Frenchman has gone from National League to Conference League

Laurent Mendy pushed hard to join Hearts this summer knowing the move could elevate his career to a totally different level at the age of 29. He made his feelings clear to former club Forest Green Rovers after they rejected a transfer offer from Tynecastle in January. When another bid worth more than £500,000 came in last month, Mendy was desperate to get to Edinburgh. Forest Green knew trying to keep him was a pointless exercise.

In one month, the midfielder’s decision has been fully vindicated. He has gone from England’s National League to the UEFA Conference League following Wednesday night’s euphoric penalty-shootout success against Rapid Vienna. If some Hearts fans are still struggling to take in midweek events in the Austrian Capital, imagine how Mendy feels. This is proper fairytale stuff for a guy who was playing in front of 700 people at Gateshead earlier this year.

Wednesday’s substitute outing was only his third appearance for his new club due to an injury sustained against Benfica. After that disappointment, Mendy spoke exclusively to the Edinburgh News about emotions inside the Allianz Stadion and why he is seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Hearts. “It's literally unreal, just an unreal feeling. I'm just grateful to be part of that group out there that performed the way we did on Wednesday,” he said. “Literally, we gave everything, left everything on the pitch, and we were really together. I'm just really excited.

“When you play football, you want to play in the biggest competitions. Being able to perform and play in a Conference League and make it out is literally unreal. It has sunk in, but it's sunk in in a way of, I'm just trying to show my talent now. I'm trying to put my name out there for people to know who I am. Also, for the upcoming footballers who have been or are in the position I was in, playing in non-league or whatever league they're in, I want to give them the confidence that you can play at any level. I'm just excited to be able to showcase my talent.”

Unsurprisingly for someone from England’s fifth tier, Mendy has never experienced anything like what transpired in Vienna. “Not as big as that, never as big as that. It was fantastic,” he said, acknowledging the two penalty saves by Hearts goalkeeper Beau Reus during the shootout and Oisin McEntee’s miss. “When it was 2-2 and then we dug it out in extra-time, then it went to pens, and then the way we won it, credit to all the players that took a pen and to Beau for saving two of them. Literally, it was just... I couldn't believe it.

“The changing room at the end - wow. Everyone was jumping, literally everyone. Everyone was hugging each other, kissing each other. It was a great atmosphere. Everyone literally gave big Oisin a hug and said: ‘We're in this together, score or miss, we help you out.’ Then we just pray that the other player does the same. Thankfully, it all worked out in the end.”

Celebrations were extensive on the field but muted afterwards. Hearts have an important Scottish Premiership game to focus on against St Johnstone today. “Everyone was celebrating with themselves, talking about it and talking to family. We all know that it's another game on Saturday and it's going to be an important game to push up the league. We came back to training and then Saturday's going to be the same thing. I think we can take the confidence of Wednesday and bring it to Saturday.”