# 2024–25 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2024–25 season is the 144th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian. It is the club's fourth season of play back in the top tier of Scottish football since 2020, having been promoted from the Scottish Championship at the end of the previous season, having played just one season in the Scottish Championship. The club had been relegated from the Premiership at the end of the 2019–20 season.
They competed in the Europa League and Scottish League Cup and will be competing in the Scottish Cup and UEFA Conference League.

## Results and fixtures

Win  Draw  Loss  Postponed

### Pre-season / Friendlies

Hearts returned for pre-season training on 28 June, with those participating in Euro 2024 and Copa América having staggered returns. They drew in a closed door friendly against Partick Thistle, before heading to Tenerife for a training camp. Hearts returned to Edinburgh to take on Leyton Orient, as part of the club's 150th Anniversary celebrations and remembering the Football Battalion.
The club then welcomed Tottenham Hotspur in a tribute to Dave Mackay, before a closed door game against Burnley and a friendly against Fleetwood Town.

### UEFA Conference League
#### League phase
## First team player statistics
### Captains

| No | Pos | Country | Name | No of games | Notes |
| 1 | FW | | Shankland | 33 | Team Captain |
| 2 | GK | | Gordon | 9 | Club Captain |
Last updated: 15 March 2025 Source: Competitive match reports. Competitive matches only Matches started as captain only Country: FIFA nationality; No.: Squad number; P: Position; Name: Player name; No. Games: Number of games started as captain.

### Squad information

    Last updated 15 March 2025
During the 2024–25 campaign, Hearts have used thirty-two players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.
| Number | Position | Nation | Name | Totals | Totals | Premiership | Premiership | League Cup | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | Europe | Europe |
| Number | Position | Nation | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Craig Gordon | 40 | 0 | 28+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Frankie Kent | 20 | 2 | 13+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | SCO | Stephen Kingsley | 12 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Craig Halkett | 15 | 1 | 10+2 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | COD | Beni Baningime | 25 | 0 | 17+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Jorge Grant | 32 | 3 | 14+9 | 3 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | AUS | Calem Nieuwenhof | 7 | 2 | 1+4 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | SCO | Lawrence Shankland | 35 | 4 | 24+1 | 4 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | SCO | Barrie McKay | 12 | 0 | 2+6 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | JPN | Yutaro Oda | 9 | 1 | 1+4 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | AUS | Cameron Devlin | 33 | 0 | 17+5 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | AUT | Michael Steinwender | 8 | 1 | 5+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | SCO | Blair Spittal | 42 | 6 | 25+5 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 4+4 | 2 |
| 17 | MF | SCO | Alan Forrest | 35 | 2 | 8+16 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 1+2 | 0 | 6+1 | 1 |
| 19 | MF | BEL | Elton Kabangu | 11 | 8 | 7+1 | 6 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Yan Dhanda | 28 | 2 | 6+14 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 1 | 3+3 | 1 |
| 21 | FW | SCO | James Wilson | 25 | 6 | 13+5 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 1+3 | 1 |
| 23 | DF | SCO | Lewis Neilson | 6 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Macaulay Tait | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | NOR | Sander Kartum | 7 | 2 | 2+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+1 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | SCO | Zander Clark | 2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | SCO | James Penrice | 39 | 2 | 26+1 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | SCO | Jamie McCart | 10 | 1 | 7+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | SCO | Adam Forrester | 25 | 0 | 11+6 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 4+1 | 0 |
| 37 | FW | ESP | Musa Drammeh | 20 | 3 | 11+8 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 77 | FW | CRC | Kenneth Vargas | 39 | 4 | 13+14 | 4 | 1+0 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 | 5+3 | 0 |
| 82 | DF | CRC | Gerald Taylor | 13 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| Players transferred or loaned out during the season who made an appearance ||||||||||||||
| 5 | DF | ENG | Daniel Oyegoke | 26 | 1 | 14+5 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+4 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | AUS | Kye Rowles | 27 | 0 | 20+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 7+0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Malachi Boateng | 28 | 0 | 14+6 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | NIR | Liam Boyce | 15 | 0 | 3+7 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+3 | 0 |
| 80 | DF | COL | Andrés Salazar | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
* Last updated: 15 March 2025
* Source: Match Reports
* Ordered by Squad Number.
Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in the Scottish Championship, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

### Disciplinary record

During the 2024–25 season, Hearts players have so far been issued sixty-five seven cards and zero red cards. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player.
    Last updated 15 March 2025
| Number | Position | Nation | Name | Premiership | Premiership | League Cup | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | Europe | Europe | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | | Craig Gordon | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | | Frankie Kent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | | Craig Halkett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | | Stephen Kingsley | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | | Daniel Oyegoke | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | | Beni Baningime | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | | Jorge Grant | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | | Calem Nieuwenhof | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | | Lawrence Shankland | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | | Cameron Devlin | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | | Kye Rowles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | | Alan Forrest | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | | Malachi Boateng | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | | Elton Kabangu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | MG | | Yan Dhanda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | | James Wilson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | | Liam Boyce | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | | James Penrice | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 35 | DF | | Adam Forrester | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 77 | FW | | Kenneth Vargas | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 82 | DF | | Gerald Taylor | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 48 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 69 | 0 |

### Goal scorers

Last updated 15 March 2025
| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Europe | Total |
| 1 | FW | | Elton Kabangu | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | MF | | Blair Spittal | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | FW | | James Wilson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | FW | | Lawrence Shankland | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | FW | | Kenneth Vargas | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | FW | | Musa Drammeh | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | MF | | Jorge Grant | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | MF | | Alan Forrest | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | DF | | Frankie Kent | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | DF | | James Penrice | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | | Yan Dhanda | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | | Calem Nieuwenhof | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | | Sander Kartum | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | DF | | Craig Halkett | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | | Yutaro Oda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | | Daniel Oyegoke | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | | Jamie McCart | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | | Michael Steinwender | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 43 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 57 |

### Assists

Last updated 15 March 2025
| Place | Position | Nation | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Europe | Total |
| 1 | FW | | Lawrence Shankland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | DF | | James Penrice | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 | MF | | Blair Spittal | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | FW | | Kenneth Vargas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | MF | | Malachi Boateng | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | FW | | Liam Boyce | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | MF | | Beni Baningime | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | MF | | Cameron Devlin | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | | Yan Dhanda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | | Adam Forrester | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | | Alan Forrest | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | | James Wilson | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | | Jorge Grant | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | | Elton Kabangu | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | FW | | Musa Drammeh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 29 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 36 |

### Clean sheets

| R | Pos | Nat | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Europe | Total |
| 1 | GK | | Craig Gordon | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | GK | | Zander Clark | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Last updated: 15 March 2025 Source: Match reports in Competitive matches

## Team statistics
### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 46 | −8 | 43 | Qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round |
| 5 | Dundee United | 29 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 36 | 36 | 0 | 41 | |
| 6 | Heart of Midlothian | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 43 | 40 | +3 | 39 | |
| 7 | Motherwell | 30 | 11 | 5 | 14 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 38 | |
| 8 | St Mirren | 30 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 37 | 49 | −12 | 35 | |
* ↑ Teams play each other three times (33 matches), before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).

### Division summary

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | D | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | W | D | L | W | L | L | D | W | L | W | L | D | W | W | D | W | W | L | W | W | L | W |
| Position | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 |

### Uefa Conference League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 23 | Molde | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 7 | Advance to knockout phase play-offs (unseeded) |
| 24 | TSC | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 13 | −3 | 7 | Advance to knockout phase play-offs (unseeded) |
| 25 | Heart of Midlothian | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 7 | |
| 26 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 12 | −3 | 6 | |
| 27 | Mladá Boleslav | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 6 | |

### Management statistics

    Last updated 15 March 2025
| Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win% |
| Steven Naismith | 3 August 2024 | 22 September 2024 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 000.00 |
| Liam Fox | 23 September 2024 | 15 October 2024 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 033.33 |
| Neil Critchley | 15 October 2024 | | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 046.67 |

## Club
### Management

The club began the season under the management of Steven Naismith, and assistants Gordon Forrest and Frankie McAvoy. Shortly after the first league game of the season, the management team signed a new contract until 2026. Their deals were previously due to expire in 2025.
After a run of eight straight defeats, and finding themselves at the bottom of the league with just one point, the club parted company with Naismith and his assistants. Including the end of the 23/24 season, Hearts had only achieved one win in fifteen competitive fixtures and experienced the worst start to any season in the club's history.
Hearts CEO Andrew McKinlay stated that Results and performances have fallen below the standards expected at this football club and, unfortunately, there is little evidence of any potential upturn in fortunes.
Hearts B team manager Liam Fox, alongside Lee Wallace and Angus Beith were appointed as the club's interim manager team. On 15 October 2024, Neil Critchley was appointed Head Coach, with Mike Garrity appointed as his assistant.

### Playing kit

Hearts kits are manufactured by Umbro for the 2024–25 season, entering the final year of their contract with the club. Stellar Omada, became the club's main sponsor on a three-year deal, replacing MND Scotland. Stellar Omada previously sponsored the club's away kit.

### International Selection

Over the course of the season a number of the Hearts squad were called up on international duty. Craig Gordon, Zander Clark and Lawrence Shankland was called up to represent Scotland, whilst Cameron Devlin and Kye Rowles were selected to represent Australia.
Kenneth Vargas would also be included in Costa Rica's provisional squad ahead of the 2024 Copa América.

### Deaths

The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former goalkeeper Anthony Basso, former goalkeeper Gordon Marshall and supporter Stevie Morris who led the club out at the 2022 Scottish Cup final.