Rangers were a better team than Hearts in 2014/15, claims Ian Black

Former Hearts midfielder Ian Black reckons the Tynecastle side were not as good as Rangers the year they won the Scottish Championship title.

Ian Black remonstrates with the official during a 2-0 Rangers loss at Tynecastle.

The 2014/15 season was an unusual one for Scottish football with three of the biggest clubs competing in the second tier.

Hearts and Hibs had been relegated the season prior, while Rangers had won promotion from League One.

Ian Black remonstrates with the official during a 2-0 Rangers loss at Tynecastle.

Ally McCoist's side were comfortable favourites for the league, but it would be Hearts who ended up running away with it, finishing 21 points clear at the top of the table and scoring a record-breaking 96 goals.

Despite this, Black believes Rangers had the stronger squad and that an opening day encounter between the two sides made a hugely significant impact.

He told Si Ferry: "The first game of the season against Hearts, we should have battered them. They stole it off us and got the momentum. It knocked the stuffing out of us.

"Asked if Hearts were the better team, he replied: "No, no. We were better than them but everything just went for them that year and that was it."

Rangers finished in third place behind Hearts' rivals Hibs. They were able to make it to the play-off final but were defeated by Motherwell.