Stevenson eyes Hearts starting slot in 'biggest season'

HEARTS midfielder Ryan Stevenson is anticipating the biggest season of his career as he seeks to continue his personal progress after agreeing a contract extension at Tynecastle.

Stevenson admitted today that season 2011/12 will be the most important of his life with Hearts attempting to build on last year's third-place finish in the SPL and earn themselves a run in the Europa League. Year-on-year progress has been a constant theme of Stevenson's career in recent seasons. After watching Hearts recruit John Sutton, Jamie Hamill and Danny Grainger, and with the possibility that additional new faces will follow, the 26-year-old is eager to cement a first-team place during pre-season preparations.

"This is probably my biggest season. Every year since I went to Ayr has been a big season for me," said Stevenson. "At first I wanted to do well there, then I wanted to get better and gradually I have. Next season is no different. I think I did reasonably well in the second half of last season and I want to try and build on that.

"I've enjoyed a rest but I'm ready to work hard and show the manager that I should be in his starting line-up. I feel I've proved my worth here but you can't just rest on that. You need to continue improving because that's what a club like Hearts demands. I'm looking to improve quite a bit this year."

Stevenson cautioned against complacency in the season ahead, pointing out that challenging the Old Firm should be Hearts' aim every year. "You can't get complacent. You can't just think that you're going to turn up and win or that you deserve to be third," he explained.

"Hearts is a massive club and the club deserves to be third and pushing Rangers and Celtic, but that doesn't just happen because it should. I think the players know that. The boys enjoyed the success we had last season, but you don't want to go back falling away and then you're looking at somebody else enjoying that success next year."

Meanwhile, Hearts teenager Dylan McGowan is close to securing a loan move to the Australian A League club Gold Coast United.

The defender has yet to feature at first-team level but is hoping to gain experience playing in his homeland.