Craig Halkett considers the 2025/26 campaign as his best season, playing a key role for Heart of Midlothian as they approach the final three games of the Scottish Premiership title race.
He played a pivotal role as Heart of Midlothian finished third in the 2021/22 campaign and now seven seasons after joining from Livingston, Halkett is close to becoming a Scottish title winner.
According to Halkett, this season is ‘quite comfortably’ the best of his career.
Halkett’s Journey to the Top
Halkett started at Rangers as a youngster, with loans at Clyde and Berwick Rangers. He then had a successful spell at Livingston. Now he is close to becoming a Scottish title winner after joining Hearts.
“I think you definitely re-evaluate things once you leave because you’ve come through one of the biggest and best youth systems in the country. When you leave, it’s hard to take at the time. You feel like you’ve dropped all the way to the bottom and it’s about building yourself back up,” he said.
“But I always believed in myself that I could get back to playing at the top level, which I did.
“Even when I first signed for Hearts, though, I don’t think anyone could have imagined being in the position we’re in today. It’s taken a lot of hard work from myself and everyone around me, but it’s something I’m really enjoying.”
Pre-Season Transformation
Halkett is in peak form, which he credits to his summer work. He skipped a holiday to focus on pre-season training, aiming to be in the best possible shape to play for Hearts under Derek McInnes.
He shed five kilos and was described as “shredded” during pre-season by people at the club. It has helped him fulfil that aim of playing for Hearts under McInnes.
Praise for Derek McInnes
Halkett has praised the impact of Derek McInnes. “He’s been massive. Right from when we first spoke on the phone before pre-season. I didn’t know him personally before, but we’d had a couple of conversations earlier in my career and I’d always admired what he’d done at his other clubs,” he said.
“He was honest and said it was a fresh start for everyone when he came into the building. I obviously believed in myself that if I came back fit and stayed fit, I could play games. He just said that if I came back and did well, I could be a big player for the team, and thankfully, it’s turned out that way.
“He’s put a lot of belief in me and given me confidence back that I’ve probably always had, but maybe lost over the last few years. To get that back, I’ll always be thankful to him.”
Last summer, after Hearts finished in the bottom six and a new head coach was appointed, a number of players may well have been wondering what their future looked like.