Wednesday night was an emotional one at Tynecastle Park. It was a night when every emotion was felt, from the fans in the stands to the players on the pitch.
Heart of Midlothian, for 12 minutes at least, were on course to win the Scottish Premiership. There was joy and excitement, tension and nerves, deflation and frustration, and pride and belief.
Cammy Devlin was in the middle of it.
The Aussie was back in the middle of the park, back to his patrolling role as the heartbeat of the team.
Few, however, would have predicted that he would find himself on the scoresheet, least of all himself.
He laughed: “Another tackle goal!"
It came five minutes after Frankie Kent's opener and it injected even more energy into a crowd that hardly needed any more encouragement.
For the player, beyond what it meant in the title race, it was an emotional one. Family and friends were in the stands.
"I got quite emotional, to be honest. I looked up and my girlfriend and all her family and my little brother and his girlfriend flew from Australia, and my best mate from back home. It was just so special," he said.
“That's what football is all about. And, yeah, a really good night, but we've got one to go.
"My family are here on the weekend. They were coming anyway, so it's just worked out that we're in this position.
“So, hopefully I can make it extra special for them, but I'm a long way from home, so just to see my family is amazing."
There is also the possibility that it could be his final outing as a Hearts player at Tynecastle Park, depending on where he sees his future once his contract expires in the summer.
It was put to him that in a possible final game for the club, he could be a league winner.
“Just even saying that is so special. I think you speak to the Hearts supporters, you really get a feel for how big this really is. I've been here long enough now to kind of know what it means to play for Hearts," he said.
“I think that's such an important thing when you come over here, to get the feeling of the club. It's super special. I feel so privileged to have been here as long as I have and to be in this position.
"To be one game away from winning the league, there's no hiding away from that now. That's the reality. It's incredible. We've got this far now. We just want to head down, we'll recover and just go again."
Hearts will go again on Saturday.
For Devlin, it will mean his third game in a week following injury. He is the type of player who would no doubt pay scant attention to sports science when a title is on the line.
He came on as a sub towards the end of the draw with Motherwell having missed the previous two fixtures. He started against Falkirk, playing just over an hour. It will be a surprise if he isn't there right to the end against Celtic.
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“It's hard, to be honest, because you've got to kind of listen to that stuff. But then, coming off, I didn't want to come off again. But you just get carried away out there, as you can imagine," Devlin said.
“Being that spectator on the side, there's a million emotions running through you. But when you're out there, it actually feels different.
“You feel calm because it's something you've got control over, certain aspects of it. I just wanted to keep going. I was having a ball. I was absolutely loving it.
“Obviously, we were winning and that helped. I didn't want to come off. I feel good. I feel really good, obviously.
“I had that longer injury, came back, was feeling really good. It was just a small thing, but you've just got to be careful with injuries, obviously, especially now.
“We're missing two of our boys during the week that are so key to us. That really gave us that extra motivation to do that for them. But I feel good. I'm ready to go again. You don't really need much. If you don't want to play in these teams on the weekend, then football's not for you.
“We've got 30-odd boys in that changing room that are busting to be out there."
Two who will not feature are Marc Leonard and Craig Halkett.
Following a goal in the win over Falkirk, Devlin and Alexandros Kyziridis held up jerseys with their names on them. It highlighted the togetherness in the squad.
“It's a team game. For us to be in this position at Hearts, it was never going to be 13, 14 boys," Devlin noted. “It was always going to be 20-odd players that have come in.
"Every time someone's come out and come in, obviously, I was playing with Beni [Baningime] all the time, Marc came in, done unbelievable. Halks has been incredible this season. Frankie Kent, he hasn't obviously got the minutes that he's training for and that he deserves. He comes in and he was one of the best players out there.
“That's been the story of the season. That was just an example with Frankie. There's been boys that have come in that haven't played so much and done amazing. That's why we are where we are.
“Obviously, a lot of the boys get the headlines, but there's so much more to it.
“I just love going into work every day to see all these boys and to do something special with them would mean the absolute world to not only us, but every single person associated with this football club, fans, staff, and all our families.
“It's a team sport, but that was just a special mention to the two boys because obviously, whether you're out for one week or a long injury, it's not nice. We love them. They're our brothers."
Devlin spoke about the penalty incident at Fir Park that could have an impact on the title, but noted it can be used as motivation.
"We're so desperate to do it. We could have done it [on Wednesday]. We didn't. We've just got to do what we've done all season and, you know, a massive game.
“And, yeah, I think you've got to use every little bit we can as motivation because if things are going against you, then if we take care of what we have done all year and win our games, then hopefully we can be on the other side of it on Saturday."
He added: "It would be incredible. It would be amazing. It's going to be tough. There's no two ways about it.
“They're a good side. They're up the top like we're talking about. We've had a great season. They're right up there with us. So they're a great team.
“It will be hard, but it would just be so special. I couldn't care where we do it. I just want to do it so badly.
“I know I'm speaking on behalf of every single person in that changing room, in this stadium. It would mean everything to so many people."
