2004–05 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

Over the course of the season Hearts had 4 Management teams. They started the season under Craig Levein who left the club on 29 October to join Leicester City. His assistant Peter Houston took charge as care taker manager for 1 game before John Robertson took on the role for 7 months before a fall out with Romanov who dismissed him after he refused to accept a demotion to assistant head coach created a vacancy once again. Steven Pressley and John McGlynn jointly took the role of care taker managers for the final two games of the season.

Hearts used two stadiums over the course of the season Tynecastle Stadium for domestic fixtures and Murrayfield Stadium for international fixtures. This was due to Tynecastle not meeting Uefa requirements for holding international fixtures.

One of the most important matches in the clubs campaign this season was in the UEFA Cup group stage. On matchday three they played away in St. Jakob-Park in front of 21,650 spectators, with Kristinn Jakobsson (Iceland) as referee, against Basel. Hearts had lost their first two games in the group. Basel started well into the game and their striker Christian Giménez slashed a hard shot towards the far corner of the goal in the opening minutes, which needed a good save from keeper Craig Gordon. The young goalkeeper blocked the shot into the field, but Julio Hernán Rossi was not able to reach the rebound. Basel dominated the game, they restricted the visitors immensely and Hearts were only able to entered the Basel penalty area from set-pieces. Following a free-kick and a near miss from Michael Stewart, just minutes later Hearts took a surprise lead. A set-piece and Hearts surprisingly played the ball low, three quick passes, Dennis Wyness found room and the striker slotted the ball beyond goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbühler for the first goal of the game. The home team were now forced to be more committed with their attacks and they put Hearts under increased pressure, responding well to the conceded goal. Only some desperate last-ditch defending denied the hosts from obtaining their equaliser. Basel then started the second half as they had ended the first period, pressing forward. Basel's head-coach Christian Gross changed his attackers midway through the second half and his substitutions quickly paid out. César Carignano slotted home the equaliser. Basel pressed hard for the winning goal as the time ticked on. Hearts' last-gasp winner, in the 89th minute, was more a speculative attack and was made only to relieve the defensive pressure, but it paid off as Robbie Neilson pushed his shot under the body of goalie Zuberbühler with only seconds left on the clock, his first ever goal for the club. Basel versus Hearts 1–2 end result.[1]

Squad at end of season[2]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  SCO Craig Gordon 2 MF  LTU Marius Kižys 3 DF  AUS Patrick Kisnorbo 4 DF  SCO Steven Pressley 5 DF  CAN Kevin McKenna 6 DF  SCO Andy Webster 7 FW  SCO Dennis Wyness 8 MF  ENG Phil Stamp 9 FW  SCO Lee Miller (on loan from Bristol City) 10 MF  SCO Paul Hartley 11 MF  SCO Neil MacFarlane 12 DF  SCO Robbie Neilson 13 GK  FIN Teuvo Moilanen 14 DF  SCO Jamie McAllister 15 FW  ESP Ramón Pereira 16 MF  SCO Stephen Simmons 17 FW  SCO Graham Weir 18 MF  SCO Neil Janczyk 19 MF  SCO Joe Hamill 20 FW  SCO Mark Burchill 21 DF  SCO Christophe Berra 22 MF  SCO Michael Stewart (on loan from Manchester United) 23 MF  LTU Saulius Mikoliūnas (on loan from FBK Kaunas)

No. Pos. Nation Player 24 MF  SCO David McGeown 25 MF  NIR Conall Murtagh 26 FW  SCO Chris Gardiner 27 DF  SCO Gary Tierney 28 DF  SCO Craig Sives 29 GK  SCO Jamie MacDonald 30 DF  SCO Marco Pelosi 31 MF  SCO Ryan Kennedy 32 MF  SCO Ryan Gay 33 DF  NIR David Armstrong 34 FW  IRL Denis McLaughlin 35 FW  SCO Calum Elliot 36 GK  SWE Milan Barjaktarevic 37 DF  SCO John Armstrong 38 DF  SCO Jason Thomson 39 DF  SCO Lee Wallace 40 MF  SCO John Neill 41 MF  SCO Andrew Driver[notes 1] 42 MF  NIR Sean Mackle 43 FW  ENG Jamie Mole 44 MF  NIR Matthew Doherty 45 FW  ISL Hjálmar Þórarinsson 48 MF  LTU Deividas Česnauskis (on loan from FBK Kaunas)

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 2 DF  IRL Alan Maybury (to Leicester City) 9 FW  SUR Mark de Vries (to Leicester City)

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  SCO Robert Sloan (to St Johnstone) 33 DF  NIR David Armstrong (on loan to Crusaders)

• List of Heart of Midlothian F.C. seasons

• Official Club website
• Complete Statistical Record