36 WWW.HEARTSFC.CO.UK
KITTED
OUT H earts played St Mirren on the 1st of September 2018 and ran out comfortable winners in a 4-1 victory, thanks to a first half hat-trick from on loan Norwich City striker Steven Naismith. Steven would also set up Olly Lee’s 29th minute strike. Steven’s 3 goals comprised of a 4th minute penalty, a trademark headed goal in the 41st minute and then just before half time a well-placed drive into the left-hand corner of the net secured him the match ball. The game saw Austin MacPhee take temporary charge as boss Craig Levein was in hospital recovering from a heart scare. The team talk that day didn’t take much writing. ‘Let’s do this one for the boss’.
Naismith would score 2 hat-tricks during his Tynecastle tenure, the other coming against Arbroath and again coincidentally all his goals would come in the first half. Hearts ran out 3-0 winners at Gayfield on the 29th of December 2020. His excellent performances with his club saw him capped a further 6 times for Scotland whilst playing for Hearts and scoring 3 goals. One against
Albania in the League of Nations, another in a friendly against Portugal and then his final goal against Kazakhstan in a Euro Qualifier at Hampden on Tuesday the 19th of November 2019, Scotland winning 3-1 in in what would be his last appearance. His Scotland career would see him play 51 games and score 10 goals. Steven would sign permanently for Hearts in early August 2019 after a loan spell from Norwich City in the January transfer window of 2018. He made his debut on Sunday the 21st of January 2018 against Hibs in the 4th Round of the Scottish Cup. It was a winning debut thanks to a single goal from Don Cowie. Steven’s mettle was proven from the very start of his Hearts career as he had not played for 5 months but was pitched straight into the fray and played the full 90 minutes. During his time at Hearts, he played against Hibs 6 times, winning 5 and only tasting one defeat.
Hearts win. He decided to hang up his boots in June 2021 and is now enjoying his role as player development manager/coach with the club.
He would play 90 competitive games for the club and score an impressive 29 goals. When Steven came into the team, his experience, drive and determination were immediately apparent. Even with a cameo appearance he could transform a game that looked to be heading towards a defeat or draw into a
This is a 2020/21 match prepared shirt belonging to Steven. Produced by Umbro the shirt has a black body with maroon collar and cuffs, as well as a broad maroon panel running across the shoulders to the top of each sleeve. The placket had two medium black buttons. Both the badge and the Umbro logo
Featured is the stunning 3rd shirt which was worn in season 2019/20 on three occasions, away to Motherwell, Hamilton and St Johnstone. It was also the 3rd kit for season 2020/21, however it is worth noting that it was never worn in a competitive game during our time in the Championship. It is therefore a bit of an oddity in the weird and wonderful world of shirt collecting.
