2020–21 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season
The 2020–21 season was the 124th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian (Hearts), with the team participating in the Scottish Championship. It was the club's first season of play in the second tier of Scottish football since 2015, and only the second since 1983, having been relegated from the Scottish Premiership,[3] after the previous season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.[4] On 10 April 2021, Hearts earned automatic promotion back to the Scottish Premiership, having been in first place for most of the season.[5] They also competed in this season's Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup, losing in the second round of each competition respectively.
2020–21 season | |||
---|---|---|---|
Chairman | Ann Budge | ||
Manager | Robbie Neilson[1] | ||
Stadium | Tynecastle Park | ||
Championship | 1st (promoted)[2] | ||
League Cup | Second round (lost to Alloa Athletic) | ||
Scottish Cup | Second round (lost to Brora Rangers) | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Liam Boyce (14) All: Liam Boyce (16) | ||
| |||
Hearts had reached the semi-finals of the 2019–20 Scottish Cup before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped all football activity in Scotland during the previous season. Their semi-final against Hibs, which was originally due to be played in April, was rescheduled to take place later in the year.[6] Hearts played the rearranged fixture against Hibs on 31 October, winning 2–1. On 20 December, they lost the 2020 Scottish Cup Final to Celtic in a penalty shootout following a 3–3 draw after extra time.
Results and fixtures
Win Draw Loss Postponed
Pre-season / Friendlies
28 August 2020 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | Sheffield United | Oriam |
Report | Fleck 7' | Attendance: None[note 1] |
2 September 2020 Friendly | St Mirren | 1–2 | Heart of Midlothian | St Mirren Park |
McAllister 57' | Report | Roberts 33' Walker 43' |
Attendance: None[note 1] |
5 September 2020 Friendly | Burnley | 4–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Barnfield Training Centre |
Rodriguez 5' (pen.) Richardson 18' Thompson 30' Guðmundsson 47' |
Report | Wighton 37' | Attendance: None[note 1] |
18 September 2020 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 5–0 | East Fife | Tynecastle Park |
Halkett 10' Frear 29' Walker 34' Boyce 46' Hamilton 79' |
Report | Attendance: None[note 1] |
22 September 2020 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 3–0 | Falkirk | Oriam |
Boyce 44' Walker 75' Wighton 82 pen.' |
Report | Attendance: None[note 1] |
26 September 2020 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | Partick Thistle | Tynecastle Park |
Walker 10' Halkett 58' |
Report | Attendance: None[note 1] |
2 October 2020 Friendly | Partick Thistle | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Firhill Stadium |
Report | Walker 61' Irving 74' |
Attendance: None[note 1] |
Championship
Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland forcing an October start to the Scottish Championship season,[7] the length of the league was reduced from thirty-six to twenty-seven games.[8] The fixture list for the truncated Championship was announced on 29 July,[9] starting with a home game against Dundee.
16 October 2020 1 | Heart of Midlothian | 6–2 | Dundee | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Smith 4' Ginnelly 25' Boyce 34' (Penalty) Kingsley 45+2', 84' Halliday 90' |
BBC Report | Adam 27' Mullen 68' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Munro |
23 October 2020 2 | Arbroath | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Gayfield Park |
19:45 | BBC Report | Wighton 70' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Aitken |
7 November 2020 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 2–1 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Naismith 47' Boyce 70' |
BBC Report | Doran 86' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Madden |
20 November 2020 4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | East End Park |
19:45 | Thomas 49' Murray 54' |
BBC Report | Kingsley 84' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Robertson |
24 November 2020 5 | Heart of Midlothian | 3–0 | Alloa Athletic | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Smith 6' Halliday 24' Haring 37' |
BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Irvine |
5 December 2020 6 | Greenock Morton | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Gayfield Park |
15:00 | BBC Report | Walker 37', 48' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Aitken |
12 December 2020 7 | Heart of Midlothian | 6–1 | Queen of the South | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Naismith 20' Boyce 45+1', 46' Walker 76' Frear 82' Ginnelly 90+1' |
BBC Report | Obileye 72' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Collum |
26 December 2020 8 | Heart of Midlothian | 5–3 | Ayr United | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Kingsley 11' Wighton 68', 74' Lee 71' Boyce 81' |
BBC Report | Smith 57' McCowan 60' Walsh 90+4' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Munro |
29 December 2020 9 | Heart of Midlothian | 3–1 | Arbroath | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Naismith 30', 33', 36' (Penalty) | BBC Report | Doolan 48' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Walsh |
2 January 2021 10 | Dundee | 3–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Dens Park |
19:20 | McGhee 14' Mullen 36' Afolabi 84 pen.' |
Irving 56' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Robertson |
16 January 2021 11 | Alloa Athletic | 1–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Stark's Park |
15:00 | Williamson 84' Cawley 87' |
BBC Report | Irving 35' Frear 45' Ginnelly 90+3' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Muir |
23 January 2021 12 | Heart of Midlothian | 2–3 | Raith Rovers | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Boyce 58', 90' | BBC Report | Ugwu 5' Duku 47' (pen.) Tumilty 52' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Beaton |
26 January 2021 13 | Raith Rovers | 0–4 | Heart of Midlothian | Stark's Park |
19:45 | Boyce 36' Henderson 39' Gnanduillet 84', 90' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Anderson |
30 January 2021 14 | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Dunfermline Athletic | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Walker 81' | BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Collum |
5 February 2021 15 | Ayr United | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Somerset Park |
19:45 | BBC Report | Boyce 48' (Penalty) | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: McLean |
12 February 2021 16 | Queen of the South | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Palmerston Park |
19:45 | Obileye 43' (pen.) | BBC Report | Boyce 90' (Penalty) | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Steven |
20 February 2021 17 | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Greenock Morton | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Walker 71' | BBC Report | McGuffie 53' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Dickinson |
26 February 2021 18 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Caledonian Stadium |
19:45 | Storey 10' | BBC Report | Boyce 36' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Walsh |
6 March 2021 19 | Heart of Midlothian | 2–1 | Dundee | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Halliday 35' Gnanduillet 58' Haring 90+4' |
BBC Report | Cummings 63' (Penalty) | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Robertson |
13 March 2021 20 | Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | Ayr United | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Gnanduillet 72' Walker 86' |
BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Steven |
20 March 2021 21 | Arbroath | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Gayfield Park |
15:00 | BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Anderson |
27 March 2021 22 | Heart of Midlothian | 2–3 | Queen of the South | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Popescu 34' Gnanduillet 72' |
BBC Report | Shields 2', 22' Irving 82' (Own goal) |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Duncan |
3 April 2021 23 | Dunfermline Athletic | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | East End Park |
15:00 | BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Steven |
9 April 2021 24 | Heart of Midlothian | 6–0 | Alloa Athletic | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Boyce 26', 32' (Penalty), 53' Henderson 51' McEneff 71' Walker 88' |
BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: McLean |
20 April 2021 25 | Greenock Morton | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Cappielow |
19:05 | BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Beaton |
24 April 2021 26 | Heart of Midlothian | 3–0 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Tynecastle Park |
15:00 | Mackay-Steven 6', 31' McEneff 9' |
BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Madden |
30 April 2021 27 | Raith Rovers | 0–4 | Heart of Midlothian | Stark's Park |
19:45 | BBC Report | Mackay-Steven 11', 73' Henderson 57' Naismith 70' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Munro |
League Cup
Hearts were drawn into Group A of the League Cup group stage, alongside Cowdenbeath, East Fife Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers.[10]
6 October 2020 Group stage | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Walker 62' (pen.) | SPFL Report | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: McLean |
10 October 2020 Group stage | Cowdenbeath | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Bayview Stadium |
15:00 | SPFL Report | Halkett 78' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Newlands |
13 October 2020 Group stage | Heart of Midlothian | 3–1 | Raith Rovers | Tynecastle Park |
19:45 | Wighton 2' (pen.), 40' (pen.), 87' | SPFL Report | Duku 54' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Napier |
10 November 2020 Group stage | East Fife | 2–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Bayview Stadium |
19:45 | Hamilton 39' Wallace 64' |
BBC Report | Lee 1', 3' Irving 62' |
Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Anderson |
28 November 2020 Second round | Alloa Athletic | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | Heart of Midlothian | Recreation Park |
15:00 | Trouten 109' (Penalty) | BBC Report | Attendance: None[note 1] |
Scottish Cup
23 March 2021 Second round | Brora Rangers | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Dudgeon Park |
19:45 | MacRae 12' MacLean 75' |
BBC Report | Berra 70' | Attendance: None[note 1] Referee: Stuart |
First team player statistics
Captains
Steven Naismith continued as captain for the 2020–21 season,[11] having been appointed to the role during the previous season.[12]
No | Pos | Country | Name | No of games | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14 | FW | Naismith | 14 | Captain | |
1 | GK | Gordon | 11 | Vice Captain | |
5 | DF | Haring | 1 | Vice Captain | |
6 | DF | Berra | 4 | Vice Captain | |
26 | DF | Halkett | 5 | Vice Captain |
Last updated: 30 April 2021
Source: Competitive match reports.
Competitive matches only
Matches started as captain only
Country: FIFA nationality; No.: Squad number; P: Position; Name: Player name; No. Games: Number of games started as captain.
Squad information
During the 2020–21 campaign, Hearts used thirty-one players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances[lower-alpha 1] and goals[lower-alpha 2] scored by each player.
- Last Updated 30 April 2021
Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in the Scottish Championship, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
Disciplinary Record
During the 2020–21 season, Hearts players were issued forty-five yellow cards[lower-alpha 10] and one red. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player.
- Last updated 30 April 2021
Goal scorers
Last updated 30 April 2021
Place | Position | Nation | Name | Championship | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | FW | Liam Boyce | 14 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 7] | 16[lower-alpha 7] | |
2 | MF | Jamie Walker | 7 | 1 | 0 | 8 | |
3 | FW | Craig Wighton | 3 | 3 | 1[lower-alpha 8] | 7[lower-alpha 8] | |
4 | FW | Steven Naismith | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
5 | DF | Stephen Kingsley | 4 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 8] | 5[lower-alpha 8] | |
FW | Armand Gnanduillet | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
6 | MF | Josh Ginnelly | 3 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 8] | 4[lower-alpha 8] | |
MF | Gary Mackay-Steven | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
7 | MF | Olly Lee | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
MF | Andy Halliday | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
FW | Euan Henderson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
8 | DF | Michael Smith | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
MF | Andy Irving | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
MF | Elliott Frear | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
MF | Aaron McEneff | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
9 | DF | Peter Haring | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
DF | Craig Halkett | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
DF | Christophe Berra | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
DF | Mihai Popescu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
Total | 63 | 8 | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 74[lower-alpha 2] | |||
Clean sheets
R | Pos | Nat | Name | Championship | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Craig Gordon | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 | |
2 | GK | Ross Stewart | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 13 | 2 | 0 | 15 |
Last updated: 30 April 2021
Source: Match reports in Competitive matches
Team statistics
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Heart of Midlothian (C, P) | 27 | 17 | 6 | 4 | 63 | 24 | +39 | 57 | Promotion to the Premiership |
2 | Dundee (O, P) | 27 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 49 | 40 | +9 | 45 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-final |
3 | Raith Rovers | 27 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 45 | 36 | +9 | 43 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final |
4 | Dunfermline Athletic | 27 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 34 | +4 | 39 | |
5 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 27 | 8 | 12 | 7 | 36 | 31 | +5 | 36 |
League Cup table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | HOM | RAI | ICT | EFI | COW | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Heart of Midlothian | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 12 | Qualification for the Second round | — | 3–1 | 1–0 | — | — | |
2 | Raith Rovers | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | — | — | p3–3 | 2–1 | — | ||
3 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 6 | — | — | — | 1–0 | p0–0 | ||
4 | East Fife | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 3 | 2–3 | — | — | — | 2–0 | ||
5 | Cowdenbeath | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | −4 | 1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | — | — | — |
Division summary
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Management statistics
- Last updated on 30 April 2021
Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win%[nb 1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Robbie Neilson[lower-alpha 13] | 6 October 2020 | Present | 35 | 22 | 7 | 6 | 62.86 |
Club
Staff
|
|
Deaths
The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former captain Jim Townsend,[23] 2012 Scottish Cup winning captain Marius Zaliukas[24] and former coach Walter Borthwick.[25]
Management
Following football being suspended indefinitely during the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic,[26] Manager Daniel Stendel advised the club he would not take any wages during the closed period and returned to Germany.[27] Stendel's contract included a clause which rendered him a free agent should the club be relegated.[28]
Following the vote to end the 2019–20 season and Hearts being relegated on an average points basis,[29] Stendel's contract was ended, rendering him a Free Agent.[30] Despite Stendel indicating he wished to negotiate a new contract,[30] on 21 June 2020, Hearts appointed Dundee United Manager Robbie Neilson,[31] He had previously managed Hearts between 2014 and 2016[32] and was awarded a three-year contract.[1] Stendel's assistants Jorg Sievers and Dale Tonge also departed the club.[33] On 12 August 2020, Neilson's former United assistants Gordon Forrest and Lee McCulloch were appointed as First Team Assistant Managers. They joined on a three year deal.[34]
International selection
Over the course of the season a number of the Hearts squad were called up on international duty. Craig Gordon[35] was called up to represent Scotland while Michael Smith and Liam Boyce were selected to represent Northern Ireland.[36]
Awards
SPFL awards
|
PFA awards
|
Transfers
Loans in
|
Loans out
|
Notes
- Attendance restricted due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- Includes a total of 22 starting appearances and 10 substitute appearances by players in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches, as specified (these are recorded under the 2019–20 season in some statistical resources).
- Includes a total of 5 goals scored by players in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches, as specified (these are recorded under the 2019–20 season in some statistical resources).
- Includes two starting appearances in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes one starting appearance and one substitute appearance in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes two substitute appearances in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes one starting appearance in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes two goals scored in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes one goal scored in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes one substitute appearance in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes a total of ten yellow cards issued to players in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches (these statistics are recorded under the 2019–20 season in some resources).
- Includes one yellow card issued in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes two yellow cards issued in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup matches.
- Includes two matches (one win, one draw followed by a lost penalty shootout) in the delayed 2019–20 Scottish Cup (these statistics are recorded under the 2019–20 season in some resources).
References
- "Hearts name Dundee Utd boss to replace Daniel Stendel". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Heart of Midlothian: Robbie Neilson's side clinch Championship". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
- "Hearts & Partick Thistle relegations confirmed by arbitration panel". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 28 July 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- "Celtic champions & Hearts relegated after SPFL ends season". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
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- "Scottish Cup: 2019-20 final scheduled for 20 December". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Scottish Championship clubs approve 27-game season starting in October". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 15 June 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Championship clubs vote in favour of 27-game season for 2020/21 campaign". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Scottish Championship, League 1 & League 2 fixtures announced". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Scottish League Cup: St Johnstone & Dundee Utd drawn in same group". bbc.com/sport. BBC Sport. 10 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- "Robbie Neilson confirms Steven Naismith as his Hearts captain". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
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- "First Team". heartsfc.co.uk/. Heart of Midlothian F.C. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
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- "Summary - League Cup Group A". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
- "Coaching Staff". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "First Team Assistant Managers Appointed". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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- "Jim Townsend". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 28 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
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- "Coronavirus joint response group update". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- "Daniel Stendel tells Hearts to use his wages to pay other staff - but German free to leave if club relegated". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 20 March 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "Daniel Stendel makes Hearts contract revelation as German reveals relegation agreement". dailyrecord.co.uk. Daily Record. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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- "Hearts manager Daniel Stendel willing to adapt to 27-game Championship campaign if he returned". edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Edinburgh Evening News. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "Robbie Returns". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 21 June 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "MK Dons set to appoint Hearts head coach". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- "An Update From Ann". heartsfc.co.uk. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
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