Jefferies calls on Hearts fans to play their part

Thanks to St Johnstone's defeat to Dundee United on Monday, the Jambos can secure a place in the top half of the SPL with victory over Kilmarnock at Tynecastle on Saturday afternoon.

That scenario had looked unlikely at the beginning of the season when a disappointing run of results, which saw them win just one of their opening five games, left them struggling at the foot of the table.

Jefferies, who replaced Csaba Laszlo as Hearts manager at the end of January, said: "I remember going to a game against Celtic earlier in the season before I was in charge of the side and, if they had lost that day, Hearts could have gone bottom of the league.

"But we won 2-1 and went on a run of seven games with just one defeat and that really saw things pick up for us.

"We've had our fair share of ups and downs since we came in but we've picked up a good few wins as well and hopefully we can keep that going."

And Jefferies called on the Hearts supporters to help roar their side into the top half of the table this weekend.

"The fans will play a really big part in everything for us this weekend," he said. "I am sure that they will get right behind us and, with the game against Kilmarnock being at Tynecastle, will create a lot of noise.

"They can turn that place into a cauldron when they get going and if they can give us that kind of encouragement then hopefully it can help spur us on into the top half of the table.

"We have got to take advantage of the fact that our game on Saturday is at Tynecastle, hopefully home advantage can help to swing things in our favour."