Punch-drunk Hearts, Lawrence Shankland's contract clause, plus Rangers and Celtic kicks in the guts

Punch-drunk, dazed and probably confused about events of the last two weeks, Hearts fans are enduring a punishing time right now. The club are reeling from a number of brutal setbacks and their public are, understandably, feeling the effects. From incorrect refereeing decisions, to losing the Premiership title in the dying minutes, to watching captain Lawrence Shankland agree terms with Rangers, the blows will feel relentless.

In a fortnight, it’s gone from being the best time to be a Jambo to, in some ways, the worst. The hurt at how the league title was decided is merely compounded by Shankland’s imminent departure for Ibrox. Yes, there are Champions League qualifiers to look forward to in July, new signings will arrive and another title challenge may well transpire thereafter. None of that seems to matter too much right now. Hearts supporters will feel they’ve been kicked in the teeth, punched in the guts and elbowed in the jaw all at once.

Their backing of the team is never in question. Whenever needed, they unfailingly step up. The rallying when the club fell into administration back in 2013 was endearing to watch and remains a heartwarming tale to this day, but there are more modern and relevant stories of devotion. The push for the Premiership title in recent months was a fascinating plot on the field, but also off it. Hearts fans threw everything at it in the hope of inspiring their team to become champions of Scotland for the first time since 1960.

They roared themselves hoarse home and away, with the Gorgie Ultras group organising early meetings to welcome players to Tynecastle Park on matchdays. A different Tifo appeared every week in the stadium’s Gorgie Road end, complemented by a seemingly louder din when players emerged for kick-off, or scored a goal, or completed another monumental victory. Fans will feel all of that effort should have brought a better finish than what occurred during the last two weeks.

There have been multiple articles recording Hearts’ dismay at recent on-field officiating. For anyone living on the moon, it was the most controversial conclusion to a Scottish football season for decades. It’s not finished, either, for the fallout is ongoing. Police and the Scottish Professional Football League are investigating, with the league looking at possible disciplinary actions as a result of disorder around the season-ending fixture between Celtic and Hearts.

Before that, there are other pivotal issues fuelling a sense of exasperation in Gorgie. Alexandros Kyziridis was denied a penalty at Fir Park in the third last game of the campaign when he was tripped by Motherwell’s Tawanda Maswanhise. Referee Steven McLean was advised to review this incident by VAR and decided no penalty. Consequently, Hearts were potentially denied an extra two points from a game they drew 1-1. The Scottish Football Association published the Key Match Incidents panel’s view a few days later, and it was decided the Kyziridis decision was wrong.

Celtic were awarded a controversial penalty for handball against Sam Nicholson by referee John Beaton at Motherwell four days later. Again, VAR recommended an on-field review after Beaton let play continue, and this time the official changed his decision and pointed to the spot. The KMI panel deemed that VAR should not have got involved and that Beaton’s initial decision was correct. The 97th-minute spot-kick gave Celtic a 3-2 win, meaning they only needed to beat Hearts in the final game to win the title. Had the penalty not been awarded, Hearts would have won the league as long as they avoided defeat by three goals or more in Glasgow on the final day.

That game itself was poised at 1-1 on 87 minutes, meaning Hearts were poised to lift the Premiership trophy. Shankland, ironically, was the man who had scored what looked like a historic goal on the day. Then Daizen Maeda struck. Then Callum Osmand struck, prompting thousands of Celtic fans to invade the pitch. Hearts players were accosted and goaded during several altercations before being ushered off the field by stewards for their safety. They left Glasgow immediately under police escort. The team bus drove straight back to Tynecastle, where tearful players were warmly welcomed by thousands of those faithful supporters.

Digesting all of that was difficult enough for Hearts followers. There probably could not have been a more heartbreaking scenario after months of title hope and anticipation. So, when news of Shankland’s move to Rangers emerged over the weekend, many were entitled to feel disbelief. Could this ending to 2025/26 get any worse? Surely not? Yet, it is happening. The club captain is now finalising a move to Ibrox - swapping a club who finished second in the Premiership for the one who came third - and is set to play for his boyhood heroes next term.

A break clause in his three-year contract is another hammer blow as he prepares to leave without Hearts being properly compensated for their talisman. Suggestions that Shankland only signed a one-year deal with a two-year option last summer are wide of the mark. He penned an agreement running until 2028 but which, crucially, contains a release clause after the first year. It was one of the stipulations Shankland and his representatives made in order for him to re-sign at Tynecastle. He scored 88 goals in 171 appearances in maroon over the last four seasons and was as influential as anyone in this year’s title challenge. He is the best striker in Scotland and will be a hard man to replace. Seeing him don the shirt of a rival club makes that all the more difficult to take for Gorgie regulars.

He will be replaced, though. Jamestown Analytics already have a list of potential successors for the Hearts No.9 shirt. New strikers will arrive over the coming weeks and Hearts will move on from Shankland just as he is moving on from them. It would take several million pounds to recruit a forward of similar experience and ability to the 30-year-old. Even then, it would be almost impossible to find the same type of player with similar leadership and influence.

Hearts won’t spend outwith their means, of course, but they will replenish astutely with Jamestown’s guidance and be ready for the new campaign. This one ended disastrously and will take time to get over. Some fans will find it difficult to even begin the recovery process whilst bad news continues to emerge. Yet, the future in Gorgie is nonetheless promising. Finishing second in the Premiership is a significant improvement on seventh last year. A fascinating European adventure awaits, and that Tynecastle roar will soon deafen our ears once again very soon.

Tony Bloom is determined that season 2025/26 is just the start for the Scottish branch of his football empire. He is a man used to success; someone who doesn’t accept failure, and who has years of experience driving standards at clubs to enable them to overachieve. His work at Brighton and Hove Albion indicates what he will bring to Hearts in the long-term. His investment at Tynecastle is one of many reasons supporters should feel positive about the future. Perhaps not right at this minute, but in time there will be better things to come.