an instant hit with fans?

Well, Elton Kabangu ticks all those boxes.

The big Belgian striker has settled seamlessly into the Hearts team with five goals in three games.

Scoring was a problem area for Neil Critchley's side, with captain Lawrence Shankland struggling to hit his dizzying heights of last term.

And while on-loan Union Saint-Gilloise striker Kabangu has eased that burden, he has also arguably helped his own game and scoring rate.

"I think Elton Kabangu is possibly the signing of this window in Scottish football," Mark Atkinson, sports editor of The Scotsman, said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"A really good player who could transform Hearts' fortunes this season."

He has already played a big part in that, with the resurgent Tynecastle side now eyeing at least a top-six place.

Listen and subscribe to the Scottish Football Podcast on BBC Sounds

Greg Playfair
Fan writer

It's somewhat fitting that in the same weekend that saw Hearts supporter and wrestling superstar Joe Hendry shot to prominence, our Gorgie boys also rose to the occasion with a thumping 6-0 win at Dundee.

Much like Hendry appearing as the 15th entrant in WWE's Royal Rumble to his theme music 'I Believe in Joe Hendry', there are now Hearts supporters singing that about head coach Neil Critchley.

Little over five months ago, we witnessed the start of the downward spiral in our league form against with a bruising 3-1 defeat at Dens Park. The fact Critchley - who deserves huge credit - has led us back up there in such thumping fashion has vanquished any fears we have of going to any away ground now in Scotland.

It's amazing the turnaround in some players' form since Critchley took over. Cammy Devlin is in the best form of his Hearts career. Craig Gordon has kept four clean sheets in his past five league games.

Critchley has managed to get consistent performances out of youngsters James Wilson, Musa Drammeh and Adam Forrester. Even new signings Jamie McCart and Elton Kabangu have hit the ground running.

If the league table had reset when Critchley took over from Steven Naismith, we would be third. Many of his initial sceptics are nowhere to be found these days.

It's been a frenetic period in terms of comings and goings, with 13 in total. That number may rise as Yutaro Oda seems to fancy a return to Japan and that transfer window remains open. There are also fans hoping Barrie McKay might be tempted to reunite with old boss Robbie Neilson at Tampa Bay Rowdies.

The squad we're left with at the end of the window is much strengthened compared to the one we started with. I know the guys brought in aren't 'like for like' but you can argue that players including McCart, Kabangu and new left-back Harry Milne are all upgrades on Kye Rowles, Liam Boyce and Andres Salazaar.

Everyone of a maroon mindset is now believing top six is a formality if we continue recent performances, with some even holding out hope to crash the top four and make an unexpected run for third.

The focus turns to a Scottish Cup trip to St Mirren this weekend and that match will be a typical slog, given how Stephen Robinson likes to set up his side, but I'm confident we can progress to the quarter-finals.

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Hearts midfielder Malachi Boateng has joined Plymouth Argyle on a permanent deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old made the switch to Tynecastle in the summer and went on to make 28 appearances for the Edinburgh outfit.

"We've enjoyed working with Mal these past few months," boss Neil Critchley told club media.

"Similar to Daniel Oyegoke before him, this is a move that makes sense for all parties involved.

"Mal has an opportunity to continue his career down south and it's a good deal for us, so we wish him well at Plymouth.

"We are happy with the work we have done during January as we now look forward to the next phase of the season in good form."

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Joining Hearts was "a no brainer" for left-back Harry Milne who believes he can "excel" in the Scottish Premiership.

The 28-year-old has played in every professional division in Scotland but is ready to test himself in the top flight.

Milne joins Neil Critchley's side from Championship outfit Partick Thistle.

"Just being around the place today has been really special for me," he told club media.

"Being out and seeing the stadium is just amazing.

"I think the opportunity to come to the top division in the country would be too good to turn down, never mind to one of the biggest clubs in the country.

"For me, it's absolutely a no-brainer. Obviously, I had a great time at Thistle, and I respect all the fans, the staff and the players and everyone who helped me.

"I think they agree with me that it was time to move on and I'm at a level now where I think I can excel in the Premiership."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Hearts have agreed a deal with Partick Thistle for defender Harry Milne. The 28-year-old will come in as competition for James Penrice at left-back, with confirmation expected on Monday evening.

Milne joined Thistle in the summer of 2022 after leaving Cove Rangers and has played over 100 games for the club.

Meanwhile Malachi Boateng could be on his way out of Tynecastle on deadline day. The midfielder only joined the Hearts in the summer when he signed on from Crystal Palace for an undisclosed fee.

Boateng, 22, spent last season on loan at Dundee from Palace, and is now wanted by the English Championship's bottom side Plymouth Argyle.

Hearts have three players in my team of the week after their magnificent 6-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday.

James Penrice's consistent excellence down the left flank this season reminds me of the impact Andy Robertson had for Dundee United.

Blair Spittal has truly found his feet at Hearts. Inventive and thoughtful on the ball with quality execution. He is playing with the assuredness that shone so brightly during his starring role at Motherwell.

Up front, Elton Kabangu showed energy, anticipation and directness.

He also clearly has a hunger for goals, as he demonstrated with two of the six strikes at Dens. He has added a new dimension to the Hearts attack, which clicked into gear with devastating effect against Dundee.

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Hearts' confidence and momentum as they push for the top six following their 6-0 win over Dundee on Saturday.

Watch highlights of Dundee's 6-0 defeat against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.