The 2020–21 season was the 140th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian (Hearts), with the team participating in the Scottish Championship. It was the club's first season of play in the second tier of Scottish football since 2015, and only the second since 1983, having been relegated from the Scottish Premiership, after the previous season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. On 10 April 2021, Hearts earned automatic promotion back to the Scottish Premiership, having been in first place for most of the season. They also competed in this season's Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup, losing in the second round of each competition respectively.

Hearts had reached the semi-finals of the 2019–20 Scottish Cup before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped all football activity in Scotland during the previous season. Their semi-final against Hibs, which was originally due to be played in April, was rescheduled to take place later in the year. Hearts played the rearranged fixture against Hibs on 31 October, winning 2–1. On 20 December, they lost the 2020 Scottish Cup Final to Celtic in a penalty shootout following a 3–3 draw after extra time.

Results and fixtures

Pre-season / Friendlies

Scottish Championship

Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland forcing an October start to the Scottish Championship season, the length of the league was reduced from thirty-six to twenty-seven games. The fixture list for the truncated Championship was announced on 29 July, starting with a home game against Dundee.

Scottish Cup

Scottish League Cup

Hearts were drawn into Group A of the League Cup group stage, alongside Cowdenbeath, East Fife Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Raith Rovers.

First team player statistics Captains Steven Naismith continued as captain for the 2020–21 season, having been appointed to the role during the previous season. {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60|No ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60|Pos ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60|Country ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=150|Name ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|No of games ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|Notes |- |14||FW||||Naismith||14||Captain |- |1|||GK||||Gordon||11||Vice Captain |- |5|||DF||||Haring||1||Vice Captain |- |6|||DF||||Berra||4||Vice Captain |- |26|||DF||||Halkett||5||Vice Captain

Squad information During the 2020–21 campaign, Hearts used thirty-one players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player. Last Updated 30 April 2021

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center;" |- ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="10%" align="center"|Number ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="10%" align="center"|Position ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="10%" align="center"|Nation ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" rowspan="2" width="20%" align="center"|Name ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" colspan="2" align="center"|Totals ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" colspan="2" align="center"|Championship ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" colspan="2" align="center"|League Cup ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" colspan="2" align="center"|Scottish Cup |- ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Apps ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Goals ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Apps ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Goals ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Apps ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Goals ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Apps ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60 align="center"|Goals

Appearances (starts and substitute appearances) and goals include those in the Scottish Championship, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Disciplinary record During the 2020–21 season, Hearts players were issued forty-five yellow cards and one red. The table below shows the number of cards and type shown to each player. Last updated 30 April 2021 NumberPositionNationNameChampionshipLeague CupScottish CupTotal1 GK Craig Gordon 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 02 DF Michael Smith 2 0 0 0 2 0 4 03 DF Aidy White 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 04 DF John Souttar 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 05 DF Peter Haring 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 16 DF Christophe Berra 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 07 MF Jamie Walker 4 0 1 0 1 0 5 08 MF Olly Lee 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 09 FW Armand Gnanduillet 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 010 FW Liam Boyce 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 011 FW Jordan Roberts 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 012 DF Shay Logan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 013 GK Ross Stewart 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 014 FW Steven Naismith 2 0 1 0 1 0 4 015 FW Craig Wighton 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 016 MF Andy Halliday 4 0 0 0 2 0 6 017 MF Gary Mackay-Steven 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 019 MF Andy Irving 4 0 0 0 1 0 5 020 MF Harry Cochrane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 021 FW Stephen Kingsley 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 022 MF Loïc Damour 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 023 GK Zdeněk Zlámal 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 024 MF Elliott Frear 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 025 MF Jamie Brandon 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 026 DF Craig Halkett 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 027 MF Lewis Moore 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 028 DF Mihai Popescu 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 029 MF Gervane Kastaneer 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 030 MF Josh Ginnelly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 031 FW Euan Henderson 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 036 MF Scott McGill 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 054 MF Finlay Pollock 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total32 1 5 0 12 0 45 1

Goal scorers Last updated 30 April 2021 PlacePositionNationNameChampionshipLeague CupScottish CupTotal1FWLiam Boyce1402162MFJamie Walker71083FWCraig Wighton33174FWSteven Naismith60065DFStephen Kingsley4015FWArmand Gnanduillet50056MFJosh Ginnelly3014MFGary Mackay-Steven4004 7MFOlly Lee1203MFAndy Halliday3003 FWEuan Henderson3003 8DFMichael Smith2002MFAndy Irving2102MFElliott Frear2002 MFAaron McEneff2002 9DFPeter Haring1001DFCraig Halkett0101DFChristophe Berra0011DFMihai Popescu1001 Total638674

Clean sheets {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60| ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60| ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=60| ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=150|Name ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|Championship ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|League Cup ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|Scottish Cup ! style="background:maroon; color:white;" scope="col" width=80|Total |- |1 |GK | |Craig Gordon |13 |2 |0 |15 |- |2 |GK | |Ross Stewart |0 |0 |0 |0 |- ! colspan=4 | Total !13||2||0||15

Team statistics League table

League Cup table

Division summary

Management statistics Last updated on 30 April 2021 NameFromToPWDLWin%Present

Club Staff

+Club staffNameRoleRobbie Neilson ManagerGordon ForrestLee McCulloch First Team Assistant ManagerAndy Kirk Hearts Women and Academy ManagerKaren Gibson Club Medic

+BoardroomNameRoleAnn BudgeExecutive chairwomanAndrew McKinlayCEOJacqui DuncanFinance DirectorStuart WallaceFoundation of Hearts chairmanEric HoggNon-Executive DirectorDonald CummingNon-Executive DirectorKevin WindramNon-Executive Director

Deaths The following players and people associated with the club died over the course of the season. Former captain Jim Townsend, 2012 Scottish Cup winning captain Marius Zaliukas and former coach Walter Borthwick.

Management Following football being suspended indefinitely during the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manager Daniel Stendel advised the club he would not take any wages during the closed period and returned to Germany. Stendel's contract included a clause which rendered him a free agent should the club be relegated.

Following the vote to end the 2019–20 season and Hearts being relegated on an average points basis, Stendel's contract was ended, rendering him a Free Agent. Despite Stendel indicating he wished to negotiate a new contract, on 21 June 2020, Hearts appointed Dundee United Manager Robbie Neilson, He had previously managed Hearts between 2014 and 2016 and was awarded a three-year contract. Stendel's assistants Jorg Sievers and Dale Tonge also departed the club. On 12 August 2020, Neilson's former United assistants Gordon Forrest and Lee McCulloch were appointed as First Team Assistant Managers. They joined on a three-year deal.

International selection

Over the course of the season a number of the Hearts squad were called up on international duty. Craig Gordon was called up to represent Scotland while Michael Smith and Liam Boyce were selected to represent Northern Ireland.

Awards

SPFL awards NameAwardRobbie NeilsonScottish Championship Manager of the Month December 2020Robbie NeilsonScottish Championship Manager of the Month April 2021

PFA awards NameAwardLiam BoycePFA Scotland Championship Player of the YearCraig GordonPFA Scotland Championship Team of the YearMichael SmithPFA Scotland Championship Team of the YearAndy IrvingPFA Scotland Championship Team of the YearLiam BoycePFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year

Transfers

Players in Player From Fee Craig Gordon CelticFree Jordan Roberts Ipswich TownFree Elliott Frear Forest Green RoversFree Mihai Popescu Dinamo BucureștiFree Andy Halliday RangersFree Stephen Kingsley Hull CityFree Gary Mackay-Steven New York CityFree Armand Gnanduillet AltayFree Aaron McEneff Shamrock Rovers£175,000

Players out Player To Fee Clevid Dikamona KilmarnockFree Donis Avdijaj FC EmmenFree Daniel Baur SpartansFree Oliver Bozanic Central Coast MarinersFree Rory Currie Brechin CityFree Marcel LangerFree Steven MacLeanRetired Kelby Mason Edinburgh CityFree Alex Petkov Levski SofiaFree Dean Ritchie AirdrieoniansFree Jay Nwanze WexfordFree Brodie StrangFree Bobby Burns BarrowFree Sean Clare Oxford UnitedUndisclosed Callumn Morrison FalkirkFree Conor Washington Charlton AthleticUndisclosed Uche Ikpeazu Wycombe WanderersUndisclosed Aaron Hickey Bologna£1,500,000 Anthony McDonald CórdobaFree Ben Garuccio Melbourne CityFree

Loans in Player From Fee Ross Stewart LivingstonLoan Josh Ginnelly Preston North EndLoan Gervane Kastaneer Coventry CityLoan Shay Logan AberdeenLoan

Loans out Player From Fee Colin Doyle KilmarnockLoan Zdeněk Zlámal St MirrenLoan Leeroy Makovora Brechin CityLoan Chris Hamilton DumbartonLoan Connor Smith ArbroathLoan Harry Stone Stirling AlbionLoan Harry Cochrane MontroseLoan Harry Stone SpartansLoan Leeroy Makovora Gala Fairydean RoversLoan Olly Lee GillinghamLoan Jordan Roberts MotherwellLoan Lewis Moore ArbroathLoan Craig Wighton Dunfermline AthleticLoan Harry Stone Albion RoversLoan Zdeněk Zlámal St JohnstoneLoan

See also List of Heart of Midlothian F.C. seasons

Notes

References