The mood at Hearts as Jamie McCart reveals the talks which sold him on the club

Jamie McCart’s relationship with Zander Clark was a factor in him joining Hearts, but talks with club management were the most decisive. The central defender was told where he would fit in at Riccarton, what was expected and what his future would look like in maroon. He had no hesitation leaving Rotherham United to return to Scotland and sign a four-and-a-half-year contract last week.

McCart and Clark were team-mates in St Johnstone’s double cup-winning team from season 2020/21. They are now reunited at Hearts. “I speak to Zander all the time. He was obviously giving me feedback on how the club was when the new gaffer [Neil Critchley] came in and what was happening,” explained McCart.

“He sold it to me months before I actually knew I was coming. He always spoke so highly of the club, the staff. I think he said we're in a sticky position, but I think they're really confident that we can get out of it, and I think we've shown so far that we will.”

Hearts sit 11th in the Premiership ahead of Sunday’s trip to Aberdeen. McCart made his debut in last week’s 1-0 win against Dundee United and is still settling in at his new place of work. Having a familiar face in Clark helps. “Yeah, it probably is easier. It was probably an easier adjustment in the first place coming back to Scotland, where I've played for so many years and played against so many of the players already. It's a bit difficult down south when you don't know as many people when you're going out of different dressing rooms, so it was a seamless transition.”

Perhaps the greatest factor in convincing McCart to join Hearts was his conversations with Critchley. “Yeah, I think it made it easy for me because I've seen how keen the manager and the club were to bring me in,” he said. “The discussions were pretty straightforward. We got to know each other, I asked him his plans for me, where he would see me fitting in, and I think gaffer had to gauge me as well as a person and see how I would fit into the group.

“I think that was the conversation we had and I think that was the reason the club wanted to sign me in the first place - that I would fit into their style pretty seamlessly. It's maybe different in terms of the way we played at St Johnstone at times. Teams come to St Johnstone, they're trying to go for the win, whereas Hearts is maybe slightly more daunting. At Tynecastle, there's an expectation at Hearts that they're obviously a bigger club and maybe a tougher opponent. I think I could play really well here and I'm looking forward to getting going.”

The 27-year-old believes he can add to his silverware haul in Gorgie after some varied experiences in England. “There's probably an expectation at a club like this, and I think that's what we've got to strive for. Cup competitions can always be different. It's a one-off game. Anything can happen, but I definitely think that can be the aim for us.

“I played under quite a few various managers [in England] - different styles, different methodology. It was a really good experience. Obviously, it didn't go the way I would like overall, but I got to play for Rotherham, Barnsley and Leighton Orient. I'd say, apart from Rotherham getting relegated from the Championship, it was two successful times - winning League Two with Leighton Orient and getting to the play-offs with Barnsley. I think it stood me in good stead.”

The mood McCart has encountered at Riccarton is somewhat at odds with a team second bottom of the league. “The atmosphere has been very good,” he explained. “I think that comes from the staff, from the manager. Obviously, they drive it and I think the boys in the dressing room have all been welcoming. You look at the position of the league, it'd be easy to be down in the dumps and it'd be tough, but I've come in here, the training's been excellent, the mood has been really high.

“I think that's key when you're in this position because you know the pressure that's on you to get out of it and I'm confident that we can. Even if you're sitting in third or fourth, anyone can beat anyone in this league and you've just got to focus on the next game. By doing that, you give yourself the best chance of getting three points.”