Josh Ginnelly's Hearts future remains up in the air with the forward out of contract in a matter of weeks.
Boss Steven Naismith has said decisions and offers will be made closer to the end of the season, although that's fast approaching with only two Scottish Premiership games remaining. There's also the small matter of whether Hearts will guarantee themselves European group stage football for the second season in succession.
They have worked to do and favours needed, but Saturday's come-from-behind win at home to Aberdeen keeps the race for third alive ahead of Wednesday's card. They may need to take something at Ibrox – a rare occurrence for the men in maroon – with the Dons at home to St Mirren knowing that three points against the Buddies will mean the Jambos must match that result in Govan to take it to a final day shootout to finish best of the rest.
With Ginnelly's fitness confirmed for the trip along the M8, Naismith's chances of taking something against his former club are, on paper, increased. The winger-turned-striker got his team back into the game on Saturday with an absolute stunner, cancelling out Mattie Pollock's first half header before Hearts No 9 and top scorer Lawrence Shankland steered home the winner to take his tally for the campaign to 27.
Ginnelly's top drawer strike was his 13th of the season, making it the most prolific of his career by some distance. It took him and Shankland's combined total for the season to 40 – the second highest total by a Hearts striking partnership for 35 years. Only the revered John Robertson and John Colquhoun have managed more between them in a single campaign netting 40 in 1987/88. Like Shankland, Robertson did the heavy lifting with 31 to Colquhoun's 16.
The scoring burden was more equally split two years later when Robertson combined with Scott Crabbe to bag 39, with a 22/17 split in favour of Robertson. He and Sandy Clark notched 37 as a duo during the fateful 85/86 season that ended in heartache rather than a league and cup double. He and Crabbe matched that in 1991/92, while only Rudi Skacel and Paul Hartley come close since the turn of the Millennium, contributing 34 from midfield in 2005/06.
The names on that list highlight how effective Shankland and Ginnelly have been, vindicating Robbie Neilson's call to utilise Ginnelly through the middle rather than out wide. The combo is coming up trumps for Naismith now, but time is ticking on Ginnelly's Tynecastle tenure. It is for Naismith's too, with the interim boss only in charge for another two matches before it's decision time for the board.
Regardless of whether he's the one picking them or not next term, Hearts have a formula up front that works. Fans will demand they at least try to keep applying it given the esteemed company their leadling men are in.
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