# 2015–16 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2015–16 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season was the 135th edition of Heart of Midlothian football competition. It was their first season of play back in the top tier of Scottish football since 2014, 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 2013–14 season. In the League Cup, Hearts reached the quarter-final and were eliminated by Celtic. Hearts will also compete in the Scottish Cup.

## Friendlies

Hearts returned for pre-season training on 19 June, before heading to Ireland for a four-day training camp in Dublin, with games against Bohemian and Shelbourne. On return to Scotland the club travelled to Raith Rovers, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion and Cowdenbeath. Hearts also took part in the Oban Challenge Cup, winning the Round-robin format tournament. The squad then traveled to England to play Preston North End, before returning to Edinburgh to play English Premier League side Everton.

### Fixtures
## Scottish Premiership

The fixture list for the first 33 Scottish Premiership matches in the 2015–16 season were announced on 19 June. Hearts were handed a home game to start the season against St Johnstone, with the championship flag set to be unveiled, having been promoted as champions the previous season. The match had been scheduled to be played on 1 August, however was moved to 2 August to be shown on live television.

### Fixtures
## League Cup

Having played in the Scottish Championship during the previous season, Hearts entered the League Cup at the first round stage. The draw was held on 6 July 2015, and the club were drawn at home against Scottish League Two side Arbroath.

### Fixtures
## Scottish Cup

Having played in the Scottish Championship during the previous season, Hearts entered the Scottish Cup at the fourth round stage. The draw was held on 1 December 2015, and the club were drawn at home against fellow Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen.

### Fixtures
## First team player statistics
### Captains

| No | Pos | Name | No of games | Notes |
| 5 | DF | Öztürk | 29 | Captain |
| 4 | DF | Augustyn | 7 | Vice-captain |
| 6 | MF | Gomis | 7 | Vice-captain |
| 2 | DF | Paterson | 2 | Vice-captain |
Last updated: 15 May 2016 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

The table below includes all players registered with the SPFL as part of Hearts squad for 2015–16 season. They may not have made an appearance.
    Last updated 10 February 2016
| Number | Position | Nation | Name | Totals | Totals | Premiership | Premiership | League Cup | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup |
| Number | Position | Nation | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | SCO | Neil Alexander | 28 | 0 | 24+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | SCO | Callum Paterson | 28 | 6 | 22+0 | 5 | 3+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | SCO | Kevin McHattie | 3 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | POL | Błażej Augustyn | 20 | 0 | 16+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | TUR | Alim Öztürk | 15 | 2 | 11+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | SEN | Morgaro Gomis | 21 | 0 | 12+5 | 0 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | SCO | Jamie Walker | 15 | 3 | 9+2 | 3 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | GHA | Prince Buaben | 27 | 2 | 21+2 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | MAR | Soufian El Hassnaoui | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | SWE | Osman Sow | 27 | 11 | 22+1 | 9 | 3+0 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | SCO | Sam Nicholson | 27 | 5 | 18+3 | 3 | 4+0 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 12 | FW | SCO | Billy King | 20 | 2 | 7+8 | 2 | 4+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | SCO | Jack Hamilton | 2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Miguel Pallardó | 15 | 0 | 9+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 15 | GK | SCO | Scott Gallacher | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | SCO | Gary Oliver | 3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | CMR | Arnaud Djoum | 17 | 5 | 12+2 | 3 | 0+1 | 1 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 17 | DF | NGA | Juwon Oshaniwa | 18 | 0 | 17+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | BRA | Igor Rossi Branco | 28 | 2 | 23+0 | 2 | 3+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ESP | Juanma | 26 | 10 | 18+3 | 9 | 1+3 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | SCO | Gavin Reilly | 22 | 5 | 8+10 | 4 | 1+1 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | NED | Kenny Anderson | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | SCO | Don Cowie | 2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | SCO | Jordan McGhee | 20 | 1 | 7+8 | 0 | 3+0 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | SCO | Danny Swanson | 9 | 0 | 4+4 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | SCO | John Souttar | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | NGA | Abiola Dauda | 2 | 2 | 0+1 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | SCO | Angus Beith | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | SCO | Robbie Buchanan | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | SCO | Liam Smith | 4 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | SCO | Liam Henderson | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | ENG | Jahmal Howlett-Mundle | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | SCO | Nathan Flanagan | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | SCO | Alistair Roy | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | SCO | Leon Jones | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 35 | MF | SCO | Sean McKirdy | 4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | SCO | Ian Smith | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | SCO | Lewis Moore | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 38 | FW | SCO | Russell McLean | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 39 | GK | SCO | Kelby Mason | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 40 | DF | SCO | Daniel Baur | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 41 | MF | SCO | Callumn Morrison | 2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 43 | MF | SCO | Liam Fox | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 44 | FW | CAN | Dario Zanatta | 7 | 0 | 0+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
* Last updated: 10 February 2016
* Source: Wikipedia players' articles, Heart of Midlothian, Sky Sports
* Ordered by Squad Number.
Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in Scottish Premiership, League Cup and the Scottish Cup. |}

### Disciplinary record

During the 2015–16 season, Hearts players have been issued with fifty-five yellow cards and four reds. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player. The red card issued to Callum Paterson during the game versus Hamilton Academical on 29 August, for a foul on Darian MacKinnon was reduced on appeal to a yellow card and as such is listed as a yellow card.
Having gone over the SFA disciplinary points threshold, Callum Paterson, Juanma Delgado and Błażej Augustyn served a one-match ban.
    Last updated 10 February 2016
| Number | Position | Name | Premiership | Premiership | League Cup | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Neil Alexander | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Callum Paterson | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Kevin McHattie | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Błażej Augustyn | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 5 | DF | Alim Öztürk | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Morgaro Gomis | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Prince Buaben | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Sam Nicholson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | Miguel Pallardó | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Juwon Oshaniwa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 18 | DF | Igor Rossi Branco | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 19 | FW | Juanma Delgado | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| 20 | FW | Gavin Reilly | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 22 | DF | Jordan McGhee | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Danny Swanson | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Top scorers

    Last updated on 15 May 2016
| Position | Nation | Number | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Total |
| 1 | | 19 | Juanma Delgado | 12 | 1 | 0 | 13 |
| 2 | | 10 | Osman Sow | 9 | 2 | 0 | 11 |
| 3 | | 7 | Jamie Walker | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 3 | | 16 | Arnaud Djoum | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 5 | | 2 | Callum Paterson | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 6 | | 25 | Abiola Dauda | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | | 20 | Gavin Reilly | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 6 | | 11 | Sam Nicholson | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 9 | | 18 | Igor Rossi Branco | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | | 8 | Prince Buaben | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | | 12 | Billy King | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | | 5 | Alim Öztürk | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | | 22 | Jordan McGhee | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | | 3 | Kevin McHattie | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 57 | 9 | 3 | 69 |

### Clean sheets

| R | Pos | Name | Premiership | League Cup | Scottish Cup | Total |
| 1 | GK | Neil Alexander | 16 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
| 2 | GK | Jack Hamilton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | | Totals | 17 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
Last updated: 15 May 2016 Source: Match reports in Competitive matches

## Team statistics
### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Celtic (C) | 38 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 93 | 31 | +62 | 86 | Qualification for the Champions League second qualifying round |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 38 | 22 | 5 | 11 | 62 | 48 | +14 | 71 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 18 | 11 | 9 | 59 | 40 | +19 | 65 | Qualification for the Europa League first qualifying round |
| 4 | St Johnstone | 38 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 58 | 55 | +3 | 56 | |
| 5 | Motherwell | 38 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 47 | 63 | −16 | 50 | |
* ↑ 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 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H |
| Result | W | W | W | W | W | L | L | L | D | D | W | W | W | W | D | D | L | D | D | W | D | W | D | W | L | W | W | W | W | L | L | W | D | L | L | D | W | D |
| Position | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |

### Management statistics

    Last updated on 15 May 2016
| Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win% |
| Robbie Neilson | 30 July 2015 | 15 May 2016 | 45 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 048.89 |

### Home attendances

Win  Draw  Loss
| Comp | Date | Score | Opponent | Attendance |
| League Cup | 30 July 2015 | 4–2 | Arbroath | 6,240 |
| Premiership | 2 August 2015 | 4–3 | St Johnstone | 16,334 |
| Premiership | 12 August 2015 | 2–0 | Motherwell | 16,645 |
| Premiership | 22 August 2015 | 3–0 | Partick Thistle | 16,657 |
| Premiership | 20 September 2015 | 1–3 | Aberdeen | 16,702 |
| Premiership | 3 October 2015 | 1–1 | Kilmarnock | 16,461 |
| Premiership | 24 October 2015 | 2–0 | Ross County | 16,264 |
| League Cup | 28 October 2015 | 1–2 | Celtic | 11,598 |
| Premiership | 7 November 2015 | 2–0 | Hamilton Academical | 16,121 |
| Premiership | 21 November 2015 | 1–1 | Dundee | 16,736 |
| Premiership | 27 December 2015 | 2–2 | Celtic | 16,844 |
| Premiership | 30 December 2015 | 3–2 | Dundee United | 16,721 |
| Scottish Cup | 9 January 2016 | 1–0 | Aberdeen | 13,595 |
| Premiership | 16 January 2016 | 6–0 | Motherwell | 16,574 |
| Scottish Cup | 7 February 2016 | 2–2 | Hibernian | 16,845 |
| Premiership | 27 February 2016 | 1–0 | Kilmarnock | 16,354 |
| Premiership | 1 March 2016 | 2–0 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 15,767 |
| Premiership | 5 March 2016 | 1–0 | Partick Thistle | 16,558 |
| Premiership | 19 March 2016 | 0–3 | St Johnstone | 16,295 |
| Premiership | 8 April 2016 | 2–1 | Aberdeen | 16,995 |
| Premiership | 30 April 2016 | 1–3 | Celtic | 16,527 |
| Premiership | 7 May 2016 | 1–1 | Ross County | 15,438 |
| Premiership | 15 May 2016 | 2–2 | St Johnstone | 16,046 |
| | | | Total attendance: | 360,317 |
| | | | Total league attendance: | 312,039 |
| | | | Average league attendance: | 16,423 |
Last updated: 15 May 2016 Source: Match reports in Results

## Club
### Playing kit

Hearts kits were manufactured by Puma for the 2015–16 season, ending the club's three-year association with Adidas. The home and away kits are sponsored by the charity Save the Children, in a three-year deal funded through philanthropy. The sponsorship deal marked the first time a UK based football club had been sponsored by a worldwide charity.

### Deaths

The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former forward Jimmy Murray.

## Contract extensions

The following players extended their contracts with the club over the course of the season.
| Date | Player | Length | Expiry |
| 5 May 2015 | Billy King | 2 years | 2017 |
| 5 May 2015 | Robbie Buchanan | 2 years | 2017 |
| 5 May 2015 | Gary Oliver | 1 year | 2016 |
| 29 May 2015 | Miguel Pallardó | 1 year | 2016 |
| 1 December 2015 | Igor Rossi Branco | 1 year | 2017 |
| 2 December 2015 | Arnaud Djoum | 18 months | 2017 |
| 9 December 2015 | Jamie Walker | 2 years | 2018 |
| 14 January 2016 | Liam Smith | 2 years | 2018 |