Harry Milne's short journey to a new world, his Hearts ambitions and the gold standard inspiring him

Firhill to Parkhead is just four miles across Glasgow, but for Harry Milne it is a journey to a different world. He left Partick Thistle for Hearts last month and finally made his debut at Celtic Park on Saturday. Same city, very different level. Championship to Premiership is a huge change for the 28-year-old defender.

He played left centre-back in a reorganised Hearts defence and more than held his own despite Celtic’s 3-0 victory. The game was finished as a contest before half-time, although Milne is entitled to feel he competed well against the Premiership leaders. Now he wants more action as his new club pursue European football and Scottish Cup progress.

“Absolutely, I've had to bide my time a wee bit. I knew that coming in,” he acknowledged. “I knew that I wasn't going to be playing every week or anything like that. Potentially the player of the season for our club, James Penrice, has been fantastic, he's the starting left-back. So it was only a real illusion to be coming in and playing right away.

“For me, it was just special to come to Hearts six months earlier because we were thinking about getting a pre-contract to come in the summer. So for me to be in the building, see everyone, know everyone, and just being able to do this day-to-day is brilliant for me.

“Saturday was probably the toughest game on the calendar, you'd argue. I don't think it's a game where you're fully expected to come and get three points. You have to sit in and grind out a result if you can. We looked at it slightly differently when we came in.

“We had a wee go for the first 20 minutes. We had a couple of chances. It was 2-0 when James Wilson has the header at the back post. That's a good chance to maybe get us back in the game. When the third went in, it's going to be tough from that point of view to get back in.”

SPFL top flight has plenty quality for Milne to improve at Tynecastle

After watching the continually-excellent Penrice at close quarters, Milne knows the level he must aspire to at Hearts. “Yes, you need to look at that,” he commented. “Obviously, you're looking at yourself and you know your personal development and things like that - but you'd be lying if you didn't say you use other people as a standard to where you want to get to. He [Penrice] has been the gold standard for the club this year. So yeah, the change of shape helped me to fit into the team and get a bit of game time. I was just happy to be part of that.

“I would think it would be harsh on anyone that's played the majority of games this season for me to come in and take their place or anything like that. I'm not here to come in and take anyone's place. I'm just here to be a part of the team and help out when I can. If that means starting games, then that's brilliant for me. I'll take it as it comes.”

Belief won’t be an issue. Jumping a division into the top flight doesn’t faze Milne, who harbours the confidence to cope in the Premiership. Saturday offered evidence that his faith is not misplaced. “I think once you get on the ball a couple of times in the big games like that - a couple of times I couldn't get the ball earlier, then I managed to nick it off someone - that gives you a bit of confidence for the next time you're on the ball.

“You make a good pass, a good touch, and you kind of grow into the game. I think, towards the end of the game, I was really comfortable on the ball and it was showing at a completely different level.”

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