JAMIE BRANDON insists Hearts will be fuelled by a sense of injustice next season after committing his future to the Jambos until 2022.
The 22-year-old right-back last night inked a new contract with the capital club and is adamant the prospect of plying his trade in the Championship was never going to derail talks.
The Tynecastle outfit have joined forces with Partick Thistle to launch a legal challenge aimed at overturning their respective relegations – or claim £10 MILLION in compensation.
And Brandon admits he has been glued to Twitter and media coverage during the club’s various battles in recent weeks.
But regardless of what division Hearts are in next term, Brandon reckons the determination to right the wrongs of this summer has created more togetherness among players and fans alike.
That is underlined by season ticket sales hitting the 7000-mark and more than 300 new or increased pledges to supporters’ group Foundation of Hearts since Monday’s collapse of reconstruction talks.
“I think that sense of injustice will definitely drive us on,” said the Scotland under-21 internationalist. “You can see that from the supporters, who have been unbelievable and have stepped up when the club has been going through this tough time.
“Everyone in the dressing room knows what the aim is – if we start in the Championship: to come straight back up and right some wrongs.
“We have the players to achieve that and we have the determination.
“The players have just been watching the votes, checking Twitter and reading the press, like everyone else really. All you can do is wait for updates.
“But the [relegation] didn’t make me think twice about signing a new deal, especially at a time like this when a lot of boys don’t know where they are going to be next season.
“I always saw myself in Hearts colours and when the contract was offered, it just became a case of when we could get it done.”
As well as uncertainty regarding what league Hearts will be in and what their squad will look like, there is no guarantee that head coach Daniel Stendel will still be at the helm next term.
HUNGRY
The German penned a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Craig Levein in December but that contract is null and void if Hearts are not in the Premiership.
However, Brandon is adamant the players’ focus will not be hampered by the dugout drama.
Brandon added: “I don’t have a clue what is going to happen with the manager next season, but that’s not something the players can affect right now.
“I’m sure the mindset among the boys will be the same – we need to come back fit, hungry and look to impress whoever is the manager. If that’s someone new, then that’s just one of those things that happen in football.”
