Willie Miller asks key Hearts title question as Aberdeen icon names the secret to remarkable glory success

Aberdeen legend Willie Miller says a test of character will prove key to Hearts’ title challenge, after an excellent weekend for the Jambos.

After their 1-0 win over Falkirk on Saturday, second-placed Rangers drew at bottom side Livingston 24 hours later and Celtic lost in Glasgow against Hibs for the first time in 16 years. It means Derek McInnes’ side have a four-point lead at the top with 10 Hearts games to go, and in the driving seat to become the first side outside the Old Firm since Aberdeen in season 1984/85 to win the top flight.

Miller captained the Dons to that honour, with their first league success coming five years earlier. In that crusade, his Aberdeen side went to Celtic twice and won, as their team spirit came to the fore. Amid difficulty at both of their title rivals this season, Miller insists a huge chance has emerged for Hearts, and their character to see it out will be key.

Willie Miller on Hearts title challenge

He told Sportsound ahead of the win over Falkirk: “Rangers and Celtic have been in turmoil. I mean, when was the last season, can anybody remember the last season that both Rangers and Celtic were in the shape that they have been in this season? I'll put my mind to that but I find it difficult to pick out all the games when we won three league titles in the 80s.

“As far as Rangers and Celtic is concerned, and you must take that into consideration, they've been in turmoil. Both have been through managers, both of them have had issues with their fanbases as well, Celtic continuing with the fanbase. I always look upon it, and I think it's been brilliant. It's been brilliant for Scottish football but this is a huge opportunity. With Rangers and Celtic being in the turmoil that they're in, next season, Hearts might be better. Will Rangers and Celtic be better? They have to be better.

“That's why I'm saying this season is huge for Hearts, and I hope that they can do it. I think it would be totally refreshing. I think the mental side of it is absolutely crucial. You need strength in the dressing room. I don't know the dressing room but it sounds as though they do have belief in the dressing room. You certainly need that.

What do Hearts need to win the title?

“When we won it for the first time, we had to play Celtic away from home on two occasions within the space of a fortnight at Celtic Park. Absolutely nobody outside our dressing room, maybe the fanbase, thought that Aberdeen could go down and beat Celtic on two occasions at Celtic Park. That's what we did. It was a big catch-up for us .I look back just on the last 15 games of the season, we went undefeated. It was 10 wins and five draws in that 15-game run. That, by the way, was from the beginning of March.

“I don't think Hearts will have to be that good because I don't think Rangers and Celtic are that good at this moment in time. This is a time where the form has got to come to the fore. If Hearts can manage to recapture the form they showed in the early part of the season then I don't see any reason why they can't do it. I sincerely hope that they can do it. It's as much about dealing with the situation, going down to Parkhead on these two occasions when we're sitting in the dressing room.

“They had to delay the kick-off for 15 minutes to let the crowd come in. Was that genuine or was that trying to disrupt us? We knew that was going to happen. We had a laugh about it. You absolutely need strong characters at this stage of the season. I think they've got the perfect manager to deal with it and he has been dealing with it extremely well. The question now is, have they got the players that can see it out and win the title?