Former Hearts favourite pays tribute to 'mental' fans after signing for new club

Josh Ginnelly paid tribute to the “mental” Hearts support after completing his move to Swansea City.

The 26-year-old praised the fanbase for continually getting behind the team as he revealed that he loved every minute of his time in the Capital and would forever hold the club in his heart.

Ginnelly signed a three-year deal with Swansea on Monday, just a few days after his departure from Edinburgh was confirmed following the expiration of his contract.

He finished last campaign as Hearts’ second highest goalscorer in what was the most productive of his three seasons in Gorgie. He netted 13 times and was a revelation in the second half of the campaign playing alongside Lawrence Shankland in a two-man attack.

Josh Ginnelly celebrates after scoring for Hearts against Hibs earlier this year. Picture: SNS

After making the move down to the Championship, Ginnelly also sought to champion the quality of the Scottish top-flight and revealed a pair of his former Tynecastle team-mates had an influence in him ultimately deciding to pick the Welsh club with other English second-tier sides hunting for his signature.

“No disrespect to Scotland at all, that league is very tough and I think in England or down here people kind of think it’s easy. I’d love to see a lot of players go up there and do well, because it it’s not easy,” he said.

"I loved [Hearts], I’ll always love that club. I met some great people there, I had some of my best moments there – European football, Scottish Cup finals, playing in front of big crowds.

“When you’re at the third-biggest club in Scotland the fans are mental, to be honest. They’re very good and get behind the team. I loved every single minute of it. I went there in Covid, then we won the Championship and got to the Prem, then got European football, so I did a lot at the club and had some great moments.

“But I think this is the next step for me, personally. Two of my ex-team-mates, Stephen Kingsley and Barrie McKay, loved it down here. Swansea, to me, is a Premier League club, with the facilities alone. So, for me, it was a no-brainer.”