'Aye, aw day'.
Connie McLaughlin had just asked Derek McInnes if the Heart of Midlothian head coach really believed there were lots of people wanting his team to "lose games and put ourselves back in our box", following the 3-0 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday evening.
He was unequivocal. He was also correct.
There will be many within Scottish football excited about a possible (and increasingly likely) title challenge by the men from Tynecastle Park, a welcome freshness to a league that has been far too stale for too long. A league that has gone from a duopoly to a monopoly (Celtic have won 13 of the last 14 league titles).
Conversely, and naturally, there will also be plenty within Scottish football waiting and wanting the upstarts from EH11 to get a belt in the mouth, to use a McInnes term.
As will be the case next Sunday when Celtic come to Tynecastle Park, trailing the Jam Tarts by five points after their loss at Dens Park.
It is the way it is.
At the same time that people talk of needing something different within Scottish football, when that something different and positive comes along, there is an eagerness and intrigue to see it put in its place. That's Hearts right now.
Every club in Scotland will be looking to knock Hearts down a peg or two when they face them. There will be a few fan bases ready to revel in the next time Hearts drop points.
That is part and parcel of football fandom and the tribalism that comes with it.
Hearts, early in the season, have put themselves in a place where they are going to garner so much focus and attention. There is going to be an element of jealousy. There will be some who are keen for a title challenge to Celtic, but not from Hearts.
That should only add to the enjoyment and excitement which was on show from the Hearts support in Ayrshire. It helps bring everyone together and creates a siege mentality of 'us against everyone else'. It makes the chants of 'we shall not be moved' even more defiant.
The Hearts fanbase can be divided, such is the intensity of the support. But when things are going well, that intensity can be harnessed, as can the togetherness.
Since they returned in the summer, Hearts have not only brought the support together but made them fall for the club all over again.
It was not long after 12.30pm on Saturday, five hours before kick-off, when the club confirmed that the away end at Rugby Park had been sold out.
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There had been plenty of discussion in the build-up to previous times Hearts had filled up the Chadwick Stand. Two fixtures sprung to mind for some fans immediately: the opening day of the 2005/06 season and a Scottish Cup fourth round tie in 1996.
This was, of course, a late kick-off live on TV in October. Yet, nearly 4,000 made the journey west because they believe in this team.
Obviously, winning is the main reason for that belief. It is key to building that togetherness and excitement which have enveloped the support. But there is a lot more to it than that.
Hearts fans really like this team and it comes from the way they approach games. They play in a manner that those in the stands can get enthused about, relate to and are engaged by. An identity has been forming. One that Hearts fans can get behind and recognise.
You look at the parts that make up the team, which were on show at Rugby Park.
The team are no nonsense at the back with a focus on being hard to beat, winning their individual battles and keeping the ball away from the goal. Over the past five goals, the opposition have had 2, 6, 3, 1 and 2 shots on target.
"Familiarity is built on that. Relationships are there. Same team over four games. Competition from behind the team helps keep everyone on their toes," McInnes said when asked about the reasons behind the run of four clean sheets.
The midfield two of Cammy Devlin and Beni Baningime are two of the team's most infectious individuals. Their energy and endeavour epitomise that of the team and of the key requirement from the fan base. As a midfield two, they work their socks off, read the game well, press, tackle, intercept and then keep it simple in possession.
It all acts as a foundation and platform for the team's forward players. And this is perhaps the area which has most enthused the Hearts support.
When possession is regained, there is no longer the intention to keep the ball and play sideways. There is an intent to play forward and be direct with the ball. Take the two second-half goals from Claudio Braga. Hearts pounced on mistakes and broke forward.
Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis have provided the team with what it has lacked too often. Pace and penetration. Verve and vibrancy. A bit of fun. In turn, it has given Hearts a greater threat on the counter-attack and their attacking quality cannot be questioned.
It's a team that wants to score when it can. There is a ruthless streak.
Hearts now have 19 goals after eight games, the same number as Celtic and Rangers combined. The last time they had that number after the first eight games of a top-flight season was in 2005/06.
Each passing day, there is something for Hearts fans to get more excited about. That was elevated this weekend and it makes the next week a long one with the club's support willing away the days until they can see their team in action once more. There is no better feeling for a football fan when their team can generate that feeling.
Still, they must wait until 12pm on Sunday when Celtic are the visitors to Tynecastle Park for a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash and the opportunity for Hearts to extend their lead to eight points.
There will be many outside observers getting nervous about such a scenario and what could happen this season.
For Hearts fans, they should lap it all up. The excitement, the identity of the team, the focus from all of Scottish football, the jealousy and the possibility of what is to come.
