Jon McLaughlin reveals thoughts on a Hearts return and his Kyle Lafferty recommendation to Sunderland

Goalkeeper has Tynecastle fans in his ear in England

Jon McLaughlin is still a popular figure with Hearts fans.

Hearts' summer recruitment may well involve signing a new goalkeeper, a prospect which hasn't escaped Jon McLaughlin down in Sunderland. Tynecastle supporters attending games at the Stadium of Light have seen to that.

The 32-year-old is out of contract at the English League One club next month and hasn't ruled out returning to Scotland before his career ends. Simple maths tells you that, even before the coronavirus pandemic, his salary is well outwith Hearts' grasp.

That hasn't stopped fans encouraging him to at least think about it. McLaughlin enjoyed an enthralling year in Edinburgh in 2017/18, setting a new club record of eight consecutive clean sheets during December and January that season. The public would welcome him back with open arms.

On-loan Joel Pereira is returning to Manchester United and the Irishman Colin Doyle is not part of Hearts manager Daniel Stendel's plans. That leaves Zdenek Zlamal as the club's only first-team goalkeeper while highly-rated teenager Harry Stone awaits a breakthrough.

McLaughlin enjoys the regular contact from his home city and laments a wretched season which leaves Hearts detached at the foot of the Scottish Premiership. Fans travelling down to Sunderland help keep him abreast of events in Edinburgh.

They have also ensured he is well aware of the likely need for a new keeper in Gorgie for next season. "I've had a few fans come down for Sunderland games who were trying to get in my ear an' that. The reminders are always there," the Scotland internationalist told the Evening News.

"I don't know if it's because of Sunderland's close proximity, or some people happen to be fans of both clubs. A few times fans are asking for photos or autographs after the game and they say they are from Scotland and they're Hearts fans. It's nice to get that.

"Even in the cities, Newcastle or Sunderland, you'll get the odd Hearts supporter. It's good when people want to come up and want to chat about the time you were there.

"When I come up for the Scotland internationals and we're training at Oriam, I see the goalie coach Gall [Paul Gallacher] so it's great to still have that connection. I've shared a gym with the lads and I always make sure I pop in to see everybody to keep in touch."

If he ever does come back up the road, the question of whether he could bring Kyle Lafferty with him might also be raised. The Northern Ireland striker is also due out of contract after signing a six-month deal with Sunderland in January.

While McLaughlin broke Hearts records at one end in season 2017/18, Lafferty came close to setting new ones at the other end with 19 goals in all competitions. He remains iconic to many Tynecastle regulars.

"I was asked by our manager and coaching staff about him from my time with him at Hearts. I wouldn't say I'm the one making the decisions by any means," explained McLaughlin.

"When you have players who played together, they wanted to get an idea of what he was like as a guy, what he could offer, would he be of any value, would he fit the dynamic in the team?

"They asked my opinion. I didn't have any contact with Laffs himself beforehand but it's been good to have him here. He is a good character to have about the place and he's having an impact. He is only on a short deal but he will still be a valuable player for the rest of the season at least."

Watching his former club toil from afar has been difficult for McLaughlin. "When I was at Hearts, things were good with Craig Levein and his staff. There were a lot of experienced players: Christophe [Berra], [Aaron] Hughesy, Don Cowie, Naisy [Steven Naismith], myself, Laffs, plus the young guys like John Souttar and the teenagers behind him.

"You thought: 'This is a club with a good balance.' The stadium had just been done and there were full houses every week. They have a great training ground in a great city, so Hearts have so much going for them and I had a great time there.

"When you leave and see all of the stitching coming undone – players leaving, managers going, team down at the bottom of the league - it's frustrating and not nice. I've felt for the guys and the fans.

"I made some great friends up there and really enjoyed it. The fans were great with me. It's sad to see. They had their troubles before, went down and managed to recover and get back up.

"They seemed to be on an upward curve so it's disappointing to see what has happened. It shows you what a balancing act it is. It's a little bit surprising seeing how quickly clubs can become affected when, only a couple of weeks without football, there are financial worries.

"It's not just Hearts. League One and League Two here have clubs finding huge problems with their finances going forward. I saw the vote to end the lower leagues and I know they have set up this group to look at reconstruction. I know Ann Budge is very involved in that.

"Hopefully they find a way to make sure Hearts don't just get relegated. Either they complete the season or find a way to restructure. I'd like to see it get resolved."

He would also like to see his own future resolved sooner or later and, whilst open to offers, is awaiting a formal contract offer from Sunderland. Would he consider heading back to Scotland one day?

"Yeah, we haven't made any concrete plans or thought too hard about it," said McLaughlin. "Of all the places I've been, it was certainly where we enjoyed our time the most.

"We liked being in Edinburgh, my home city, with family there. When you've had a good time at a club and have a good relationship with fans, there is always going to be a draw there. We'll just have to see what happens in the future."

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