Il Nuovo Postiglione - McInnes feels 'guilt' ahead of Hearts return with Rangers

The Jambos missed out in the dying minutes of the campaign to Celtic in a final-day shootout for the title.

No club other than Celtic and their Glasgow rivals Rangers have been crowned champions of Scotland in 41 years.

Within a few weeks Edinburgh side Hearts lost both their manager and captain to Rangers as McInnes followed Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland to Ibrox.

The two sides meet for the first time since McInnes's departure on Wednesday, with third-placed Hearts four points adrift of Rangers and eight behind leaders Celtic.

"The hope would be that you get on the pitch and clap the fans and there's an acknowledgement both ways, but that's not going to happen. I totally understand that," McInnes said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"I understand that it's not going to be great for me tomorrow, but I get it.

"At Hearts, we were hurting. Last season was almost like we were mourning. That might seem a bit exaggerated, but that's how it felt.

"We were all clinging to each other during the first part of the close season. It was a time when we felt we should all be sticking together. I felt the guilt about the decision over whether I stayed or left."

Hearts led the table for 250 days before being usurped by Celtic on the final day of the campaign as the Hoops won a 14th title in 15 years.

To rub salt into Hearts' wounds, they were aggrieved at a number of controversial refereeing decisions that went against them in the final week of the season.

"I think there was a real injustice and a grievance towards the end of the season, we felt we should have won the title," added McInnes.

"I wanted to be a manager who won a title outside the Old Firm (Celtic and Rangers). But for a few contentious decisions going against us, I think we would have won it."

After a slow start, McInnes has turned Rangers around with a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

D.Ricci--INP