Hearts boss Jim Jefferies is looking to next season for the Jambos to again challenge the Old Firm. They finished third behind the Old Firm a year ago but struggled to make the top six this term in what has been a typically turbulent campaign at Tynecastle.

The club lost a number of key players last summer, came within one bad result of propping up the table in November and sacked manager Csaba Laszlo at the end of January.

"Whatever the reasons are, we didn't make it this year," said Jefferies ahead of the final game of the season against Celtic.

"But we should be looking to build a squad that can get off to a good start.

"People have been making comments that there has been a bit of improvement in things, so we want to keep on improving.

"If we improve, we'll be at the right end, where Dundee United and Hibs and Motherwell have been most of the season."

He added: "Hearts are a big club.

"Csaba got them up into third place, they made Europe.

"For whatever reasons, they didn't start the season well and they lost one or two good players."