Twelve months ago, Stephen Kingsley had just suffered an injury, Hearts were struggling at the foot of the William Hill Premiership. It was a “dark time” according to the defender.
Fast forward to now the Men in Maroon top the table with a six-point cushion over champions Celtic.
Kingsley came on as a substitute in the 2-1 win at Parkhead over The Hoops, scored a spectacular goal in the 2-0 win at The Falkirk Stadium, and started in the 2-1 win over Rangers at Tynecastle last Sunday.
Looking back, the 31-year-old defender said the victory over Rangers was a good one and a result the players believed they could achieve.
The Stirling-born player added: “We won at Rangers (2-0 on September 13 thanks to a Lawrence Shankland double) and we have done it against the Glasgow teams. We have no fear about them now. (Sunday) was another good win, another three points. It definitely was enjoyable. We were pleased with the performance, solid defensively, threatening.”
The focus now shifts to Easter Road now on Saturday (12.30). Kingsley said: “This is the biggest right now. After Hibs the next one becomes the biggest (Livingston at Tynecastle on January 3). That is the way you need to look at it.
“It is Hibs (first) and it is the big fixture in everybody’s calendar. Rightly so, but the most important thing is to lead-up to the game, get things right.”
Kingsley, who has also played for Hull City, Crewe Alexandra and Swansea City, argued that form goes out of the window in Derby games and he added: “It is a one-off games where you get a chance to make the fans proud, the club proud and we hope to continue the run we are on.”
The player, who came through the youth development system at Falkirk, reflected that last year was “very difficult for everyone” at the club and surrounding the club. Kingsley added: “Our league position was very different, the mood in the camp was very different, obviously, I got injured at the beginning of December last year, and it was a dark time. It was hard.
“You go through these stages. You are not going to be brilliant all the time, it is up and down, but it was a very difficult spell last year. We had belief we knew where we should be and we were nowhere good enough last year.”
That has changed drastically now and Kingsley said the togetherness in the squad has been something he has not experienced in his time at the club.
The Scotland international actually arrived on October 6, 2020 and made his debut seven days later. Now he has logged over 170 appearances and scored 16 goals, and he added: “That is a testament to how good the boys are.
“It really has been a squad effort this season. We have had to make changes at times and everybody has been ready to play their part, do what they need to do, not just for themselves, it is for the boys, the club and the fans.
“It obviously helps that you are in a good league position and you are winning games, but it is definitely the best group of boys, in terms of how happy everyone is and how we are working for each other. Everybody knows the target going into each game.”
He said the target for every player, if they are in the starting squad or on the bench, is to go into each game and to make an impact.
Kingsley said: “Boys coming off the bench are ready when they are called up and there is not one person who is not there expressing their support for the boys. Making sure there is an arm around them if anybody needs it. That is massive, if you are going to achieve anything at any time you need that in the changing room.”
FOCUSED: Stephen Kingsley at Riccarton by Nigel Duncan
