Jamie McCart has revealed that Hearts stopper Zander Clark influenced his transfer to Hearts this month.
Centre-back McCart signed a four-and-a-half year contract with the Jambos from Rotherham after initially agreeing to a pre-contract.
But Hearts were willing to pay the money to bring McCart to Edinburgh early and he’s already made an impact having helped keep a clean sheet in the win over Dundee United.
McCart played with Clark at St Johnstone as the pair went down in history after the club won a historic Scottish Cup and League Cup double in 2021.
And ever since that incredible success, McCart and Clark have kept in touch, to the point where the Hearts goalkeeper played a part in McCart’s move to Gorgie.
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Clark influenced Jamie McCart’s Hearts transfer
Ahead of Hearts’ trip to Aberdeen on Sunday, McCart revealed to the press: “I speak to Zander all the time, and he was obviously giving me feedback on how the club was when the new gaffer came in.
“He sold it to me months before I actually knew I was coming! He always spoke so highly of the club, the staff.
“I think he said we’re in a sticky position, but I think they’re really confident that we can get out of it, and I think we’ve shown that so far that we will.”
McCart eyeing Hearts silverware
McCart fully understands that the current goal is for Hearts to escape any sort of relegation trouble come the end of the season.
But he admits the long-term aim should be for Hearts to winning a domestic cup competition having not tasted that sort of success since 2012.
McCart said: “Yeah, there’s probably an expectation at a club like this, and I think that’s what we’ve got to strive for.
“Cup competitions can always be different. It’s a one-off game. Anything can happen, but I definitely think that can be the aim.
“It’s always the same at a club like Hearts, the ambitions and the standards that the club and the fans demand, which is to be up close at the top of the table and competing for a cup.
“Our current goal is obviously just to keep climbing the table, keep getting three points on the board. But at a club like Hearts, the standards are so high that you’ve got to keep pushing for more.”