Hearts’ main headline grabbers in their ascent to the top of the Scottish Premiership have tended to be forwards, but in defender Stuart Findlay, the Tynecastle side have had an equally valuable asset.
No stranger to Scottish football, the former Kilmarnock player returned north from Oxford United on loan in the summer and on Wednesday agreed a deal to sign permanently in the summer on a contract until 2028.
Findlay, ever present in the league this term, has contributed five goals so far this season. It was his header that set Hearts on their way to victory over Rangers last month and his late double that secured an early season win at Dundee United.
The 30-year-old has also helped Derek McInnes’ record 12 clean sheets and has made more clearances (136) than Celtic counterpart Liam Scales (106) and John Souttar of Rangers (90).
As far as stats go, his numbers are favourable. He, like all Hearts’ signings, went through Jamestown Analytics’ assessment and passed the test.
“If he had rated poorly, we wouldn’t have signed him. It just wouldn’t have got over the line,” McInnes said of Findlay on Open Goal, external in October.
“He’s a brilliant boy in terms of being a brilliant team-mate. He allows you to play with that high line, gives you that left-sided balance.”
Findlay is the second 30-year-old defender to commit his long-term future to Hearts after centre-back partner Craig Halkett did the same on Christmas Day.
He too has weighed in with goals after his comeback from a succession of injuries, including the winner over Livingston on Saturday, and shutouts.
Signing both Scots up is a clear sign of intent from McInnes that he is building Hearts future from the back with homegrown players.
“Stuart has been every inch the Hearts player I expected him to be when he came in during the summer,” said McInnes, who worked with him previously at Kilmarnock.
“He’s been part of a successful defence and he’s a danger in opposition boxes, and he is the type of character you want around the dressing room.
“He loves it here and wants to be part of something special, so it made perfect sense to take advantage of his contract expiring down south and get his future sorted.”
Motherwell right-back and Scotland cap Stephen O’Donnell recently said it was incumbent on all Scottish players to give national manager Steve Clarke “a headache” in the run-up to the World Cup.
Findlay and Halkett are two such players but Findlay has the advantage of having worked with Clarke at Kilmarnock.
He is also one cap better off than his club-mate, having made his sole international appearance in a 6-0 win over San Marino in 2019 under Clarke.
The national team head coach is fiercely loyal to players who have served him well and Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Souttar and Kieran Tierney would all appear to be ahead of Findlay in the queue.
“There’s a few lads maybe on the outside of that just looking in at the minute,” McInnes added. “Going into big tournaments, there’s always maybe one or two casualties for injury and you just never know.
“If you’re playing for a team at the top of the league then there’s always significant players within that. But likes are Stuart and Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley, Harry Milne, these boys, you just never know.”
And Findlay added: “Every professional football player, until the day they retire, wants to play for their country. It’s the highest honour you can get in a game.
“I know the manager well and there’s no surprise to me how well he’s done. As a Scotland supporter, I trust him implicitly to pick the squad that he thinks is the best.
“For me, the biggest thing for me this season was doing well at Hearts. Of course, it’d be a massive bonus and it’d be great to be involved in.”
Send us your views on Hearts
