If 16 May was the day the dream ended, 26 August may well turn out to be when the next one started for Hearts. A mere three months on from a final-day defeat that denied Hearts a first Scottish top-flight title in 66 years, they have not only secured a tangible reward for finishing as runners-up, they did so with immense courage and togetherness. Thursday's victory over Rapid Vienna on penalties secured a place in Friday's league phase draw for the Conference League and two games each in October, November and December.

A lot has changed in that three months - a new head coach in Belgian Wouter Vrancken, player departures and plenty arrivals - and a sticky start to the season threatened to prolong a sense of malaise after that 3-1 defeat by champions Celtic. European and domestic losses got the 2026-27 campaign off to a whimper but Vrancken stayed calm and believes his team are now reaping deserved benefits.

"They have to learn that they're a good team, that they're good players, that they can show it," he told BBC Scotland. "In the last away games in Europe, you see that they're a little bit scared to do things, to take risks or to give spaces away. Then we don't play our game." The development of the team, the progress of the team is amazing. The team spirit, I saw it from the first session already.

While the margin of Hearts' 6-0 aggregate loss to Sturm Graz in the Champions League second qualifying round may have been unexpected, the result was not much of a surprise. Facing Rapid Vienna in the Conference League play-off represented another tough tie. Hearts more than gave as good as they got, and a first save in the shootout from Beau Reus to deny Moulaye Haidara put Hearts within touching distance. But it was Reus who had the last word with another terrific stop to secure a 4-3 win on penalties.