Neil Critchley's Hearts tenure summed up in 13 photos as highs and brutal lows packed into six defining months

Hearts are moving into a huge summer after parting company with head coach Neil Critchley.

It’s the second time the Jambos hierarchy have pulled the trigger on a first team leader after Steven Naismith’s exit earlier this season. However, a 1-0 defeat to Dundee on Saturday had fans fully turning on the man who replaced the former striker, with Critchley lasting just six months in charge after being hired in a process aided by Jamestown Analytics.

Under his leadership, Hearts did pull themselves away from the bottom of the league where he found them, but failed to win many important matches, with Hearts not able to beat Hibs or Aberdeen this season. They also missed out on two chances to clinch a top six spot and lost their Scottish Cup semi-final vs the Dons as a theme of defeat in big games too much for sections of the support to ignore.

Their latest loss against Dundee has the club five points above 11th, the relegation play off spot in the Premiership, with four games to go. Here is how Critchley’s reign unfolded in 13 photos.