Heart of Midlothian

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Craig Gordon shouldn't be taken to the Euros out of "sentiment" and must be ready to play, says former Scotland team-mate James McFadden.

The 41-year-old Hearts captain was named alongside fellow Tynecastle goalkeeper Zander Clark - as well as Angus Gunn and Liam Kelly - in Steve Clarke's provisional squad for next month's tournament.

Having returned to action earlier this year following a double leg break at the tail end of 2022, Gordon has struggled to force his way back into the Hearts team, which concerns McFadden.

"The best Craig Gordon is better than Zander Clarke, but if Craig's back to his best, he should be playing every week for Hearts and he hasn't been," he told BBC's Football Daily podcast.

"I get the experience, a fantastic goalkeeper. One of the best I've played with. I'd love him to go to the Euros, but not out of sentiment.

"He has to be at the level to be ready to play. If he's not, as terrible as this sounds, he shouldn't be there."

The Times' Scottish football correspondent Michael Grant expects Gordon's wealth of experience to earn him a seat on the plane.

"I don't think Craig Gordon is back in the squad for no reason, he said. "I think Craig's experience will count heavily is his favour with Steve Clarke.

"Gunn is the first choice goalkeeper, I suspect if he goes down to three goalkeepers it'll be Clark and Gordon who go with him."

When Kyosuke Tagawa thundered home a volley with the final kick of the season against Rangers, the roof almost came off Tynecastle such was the euphoria inside the ground.

Many Hearts fans went into the season with some trepidation. There was a rookie manager in charge and a squad that was not to everyone’s pleasing, but it ended with a sense of glee.

And yet there were early doubts.

Defeat in both legs to PAOK quickly ended Hearts' run in Europe and the knives were out for Steven Naismith after Premiership losses to Dundee, St Mirren and Motherwell.

But the manager never panicked. And more importantly neither did the players. That calmness was shown on the pitch by the amount of times Hearts fought back in games.

The run of 12 unbeaten matches from early December through to the end of February then ensured this was a campaign to savour.

With 26 wins from 49 matches the season has to be regarded as a success story.

In comparison, there were just 19 wins from 50 games in the 2022-23 campaign, so there has clearly been vast improvement.

Much of that is down to Lawrence Shankland, who scored 31 goals in another remarkable season.

While it would be terrific for the fans to see the Scotland striker sign a new contract, there has to also be a sense of realism. If the money is right for the club and the move is the correct one for Shankland, he will probably be on his way.

With the distinct possibility of a money-spinning Europa League group-stage campaign ahead, there will be plenty of players interested in joining Hearts for what could be another breathtaking campaign.

Until then the fans can look back on what was incredible season of football at Tynecastle.

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Atalanta's Europa League final win has boosted Hearts' hopes of direct entry into the group stage of next season's competition, which would be sealed if Borussia Dortmund defeat Real Madrid in the Champions League final. (Sun), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Hearts trio Zander Clark, Craig Gordon and Lawrence Shankland have all been named in Steve Clarke’s provisional 28-man Scotland squad for Euro 2024.

Clark and Gordon are two of four goalkeepers picked, along with Motherwell’s Liam Kelly and Norwich City’s Angus Gunn.

Shankland was a must pick given his stunning season for Hearts, scoring 31 goals in all competitions. He has two Scotland goals in nine international appearances.

The squad will be cut to 26 players before the tournament itself, where Scotland take on Germany (14 June), Switzerland (19 June) and Hungary (23 June) in Group A.

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Hearts will face Charlie Adam's Fleetwood Town in a pre-season friendly this summer.

The Europe-bound Jambos head to Highbury Stadium on Saturday, 27 July for a 15:00 BST kick-off.

Fleetwood are preparing for life in English League Two after relegation this season.

The trip to Lancashire is Hearts' second confirmed friendly this summer as they will host Leyton Orient on Saturday, 13 July as part of the Tynecastle club's 150-year celebrations.

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Will Hearts goalkeepers Zander Clark and Craig Gordon both go to the Euros with Scotland?

They certainly should, according to all six BBC Scotland pundits each tasked with choosing their preferred 26-man squad.

Both Clark and Gordon got the nod from ex-Hearts players Michael Stewart and Neil McCann as well as fellow panellists Leanne Crichton, Peter Grant, Steven Thompson and Tom English.

Prolific Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland is another cert for a place on the plane according to our pundits, while McCann also included Tynecastle-bound Motherwell midfielder Blair Spittal, who has enjoyed a fine season at Fir Park.

However, there was no love for Stephen Kingsley. Some have mooted the versatile Hearts defender, but not one of our pundits opted for him.

Read more: Who would BBC pundits have in their Scotland squad?

The Sportscene team discuss whether Lawrence Shankland's latest goal will be enough to see the Hearts striker start Scotland's opening game of Euro 2024.

Available to UK users only.

Hearts finished their season with a battling 3-3 draw against Rangers at Tynecastle, and Yutaro Oda impressed for Steven Naismith's side.

He is certainly a talented individual who has improved over the season.

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Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark believes he has "probably done enough" to earn a call-up to the Scotland squad for the Euros.

The 31-year-old made 35 league appearances as the the Tynecastle side romped to third place in the Scottish Premiership.

With Hearts' season over, Clark can only wait for the call to know whether he will be on the plane to Germany.

“It’s out of our hands now, it’s the manager’s decision," he said.

“I feel that, over the course of the season, I’ve probably done enough but I don’t want to count the chickens before they are hatched.

“We’ll wait and see. It was good to get back on the grass on Saturday and turn in a decent enough performance.

“I’ve been happy [with form] and it helps when the team is doing well

“It gives you that bit of confidence. I’ve been delighted with the contributions I’ve made throughout the season.

"When you finish the season so highly in the league and so well it’s always pleasing."

We asked for your thoughts after Hearts roared back to seal a thrilling 3-3 draw with Rangers.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Kuptin: Fantastic entertainment, six great goals. Probably Hearts' best player was Zander Clark, although nobody was a failure.

Bob: What a finish. We have been terrible against the Rangers for the last three or four years and after 80 mins this looked like another pummelling. But we have been great at recovery from adversity this season and Kyosuke Tagawa's strike was thoroughly deserved. Well done Hearts. Bring on next season.

Steve: Great to finish third but without Lawrence Shankland we’re a mid-table side. Desperately need a right-back with Stephen Kingsley back on the left. Looking forward to our new signings arriving but Toby Sibbick, Jorge Grant, Alex Cochrane, Liam Boyce and Nathaniel Atkinson need emptied to make room for far better players. Looking forward to seeing how young James Wilson progresses.

Gordon: Good character to come back and draw the game. I think offensively we have really good options, Yan Dhanda and Blair Spittal coming in will only add to that. My main concern (Apart from losing Shankland) is the amount of weak goals we give away especially against the better sides. 16 goals we've conceded against Rangers this season. Needs to be better.

Jim: Season done, third place. We could and should be better. Need a clear out as some players just not good enough. Laddies coming through look okay but yesterday showed that they will only get a game now and then roll on Europe.

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• Rangers have scored in 35 of their 38 games, more often than any other team in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Hearts have won 13 points from losing positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, only Motherwell (19) and Rangers (18) have recovered more.

• Cyriel Dessers has contributed to goals in his last three games in the Scottish Premiership (two goals, one assist).

• Frankie Kent assisted his fourth goal in the Scottish Premiership this season.

Lawrence Shankland talks to BBC Scotland after Hearts finished their season with a 3-3 draw against Rangers.

Hearts scored with the final kick of their Scottish Premiership season to snatch a draw and end their five-game losing run against Rangers.

With nothing on the line, the sides played out an entertaining match which could easily have had even more goals.

Lawrence Shankland dinked in his 31st goal of a stellar campaign to give Hearts the lead but their awful winless run against Rangers, stretching back four years, looked to continue as the visitors hit three without reply after the break.

First, Ross McCausland scored a beauty to bring them level having skipped away from two players to fire in off a post from distance.

Then Todd Cantwell also used the inside of the post to beat Zander Clark after good play from Cyriel Dessers.

Fabio Silva looked to have wrapped up the win with a powerful drive from inside the box, but in the end a crazy game kept up a frantic pace right to the death.

Dexter Lembikisa's volley at the back post just three minutes after Silva's goal gave Hearts hope in the final 10 minutes, and they capitalised in stoppage time.

A punt up the pitch from goalkeeper Zander Clark was flicked towards the box, and Kyosuke Tagawa slammed in a wonderful volley to make it 3-3.

Were you at Tynecastle or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

Hearts manager Steven Naismith: "It was a good game. The last three games I've asked us to enjoy it, I think we have. Outwith all the goals, we played really well. We looked comfortable on the ball.

"But when we gave up possession cheaply we were punished. It's as simple as that But we scored some good goals, we show character to keep fighting to the end and Kyosuke [Tagawa] scoring at the end.

"He's been unlucky with the wee breaks, hitting the wrong place or a shot going past a post. So to round it off with him scoring a good goal is a really nice way to finish it.

"It was just a good game of football. It could have gone either way and both teams will think they could have won it if they tightened up defensively. It was a good advert for Scottish football."

On Lawrence Shankland's future: "There's no big drastic meeting. What will be will be. The club will give it as much as they can and show their value to him. If that's enough, it's enough.

"If it's not, we have him for another year unless something changes. He's such a big player with real qualities and his confidence is high. As long as he's here he'll keep producing. If that's one year, or more, who knows?"

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Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

How often do we see final games with nothing on them turn into madness? That's what unfolded at Tynecastle.

Amid a season of progress at Hearts where they have raised their own bar in terms of points, victories, away wins, and comebacks, the only thing that has evaded them has been a win against Rangers.

They may not have got it, but in its own way coming back from two goals down will have been sweet, given the five previous losses at the hands of the Ibrox men.

Steven Naismith, ably assisted by captain Shankland and his 31 goals, has done a fantastic job in comfortably making Hearts Scotland's third force.

The challenge now is repeating the feat next season while adding in European football until at least Christmas, and their only regret will be failing to turn up in two cup semi-finals against Rangers.

However, they can enjoy their summer.

As Hearts aim to beat Rangers for the first time in 14 attempts, Steven Naismith makes seven changes from Wednesday's draw at St Mirren.

Only Frankie Kent, Kye Rowles, Alex Cochrane and Cammy Devlin retain their places.

Zander Clark is back in goal and Lawrence Shankland returns up top.

• Follow the action

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