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Heart of Midlothian B 2023/24


Alberto Spencer

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Nope, Deveronside beat Cruden Bay in the North Juniors Championship 14-0.

That some score for Hearts B the quality gap between top and bottom of the LL is huge. Really should be automatic promotion and relegation to and from the LL to the three feeder leagues. At least two up into the LL.

Edited by CityDave94
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With Makenzie Kirk off on loan to Hamilton, James Wilson got the start (and a hat trick).

Seeing Finlay Pollock get the second half (and a goal) is great news after all his injuries and hopefully he has an injury-free run for the rest of the season. There is certainly room in the first team for him if he gets back to his best.

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21 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

Yes. The Uni struggles at this time of year. Maybe they should ask for postponements because players are on holiday.

Well, indeed. If the verminous B teams can get games off because their big brothers are in Dubai or whatever, then the Unis absolutely should get equal dispensation.

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Following on from Hearts B's top striker Makenzie Kirk going on loan to Hamilton, their best centre back Callum Flatman is going on loan to Edinburgh City (good luck to him with that 🫣). With midfielders Macaulay Tait and Finlay Pollock also likely to spend more time with the first team, we may well see that  Hearts B find it more difficult to maintain the levels achieved in the first half of the season.  There may also be more loan deals in the pipeline.

They will of course bring in more younger players (U18s) so it will be a good test for them going forward.

Edited by Footballfirst
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  • 2 weeks later...

Next game this Friday evening against Cumbernauld Colts.  Macauley Tait looks to have graduated to the 1st Team after his sub appearance v Dundee and the team choice will be interesting with Makenzie Kirk/Callum Flatman out on loan to Hamilton/Edin City respectively. I'd have said young James Wilson (16yo) would replace Kirk up front but he played as sub for the 1st Team against Spartans and was on the bench against Dundee. It'll be interesting to see the future plans for Wilson. He's been gradually introduced to the B Team.

There's also a complication in team selection in that this Friday Hearts U18s are due to play at Ibrox in the Youth Cup Quarter Final. I remember Rangers rearranging an LL game in previous years for such a clash, but Hearts won't be doing that. It does mean team choices (e.g. where Wilson is assigned amongst others) may show Hearts feelings of what is considered most important 😀 . We've not won the Youth Cup in ages despite some recent finals so it would be nice to do that.......

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7 hours ago, Alberto Spencer said:

Next game this Friday evening against Cumbernauld Colts.  Macauley Tait looks to have graduated to the 1st Team after his sub appearance v Dundee and the team choice will be interesting with Makenzie Kirk/Callum Flatman out on loan to Hamilton/Edin City respectively. I'd have said young James Wilson (16yo) would replace Kirk up front but he played as sub for the 1st Team against Spartans and was on the bench against Dundee. It'll be interesting to see the future plans for Wilson. He's been gradually introduced to the B Team.

There's also a complication in team selection in that this Friday Hearts U18s are due to play at Ibrox in the Youth Cup Quarter Final. I remember Rangers rearranging an LL game in previous years for such a clash, but Hearts won't be doing that. It does mean team choices (e.g. where Wilson is assigned amongst others) may show Hearts feelings of what is considered most important 😀 . We've not won the Youth Cup in ages despite some recent finals so it would be nice to do that.......

17yo Tait appears to be getting good reviews for his midweek cameo against Dundee where he helped turn the game.  16yo James Wilson also made an appearance at Spartans in the Cup.  I think Naismith/Hearts really do value the B team system and the opportunities it gives 16/17/18 year olds, probably helped with him managing the B side for most of last season.

The SFA scheduling re Youth Cup really isn't helping although isn't it an afternoon ko? you might see a few players make the bench later that evening.

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34 minutes ago, Burnieman said:

17yo Tait appears to be getting good reviews for his midweek cameo against Dundee where he helped turn the game.  16yo James Wilson also made an appearance at Spartans in the Cup.  I think Naismith/Hearts really do value the B team system and the opportunities it gives 16/17/18 year olds, probably helped with him managing the B side for most of last season.

The SFA scheduling re Youth Cup really isn't helping although isn't it an afternoon ko? you might see a few players make the bench later that evening.

The Youth Cup game is 4pm kick-off and the B Team game is 7.45pm.   I have no idea how they'll sort the teams out! I was at the BP Youth Cup Final at Ibrox in 1993 when Kevin Thomas ran riot and Hearts won 3-1. Sadly injury ruined his career.  The Rangers fans were all dads with Kids with the Broomloan stand full of older Hearts fans desperate to see a trophy (any) win 😀

The U18 team is usually full of 16/17 year olds though they've beaten Rangers already this season with a strong side out (with several B team players who remain eligible). Naismith is keen to involve youngsters and may keep Tait/Wilson back for Saturday's 1st team game. 

Hearts signed up to play all their LL games when arranged so at least are keeping to that.

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5 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Hearts have only 3 subs listed tonight, a sub keeper, plus a 16 and 17 year old.

The also have two players playing their second game of the day. 

Yet another farce of a situation for the LL, bent over and sold out to them.

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Finished Hearts B 1-3 Cumbernauld Colts.  Great first goal for Colts (a pal was at the game, I couldn't make it). Hearts had a few chances, lost a second, pulled one back (Rocco Friel) but lost a third while pressing for an equaliser. As above, only 3 subs due to playing the Youth Cup tie.  James Wilson played an hour of the U18 game then was subbed - presumably to be on the bench against Aberdeen tomorrow.

Colts are a decent team and might have beaten the strongest side we could put out anyway.

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10 minutes ago, Alberto Spencer said:

Finished Hearts B 1-3 Cumbernauld Colts.  Great first goal for Colts (a pal was at the game, I couldn't make it). Hearts had a few chances, lost a second, pulled one back (Rocco Friel) but lost a third while pressing for an equaliser. As above, only 3 subs due to playing the Youth Cup tie.  James Wilson played an hour of the U18 game then was subbed - presumably to be on the bench against Aberdeen tomorrow.

Colts are a decent team and might have beaten the strongest side we could put out anyway.

Hearts were missing a load of players who played earlier this season for multiple reasons including 1st team call ups, loans, injuries and the U18 clash.

Tait, Pollock, Drysdale, Thomas, Kirk, Flatman, McLuckie, Wilson, Nair, Ross and Stevenson.  Not all could have played, but it gives a bit of perspective.  

That's why I think its wrong for non-competitive B Teams to participate in a competitive league.  Colts will be laughing tonight with EK, Tranent and Bo'ness perhaps rightly unimpressed.

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7 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Hearts were missing a load of players who played earlier this season for multiple reasons including 1st team call ups, loans, injuries and the U18 clash.

Tait, Pollock, Drysdale, Thomas, Kirk, Flatman, McLuckie, Wilson, Nair, Ross and Stevenson.  Not all could have played, but it gives a bit of perspective.  

That's why I think its wrong for non-competitive B Teams to participate in a competitive league.  Colts will be laughing tonight with EK, Tranent and Bo'ness perhaps rightly unimpressed.

The credibility of the league is in the gutter because of sh1t like this, I still can’t believe the sell out clubs fell for it for another season.

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