There will be no big party.. it’ll be, ‘Job done, we are back where we belong’
John’s glad to be back and has sights set on playing his part in Hearts’ return to top flight
JOHN SOUTTAR doesn’t want a Championship winner’s medal, just more matches under his belt.
The defender made his first Hearts appearance for 405 days on Friday night when he took his place in the back three for the 6-0 annihilation of Alloa that saw Liam Boyce hit a hat-trick. A second major Achilles injury since he arrived at Tynecastle kept “Soapy” out and he had to watch as his team slid to the bottom of the Premiership. As far as the club were concerned, the SPFL and their rivals did the dirty on them and while they have not exactly cleaned up in the Championship this season, Dundee and Raith Rovers dropping points on Saturday means they can officially wash their hands of the second tier come the summer. That Souttar returned for their biggest win and arguably best performance of the season was no accident. But he is happy to let his teammates take the credit for achieving the season’s objective of a topflight return and just wants to play every minute possible before the end of the season. He said: “I don’t think I can get a medal and I don’t want one either. It’s the boys that have won the league, I’ve just been in the background. “I just want to play games now.
There’s only three left, but I’ve just got to be grateful for coming back, because it’s been serious injuries and to get the best care, I’ve just got to be grateful to be back playing and enjoying myself.”
There was an understated online reaction from the club and fans after they were confirmed as champions on Saturday.
Marking the occasion in person would have been difficult anyway due to Covid restrictions, although Souttar insists celebrations can wait until they achieve what he feels a club like Hearts should be achieving.
Souttar is in no doubt over where they should be in the Scottish football pecking order.
He said: “We shouldn’t be down here, a club like us should never be in the Championship.
“I don’t think there’ll be massive celebrations. It will be ‘job done, we are back where we belong’. There will be celebrations next season if we can win a cup or get into the top three or four, not winning the Championship.”
Souttar first returned to the squad for what was meant to be a straightforward Scottish Cup tie at Brora and in hindsight he’ll be grateful that there was never any intention of him coming on.
Jambos boss Robbie Neilson had always earmarked Friday’s game as the one which would best suit Souttar’s return to the pitch, even if starting came as a surprise to the defender.
Nonetheless, it was a welcome one after having to watch from the sidelines during a turbulent few weeks as a lack of wins wound up fans.
He said: “It’s been a difficult few weeks, but I just concentrated on myself. I knew I was coming back soon, that I was close, and I was just trying every day to work hard and help the team out to finish the job.
“Thankfully that’s what I’ve been able to do. “I didn’t think I’d be starting. I think it
was pencilled in to give me 10, 20 minutes, but I felt brilliant, I felt strong. I’ve worked hard to get to this stage and thankfully it allowed me to play 85 minutes after being out for so long.
“The fact that I was able to play most of the game after having been out for 14 months, it’s a credit to the whole medical staff.
“They didn’t rush me back and made sure I was right and able to play this game. It feels so good after it.
“It [the performance] was great. It was good to get the clean sheet - it’s important we build on those.
“We’ve got good players at the club who will score goals and it’s about building momentum now.
I don’t think I can get a medal and I don’t want one either. It’s the boys who have won the league JOHN SOUTTAR IS JUST HAPPY TO BE BACK
“We go on to the last few games, win them and keep clean sheets, take it into the summer and get a good feeling back into this club.”
A win over the part-time team propping up the table doesn’t suddenly make the pressure on Neilson disappear, with fans concerned about next season rather than thumbing their noses at a league title.
Souttar knows as well as anyone how important a strong start to next season is, but also stressed that it’s not solely on the gaffer’s shoulders.
He said: “Look, I don’t just think it’s the manager, it’s the whole club that’s taken stick.
“I think we all hold our hands up – we’ve not been good enough.
“That [6-0 win] goes a small way to repaying everything back and we’ll get back to the top league.
“It’s important we have a good summer, pre-season and hit the ground running next year.”