Rangers were given a tough start to the league campaign with away trips to Tynecastle, Parkhead and Tannadice in the first handful of games.
An opening day draw saw a spirited Hearts team put Philippe Clement and his squad under pressure and a draw was a fair result at one of the hardest places to win.
As things have transpired, it was Hearts best performance and result of the season with their latest defeat seeing them rooted to the bottom of the table with just one point resulting in Steven Naismith losing his job.
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Former Rangers stalwart Lee Wallace gets Hearts promotion
One door closed for a former Rangers player, however, Naismith’s sacking has seen another open with Lee Wallace being promoted from his academy job to assist Liam Fox on an interim basis.
Wallace, even when he was at Rangers, had already started his coaching career at local club Tynecastle FC, supporting the youth teams at the East of Scotland outfit.
Having retired from playing, Wallace returned to the club where he first made his name in senior football and is well regarded in the game as a football obsessive and passionate coach.
If you play Football Manager, his statistics make him worth a punt on your staff, such is his burgeoning reputation.
Lee Wallace is remembered fondly by Rangers fans, even if his time at the club ended under a cloud due to an employment dispute he and Kenny Miller brought due to a fall out with Graeme Murty.
Not long after leaving Rangers, Wallace was interviewed on Talksport to give his side of the story and revealed what his one regret was from his time at Ibrox:
“I think the only regret I have is the fact that I was never able to win true Rangers silverware,” Wallace told talkSPORT radio.
“We had a fantastic journey, a lot of ups and downs. I stayed and I was proud to do that and we managed to retain league status which was part of the fightback.
“But my one and only regret was that I was not able to be part of a team to win true Rangers silverware.
“Kenny and I actually smashed that appeal but it was a pretty simple procedure because all we had to do was tell the truth and speak honestly,” said Wallace.
“It was a comfortable process and the consequence was we won the appeal. But again I knew it would be difficult moving forward just because of that.
“I never let my disappointment be known.
“But there was never one day when I went into that club for training or whatever that I let my disappointment be known.
“For me, it was about never detracting from the positivity that the manager had going at that point. I put the team and the club before me.”
Wallace was a fan favourite despite Rangers disrespect
Wallace battled with injury for much of his 30s having been an almost ever present between 2012 and 2017.
A fit Wallace under Steven Gerrard would have made a real difference and provided a solid rotational option alongside Borna Barisic.
What annoyed fans was how Wallace was all but ignored by Rangers when he retired from the game.
A player who sacrificed his elite and international career to stay at the club.
Fans didn’t forget though and paid their own tribute to the marauding left-back.
There has been a recent change with Rangers wishing the former skipper a happy birthday – baby steps.
Wallace was an honest, hardworking player and it would be no surprise to see Hearts levels pick up with a coach who learned the hard way what standards are needed at big clubs.
