Hearts manager Robbie Neilson knows that, after winning the Scottish Championship, the a tough run-in to the end of the season will give his side a focus as they prepare for life in Scotland’s top flight after a year’s absence. Hearts will be given a guard of honour by Rangers when they run out at Ibrox on Sunday. The Tynecastle side still have to deal with an Edinburgh derby against Hibs next weekend before ending the campaign at home within a game against Rangers again Rangers on the final day of the season. Currently sitting on 81 points, Neilson hopes his men will continue picking up the points that will see them past the second-tier points record of 89 set by their city rivals back in 1999.
Neilson said: "It's been a hard season but we still have six games to go. The pleasing thing is that they are all big games. We have Rangers on Sunday at Ibrox before Alloa come here on Wednesday, then we go to Easter Road the following Sunday. There's also Rangers on the last day of the season. So it still gives us a focus and we must prepare properly for those games."
Meanwhile, Hibs manager Alan Stubbs hopes his side can shake off back-to-back defeats to Rangers and Raith Rovers when they welcome fellow play-off contenders Queen of the South at Easter Road tomorrow. Stubbs said: "When you look back at our last two results, naturally we're disappointed with the outcomes - it underlines the fact that in this division the margins are so fine. As a group, we've learned some hard, sharp lessons, but we can't let that frustration eat away at us - there's no need to panic because I believe this group is equipped to reach our objective. Since the first day of the season, our goal has been to achieve promotion and, even though we've now experienced a couple of recent setbacks, we must keep everything in perspective and stay committed to the cause."