Lawrence Shankland is to continue with the Tynecastle armband

Lawrence Shankland will continue as Hearts captain this season after new head coach Derek McInnes decided not to change skipper. The Scotland internationalist agreed a new three-year contract last week after a long deliberation, and has now been confirmed as the club’s on-field leader under McInnes.

Shankland, 29, was named captain by former Hearts manager Robbie Neilson in December 2022 after Craig Gordon broke his leg. Neilson’s successors, Steven Naismith and Neil Critchley, kept faith with the striker and McInnes chose to do likewise for his first campaign in charge at Tynecastle Park.

“I think there's a lot of responsibility on somebody like Lawrence because he's the real deal, you know what I mean?” explained the manager. “When he scores goals, he gets that hero status, that Roy of the Rovers-type thing and he carries that burden as all the big players do at their clubs. Then things don't go so well for him, as they didn’t last year. I just remember seeing him in interviews when I was doing Hearts games or watching him. I just thought: ‘He's taking too much on his shoulders here.’

“I've spoken to a lot of other senior players here. I feel as though I've got three or four vice-captains there all ready to come in. Any of a few people could be my captain, but they need to support Lawrence, they need to be there for Lawrence. It can't just be on his shoulders. I think he enjoys being the captain and that's important because I think you do need to enjoy being a captain.

“I don't think it's perfect, your centre-forward being captain. I always think it’s better a centre-half or centre-midfield player. But that's not to say it can’t be done. I see him in and around the place and how he is with the lads and I can see why he's going to be a great captain for us. We just want to make sure he's a successful captain in Hearts colours.”

McInnes was Shankland’s manager during the forward’s early years at Aberdeen. He now sees a more rounded and mature footballer who leads the Hearts changing-room. “You think you know somebody, and I've known Lawrence since he was about 14. But I do see a presence, maturity and experience from him just in and around the players,” explained McInnes.

Hearts captain named for SPFL season 2025/26

“As captain, speaking to me on certain things, being really proactive and trying to suggest certain things and all the rest of it. That side of it has probably been really refreshing and it's nice to see that maturity in him. He was always somebody I kept in touch with but I've not been his manager for a long time.

“From a training point of view and being on the pitch, he missed a few chances last night [in a closed-door friendly against East Kilbride] and players like him will miss chances but his touches look so soft. He's got the softest feet. He knows when to come off shape and link the play. He knows when he needs to be that focal point. He knows where he needs to be when crosses come in the box. He just looks like that player who just knows what he needs to do.

“The final part is the bit we spoke about before, which is hopefully for Hearts this season that he's the player who's closest to the goal. He can link the play, he can get you up the pitch, he can provide all those leadership qualities that I've seen more of first-hand. But ultimately, it's his goals that will help us more than anything.”