Below is an extract from our Always Hearts newsletter sent out each weekday. Sign up here to keep up-to-date with the latest Hearts news sent to your inbox.
You can subscribe to Hearts Standard for just £4 for 4 months or £18 for 12 months.
We aim to bring you the best content dedicated to Heart of Midlothian, from exclusive interviews to in-depth tactical analysis, deep-dive features to all the latest news.
🤔 What has been fascinating reading today is this tweet from Scarves Around the Funnel and the subsequent replies off the back of the agreed pre-contract deals for James Penrice, Blair Spittal and Yan Dhanda.
Who are some of the best and worst signings Hearts have made from other Scottish clubs?
— Scarves Around The Funnel (@AroundTheFunnel) April 2, 2024
Any that far exceeded your expectations?
Or any that you had high hopes for but they just didn't quite deliver?
Let us know in the comments ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Eo8azLRpsb
The podcast debate will be fascinating to listen to. But it did take me and, going by the responses, many other fans down Nostalgia Road.
I was immediately drawn to John Sutton and the 2011/12 summer window. I had similar feelings back then as I do now looking ahead to the possible arrivals this summer. Smart business, cherry-picking some of the best talent from the league's provincial clubs. Something I reckon all fans agree on.
Of the four that arrived back in 2011 - Sutton, Danny Grainger, Jamie Hamill and Mehdi Taouil - none were a massive hit. Of course, context is required. Jim Jefferies, who signed them, barely got any time to work with them before being replaced by Paulo Sergio. Longer term, the club were heading towards administration.
You also have to take into account the fact Grainger, Hamill and Taouil all played their part in that Scottish Cup success, whether it was the run to the final or the final itself.
Sutton was the biggest disappointment, however. His goal return in the four previous seasons in the Scottish top flight prior to his move to Tynecastle Park: 11, 10, 12, 10. A decent record at St Mirren then Motherwell. His Scottish top-flight goal return in the two seasons after leaving Hearts: 22, 12.
His Premiership goal return at Hearts: 3*, 9.
Let's face it, when he did play, he didn't set the heather on fire. Contrast that with Kevin Kyle who burned very brightly, albeit briefly. Another Jim Jefferies addition and up there as one of my favourite signings from a Scottish side. He is someone I view as the archetypal Hearts striker. Big, strong, aggressive, good in the air, bullies defenders and can score goals. It was just a pity injury hampered him during that 2010/11. What might have been if he was available in the second half of the season?
There are some great suggestions on the thread. Andrew Webster is up there in terms of unearthing a gem. On the flipside, Dennis Wyness was a disappointment considering his record prior to coming to the club.
The best response, however, was from FegBizet: "In one week Jim Jefferies got Neil McCann, Colin Cameron and David Weir from Dundee, Raith and Falkirk respectively. Doing so won him a Scottish Cup. Also signed Fulton, Hamilton, Pressley. And whilst in crisis McSwegan and Jackson. Nobody did this bit better than Jefferies."
If Steven Naismith could replicate half of that it would be a success.
*Joined Central Coast Mariners halfway through the season
⏪ I would encourage anyway to give James Cairney's analysis of the draw with Kilmarnock a read. It digs deep into the team's fast start, how Kilmarnock made it difficult for Hearts and on Macaulay Tait offering solutions.
📊 The latest article on the site looks at how Hearts are still on course for their second-best top-flight points total in the era of three points for a win. It looks at what the team need to do in the final seven games and the club's awful top-six record.
🔜 Coming up this week, we will have an insight into what work goes on behind the scenes to make Hearts the best environment for players, everything from questionnaires to Oriam investment to the most valuable person at the club.
We will also have an analysis piece on the right-back position.
📺 Our latest YouTube show saw myself and James review the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock, looking at the good and the bad from the game as well as what the result means with regard to the bigger picture.
We tend to do videos Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon, starting between 4.30 and 5.30pm (subject to change due to availability or breaking news)
📩 As well as this newsletter, can also subscribe to our daily bulletin that drops into your inbox at 9am. That will just give you a rundown of all the latest content on the website.
📱 We have a Hearts Standard app and I believe it is the best way to consume all the content. I used to do all my reading on a browser, whether it is my phone or laptop, but thought the Atheltic app was a game changer. And think our one is as good.
Everything is in one place and is easy to find. The pictures on the app are a lot sharper than they are when viewed via a browser. The stills we use from matches and graphics from our partner StatsBomb really stand out on the app and the resolution is much higher. You can adjust the text size with a swipe of the finger and the bookmark feature allows you to keep tabs on content that you want to read in the future. There is also an audio option that reads aloud entire articles for those who struggle to read, and additional features are being worked on in the background.
Read the rules here