Hearts set for biggest game since 1960 - Mackay

Former Hearts captain Gary Mackay feels Monday's home game against Rangers is one of the biggest in the club's history.

The Edinburgh club are three points ahead of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership heading into the showdown with third-placed Rangers, who lie four adrift of the summit.

Hearts have topped the table for much of the season and have just four games left of their mission to win their first top flight-title since 1960.

After last weekend's Edinburgh derby win over Hibernian Mackay, and many other Hearts fans, feel Monday's game is their biggest in a long time.

"There's a gentleman I know, for example, who attended his 205th Edinburgh derby on Sunday," Mackay said.

"He's 78, 79 now, and he texted me after the game to say that Monday is as big a game as he's seen since 1960.

"Everybody's got their own thoughts and their own memories of why Monday is so important."

The 62-year-old was playing for Hearts last time they got close to a top-flight title, missing out to Celtic on the final day in 1986.

And while he knows the pressure is on, he is urging supporters to get behind the team regardless of the scoreline during Monday night's match.

"I don't think any of us at this time last year thought we were going to be where we are and I think that's why the emotions are so high," Mackay added.

"It's important we get rid of any kind of negativity – it doesn't matter where we are in the 10th minute, or the 70th minute come Monday, we need to be right behind the team from the first minute to the last, because if any of us supporters had thought last year that we would be talking like this with four games to go, we would have thought that there was something wrong with us.

"The players and management have given us a season that is up there with one of the best I've ever had as a Hearts supporter, and it's up to us to repay them by getting right behind them and making sure we give them the best chance possible to get the outcome we all want."