Eight points. That was the gap Hearts put between themselves and Rangers last season — and for Ryan McGowan, consolidating and extending that margin matters far more than fixating on closing the distance to Celtic. The former Tynecastle defender has urged the Edinburgh club to reframe their ambitions heading into 2026-27, arguing that a sustained grip on the Scottish Premiership's top three is the foundation everything else gets built on.

Why finishing second is only the starting point

Hearts came within 90 minutes of a first league title in 20 years last season, only to lose at Celtic Park on the final day and settle for runners-up. It was, by any measure, the club's best league campaign in two decades. But McGowan is wary of the romantic interpretation.

"I've always thought that Hearts should be more focused on getting away from sort of fourth and fifth and sixth place for a number of years," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. The Livingston midfielder's logic is straightforward: secure the European money, bank the perks that come with it, and use that resource base to gradually compress the gap to Celtic and Rangers — rather than gambling on a title charge that might overshoot the club's current ceiling.

The financial case for consolidation

It is a position with clear economic backing. Hearts enter the Champions League second qualifying round this month against Austrian side Sturm Graz over two legs. Even an early exit generates revenue that clubs finishing fifth or sixth never see. String together a few seasons of that and the recruitment budget shifts meaningfully.

"Get the money in the bank, get the sort of perks that come with getting into those European leagues and be able to establish themselves in there," McGowan said. "All the way getting a little bit closer to the two teams in Glasgow but extending that gap away from everybody else."

That gap — currently eight points over Rangers at the end of last season — is the number Hearts fans should treat as a baseline, not a ceiling. The market broadly agrees that the Glasgow clubs remain prohibitive favourites to finish in the top two, but the distance between Hearts and the rest of the Premiership is where the real progress is measured.

Bloom's 10-year plan and the direction of travel

Investor Tony Bloom has spoken publicly about winning the Scottish Premiership within the next decade. McGowan is not dismissing that ambition — he simply thinks the process matters. "You'll be able to obviously pickpocket them and be able to bring in new players, all the while getting that little bit closer to Celtic and Rangers," he said.

New manager Wouter Vrancken — who took charge at the end of June — inherits a squad that already exceeded expectations last season. The disappointment of that final-day defeat at Celtic Park is real, McGowan acknowledges: "They were so close to winning the league last year and they'll be bitterly disappointed." But he is clear that grief should not translate into unrealistic target-setting.

"Hearts are definitely on the right track," he added. A second-place finish, a Champions League qualifying campaign, and an eight-point buffer over fifth place. For a club that spent years scrapping in mid-table, those are not small things. McGowan's point is simple: protect them first, then push further.

Frequently asked

Where did Hearts finish in the Scottish Premiership last season?
Hearts finished second, their highest league placing in 20 years. They came within 90 minutes of winning the title but lost on the final day at Celtic Park, finishing runners-up behind Celtic.
Who are Hearts playing in the Champions League qualifiers?
Hearts enter the Champions League at the second qualifying round this month, facing Austrian club Sturm Graz over two legs.
Who is Ryan McGowan and why is he talking about Hearts?
Ryan McGowan is a former Hearts defender who now plays for Livingston. He spoke about the Edinburgh club's ambitions for the 2026-27 season on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.