Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland sets another three personal targets this season

The predatory striker is in the form of his life - and is far from finished

Three more targets lie on the horizon for Lawrence Shankland this season. As if the Hearts captain needs more ammunition after destroying opponents all over the country for the last 19 months. His ambition knows no bounds, hence he fully intends remaining prominent in Scottish football between now and the summer.

Shankland struck his 50th Hearts goal to win Wednesday night's Premiership match at St Johnstone. He became the quickest player to reach that landmark since the legendary Willie Bauld back in 1950. Having last year become the first Tynecastle forward to score 20 goals in a season since John Robertson, Shankland's name is now etched in club folklore alongside those two. It is a remarkable feat given he only arrived in Gorgie in summer 2022.

Now it's on to the next achievement, which for him is 30 goals in a campaign. No-one has reached that total since Robertson scored 31 way back in 1987/88. Shankland currently has 22 Hearts goals and one international strike so far this term. He has 13 league matches, plus Scottish Cup ties, remaining in which to hit the 30 mark. It comes as no surprise that he firmly believes it is possible.

"Aye, because it’s doable once you get to this stage," he said. "I’ve always been the type who thinks about getting one more and then one more, because if you do that they all add up. So I’ll just keep doing that and see where we are at the end of the season."

By that point, he wants to be top of the Premiership goalscoring chart ahead of rivals at Aberdeen and Celtic. That's next on the agenda. "Last season I had a run but didn’t make it. So where I am this year, obviously I would love to keep going and make it. [Bojan] Miovski is doing well at Aberdeen and scoring goals and I’d imagine Kyogo will hit a bit of form as well. There are a lot of good strikers in this league so you can’t get too caught up in it. I’ll just keep plodding away."

Plodding away, plundering defences. Same thing. The other item on Shankland's list is a place in Scotland's Euro 2024 squad. His figures suggest he will be an extremely difficult man for national coach Steve Clarke to leave out. "The March camp is first so the most important thing is to be involved in that. After that it’s a quick turnaround to the Euros and there will be loads of talk and decisions to be made," said the 28-year-old.

"All I can affect is what I can affect, which is out on the pitch for Hearts. So I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. You just have to live in the here and now, there are so many games so you just have to focus on what you’re involved in at that moment in time. Anything can happen in football between the international camps, so you just have to concentrate on your club football and then nearer the time it comes into play."

His fate will largely be determined by feats in a maroon shirt over the next three months. Hitting 50 goals with a moment of sheer quality at McDiarmid Park brought more adulation from the adoring Hearts support, plus messages from the aforementioned Robertson.

"It’s a nice feeling, I forgot it was my 50th until I saw the banner at the end," admitted Shankland. "I was just concentrating on the game but afterwards I can think about it and what a good achievement it is. It was a tight game and that was my only chance, but that’s part of my job.

"I have made a habit of it, which is good, and all I want to do is get in the positions and then I do stick them away. It was a great ball from Frank [Kent]. Everyone will think it was a big punt but he actually made eye contact with me. I didn’t celebrate it that much because I was worried I was offside!

"When I was moving here, I knew Hearts would be a team who create chances. The aim is to be at the top end of the table so I always thought I would score goals. It had been a long time since someone had scored 20 goals for the club. I had achieving that in the back of my head at the start. 

"So to do it back-to-back, although not in the league yet, is great. I have scored all types of goals this season, it’s not really been consistent what I have been doing. I just know that if I get the ball in around the box I can make things happen. 

"I have spoken to John Robertson by text and I had another one from him after the game here. We text back and forward now and again, he messaged me after we beat Hibs. It’s nice because he holds all the records and has done for a long time, so it’s up to me to go and put a new name in there."

St Johnstone will be sick and tired of his name popping up on scoresheets against them. Hearts have won three out of three meetings with the Perth club this season and haven't conceded a solitary goal. Shankland scored in all three fixtures. "I don’t actually look at things because every game is different and I’m too focused on that, but if I have scored against them every time it’s good to get another one," he said, acknowledging that using his body was again central to Wednesday's winner as he held off challenges.

"It’s a natural thing I’ve had since I was a kid. It won’t take a scientist to work out I’m not very quick, so I have always had to use my body to my advantage. It’s something I have always done pretty well and it’s natural, but obviously as you go up the levels you have to be stronger to use it like that."

Hearts supporters wondering if he might sign a contract extension beyond summer 2025 at Tynecastle must wait for now. Shankland did not sign two new deals put to him by the club hierarchy last month. "I have 18 months left on my deal so I would imagine we’ll revisit that at the time, so we’ll see," he said.