Inside Hearts' January transfer dealings and the role played by Jamestown Analytics

Neil Critchley has opened up about the data-driven process that Hearts hope will lead the club into a new era. The first objective is steering the side away from the relegation danger zone, with the 11th-placed Tynecastle side travelling to face Aberdeen on Sunday.

Their squad will include two new faces in striker Elton Kabangu and defender Jamie McCart. Both players have been recruited with the assistance of Jamestown Analytics, the innovative data analysis firm set up by Brighton majority shareholder Tony Bloom.

Hearts signed an exclusive agreement with Jamestown Analytics in November with Bloom still also in negotiations to invest in the Tynecastle club. The first players sourced from the tie-up have already arrived and Critchley has shone some light on the recruitment procedure.

Neil Critchley during a Heart of Midlothian training session at the Oriam, on January 10, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

“We identify areas of the pitch that we want to strengthen,” explained the Hearts manager. “They then ask what sort of profile of player are we after?

“We describe that, and then they go away and basically come back with a list of players. And then it's up to us to work through that list in terms of availability, affordability, and then obviously whether we think they're the right fit for us. And that's how we came to Elton.”

Kabangu, who has signed on loan until the end of the season, was out of favour at Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and therefore an achievable target. McCart has joined on a permanent deal from Rotherham United having played 20 times this season.

“All the players that are on the list....they (Jamestown Analytics) have obviously done their homework and their due diligence to say that they all think they would be within our realms of possibility in terms of wages, availability and affordability," said Critchley.

“We still watch the players, watch them play, speak to their agent. We still do all our work as well. It's not just them, and then we just go right in. I watched him (Kabangu), the recruitment team watched him, we then do all our background work, character references, data, everything. We still do all our work as well.

“Ideally, you always want to see the players live. That's not always possible because of where they are in the world and schedules. But I'd always want to watch the player, I'd always want to speak to the player. I met Elton, spoke to him face-to-face. I think that's really important.

“The wonderful world of Zoom now makes that (speaking remotely) a little bit more possible, but you can't beat face-to-face contact because what data doesn't tell you is personality, character, and that's everything. There should be no compromise on character because you need to be a certain personality to play for this football club.”

Jamie McCart during a Heart of Midlothian press conference at the Oriam, on January 10, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

The McCart signing was slightly different in that Critchley was already aware of him from his time managing Blackpool and Queens Park Rangers. But data still had a part to play.

“That was a little bit of both,” he said. “But obviously because of Frankie (Kent) and Stephen Kingsley being injured, that was an area of the pitch that we wanted to strengthen. So again, we're looking for a centre-back, what type? And Jamie McCart was one of the names on that list.

“Obviously, some of the names I know, some of the names I don't know because they're further afield. With Jamie that was easier because straight away I've got a visual because I came up against him last year.

“He's also obviously got experience of playing in this league with St Johnstone previously. So that was a little bit more of a simpler transaction if you like.”