Foundation of Hearts Chair Gerry Mallon needs to realise that “increasing the gap on rivals” is NOT enough for Hearts. #Hearts #SPFL

I am a member of the 1874 “Club” of the Foundation of Hearts.

At Tynecastle on Sunday, I was able, along with many other Foundation members, to briefly meet our excellent manager and some of the superb players who now play for Hearts.

Having spoken to both manager and players, I am confident they are looking in the right direction – UP.

They know that ending the domination of Scottish football by Celtic and Rangers MUST be the target – and that this target MUST be achieved in the next 3 or 4 seasons.

Next season, the club will have been in existence for 150 years.

Hearts have not won the league in the last 64 of those 150 years.

No club apart from Celtic and Rangers has won the Scottish Premiership for 37 seasons, since Hearts got within 7 minutes of doing so in 1986.

Both of those statistics are acutely embarrassing, one for Hearts and the other for the whole of Scottish football.

Neither can be accepted as the “natural order.”

Saving Hearts was a vital first step – but it was never going to be enough for this wonderful club.

So I am sure Gerry Mallon, Chair of the Foundation and star of Tesco Bank and James Anderson, Hearts Chair-in-Waiting and star of Baillie Gifford, will be putting their heads together on how to break the Glasgow Duopoly.

Looking down is NOT an option any longer at Tynecastle; we must look UP to the peak of the Premiership – and then get there, within a time frame of 3 to 4 seasons.

Neither Tesco or Baillie Gifford would settle for being a permanent Third in their respective industries; or forever “also rans”.

Nor can Hearts.

James Anderson has already told the media that he is challenging Hearts to think bigger.

He is 100% right to do so.

Gerry Mallon leads the club owners, the Foundation of Hearts.

Together, Anderson and Mallon are two very bright and successful people who can play key roles in pushing Hearts as hard as is required to end the 37 seasons of shame that has blighted the whole of Scottish football.

I am confident they will not disappoint the 8000 members of the Foundation or the tens of thousands of other supporters who love our club.

Robbie Neilson and Sporting Director Joe Savage must be given the backing they need to break the Glasgow Duopoly.

All at Hearts need to share the ambition of the RAF – to Reach For The Stars – and to get there soon!

BELIEVE.

— Read on www.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/foundation-of-hearts-ps15m-milestone-increasing-gap-on-rivals-pledger-and-vladimir-romanov-aim-4051460