In 2006, Hearts managed their highest league finish for 14 years when they came second ahead of Rangers.
But it could have been a whole lot better after looking like genuine title contenders, eventually winning the Scottish Cup as consolation.
Lithuanian banker Vladimir Romanov had become involved in 2004 and had slowly built up his shareholding to the point where he was the majority shareholder in the club. The summer of 2005 was when his influence really started to take hold.
Champions League winner Edgaras Jankauskas was persuaded to swap Porto for Gorgie and he was joined by Greek Euro 2004 champion Takis Fyssas and Czech midfielder Rudi Skacel, who would go on to become a club legend over two spells.
Other notable signings were his countryman Roman Bednar and French midfielder Julien Brellier.
Just as importantly they had a more than capable manager in George Burley who had taken Ipswich Town to Europe and won the manager of the year award down south.
Hearts started the season on fire after winning their first eight games. They were still top of the table after drawing the next two, including a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park, when Romanov stunned the nation by SACKING Burley.
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Why Hearts sacked George Burley when top of the league
Clearly, the decision baffled everyone but especially supporters of the Tynecastle club, who had been enjoying the ride and had genuine optimism of winning their first top flight title since 1960.
There was no real reason given at the time but there have been murmurings since that the owner didn’t like Burley stealing the limelight from him and also that he falsely accused him of having a drink problem.
Those have both been addressed in the BBC’s podcast looking back at the Romanov era, Romanov: Czar of Hearts.
The Lithuanian had by this point acquired over 50 per cent of the club and therefore didn’t need to discuss his decisions with anyone.
Chairman at the time, Lord George Foulkes, recalls: “I was certainly against it, very strongly against it. He had picked up from a previous board meeting something that Phil Anderton (chief executive) had said. Phil had said something about George Burley and drink but it was just a passing reference and nothing serious.
“He cottoned onto that and wanted to argue, and did argue, that Burley had a drink problem. He would use that as a reason for sacking him. We knew that he wanted to get rid of him because George was challenging his decisions.”
ESPN commentator Mark Donaldson, then a reporter for Radio Forth, picks up on the jealousy Romanov had towards the manager.
“This is they key to the whole story,” he says. “Vladimir Romanov was all about Vladimir Romanov, he wanted Hearts to be a success for Vladimir Romanov.
“He wanted the Lithuanians that came to Hearts to be a success for Vladimir Romanov’s pocket. So when the Hearts fans started singing ‘Vladimir Romanov’, everything is great. He was loving life, he was the hero.
“It wasn’t long before those chants, maybe didn’t dissipate, but there were new chants for the players, for George Burley. Burley was getting a lot of attention, manager of the month again, ‘wow what a job he’s doing.’
‘Hold on’, says Vlad. ‘I’m the owner here, where’s the owner of the month award?’ So once the pendulum went from Vlad and swung towards George, that’s when the problems began.”
Phil Anderton follows Burley out Hearts exit door
Chief executive Phil Anderton was the next to fall foul of the madcap owner and leave Hearts.
And it has now been revealed that was because he refused to go along with Romanov’s made up story about Burley’s drink problem.
Foulkes explains: “He wanted to find an excuse for getting rid of Burley because obviously been advised he would have a claim for unfair dismissal.
“So he wanted Phil to confirm Burley had a drink problem and that was why he was sacked. And, rightly, Phil refused to do that.”