Exclusive: Andy Halliday open to extending Hearts deal even if he's not first-team regular

Andy Halliday would be open to staying at Tynecastle beyond the end of this season even if he’s not a first-team regular because he believes Hearts are building something special.

Hearts' Andy Halliday is out of contract at the end of the season. Picture: SNS

The former Rangers midfielder, who can also operate on the left-side of defence, has featured 14 times this campaign but only five times since the end of August as Beni Baningime and Cammy Devlin have established themselves in the centre of the park, while Alex Cochrane and Stephen Kingsley have been excellent on the left-side of defence.

Halliday, who will see his contract expire next summer, admits he’d typically look to move elsewhere in order to find regular football but remains keen to sit down with management once the hectic festive period is over to see if an extension can be agreed.

“Like all players at this period, with so many games coming up, you just want to focus on your football. My main focus is to get back into the team,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News.

“I’ve loved my time at the club. Obviously there has been some frustration for myself because, other than my last couple of years at Rangers, anywhere I’ve not been playing regularly I’ve looked to move on. But I certainly feel part of this squad and that’s the same for a number of players who’ve been rotated throughout the season.

“It’s a big club with great training facilities, a brilliant fanbase and I believe we’re going to be real strong contenders, not just this season but seasons moving forward.

“So I’ll sit down with the staff and I’d certainly be open to staying.”

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