The embarrassing Hearts stat that shows Lawrence Shankland is doing it all by himself - Ryan Stevenson

The former Tynecastle hero reckons support for the skipper is in too short supply and must improve if they are to move forward.

Lawrence Shankland has taken a bit of flak for his middle finger salute to Aberdeen fans at Pittodrie on Saturday. But I tell you what - it’s high time some of his team mates got their fingers out to help the skipper.

Take one look at Hearts’ stats this season and there’s a glaring problem. After Shankland on 12 goals the second name on the top scorers list doesn’t even exist. It’s a chap called Own Goals who’s hit the net a mighty three times. That’s nothing short of embarrassing for every forward or attacking midfielder at the club outwith the captain.

I’m talking about Jorge Grant, Yutaro Oda, Kenneth Vargas, Kyosuke Tagawa and Alan Forrest. I love wee Alan to bits and played with him at Ayr but he will be the first to admit he needs to be chipping in with more goals - even though he’s next after OG with two goals. What’s really concerning is that if someone comes in with a bid for Shankland in the January window that can’t be turned down then Hearts are in deep trouble.

If they sold their talisman with no replacement lined up then Steven Naismith would be signing his own death warrant as manager. Right now everything in between the skipper and the defence is flattering to deceive.

Not since Vargas scored against Livingston on November 1 has anyone other than Shankland or OG scored for Hearts - and it was even Shanks who forced that OG at Killie.

It’s a terrible record for a club that should be the third force in the country. In my day the attacking midfielders would have got emptied for that kind of goal return. I’m not suggesting that’s what happens but the guys in there need to give themselves a proper shake.

I remember at the start of the season the midfielder would be told we had to try and get to double figures. That was our job - to add goals from midfield. We had Rudi Skacel who would guarantee you double figures. We had others chipping in with decent tallies like David Templeton, Suso Santana and myself.

If any of us found ourselves in a scoring position then the trigger was getting pulled. No second thoughts. I’d go home from games having played well but not scored and I’d be raging. That’s what every attack minded player should be craving every week.

But I don’t think that can be the case now. I just don’t see enough desire to get on the scoresheet. Grant should be scoring 10 goals a season. So far he’s got one. He flatters to deceive. Oda has two from 14 appearances, Forrest has two from 17 appearances, Vargas has one from 19.

It’s a bonus to see Barrie McKay back fit and hopefully Liam Boyce too. If these guys and others round about them can lift their numbers in the second half of the season - and Shankland is still around - then what a chance Hearts will have of finishing third.

And by the way, I don’t blame Shankland for his gesture to the Aberdeen fans. He’s no doubt taken absolute dogs abuse off them. He’d be frustrated at the way the game’s gone.

I’d be a liar if I said I’d not have done the exact same. I sort of have .. only when I lost the head on the park and fired a two digit message it was stupidly to my own manager.

To cap it off it was the hardest b*****d boss I’ve ever had in the game - Alan Archibald at Partick Thistle. Archie started me on the bench for a big game against Inverness at Firhill. I was raging. I wanted to play, I wanted to score.

I came on with eight minutes left and hit the winner. Point proven. The frustration poured out of me and for some reason I gave the bench the vickies. I don’t know why.

It was absolutely nothing personal against the manager - it wouldn’t have mattered if it was Archie or Mourinho. Suffice to say I never so much as flicked a toe again for the Jags and was soon on my way to Ayr United. I was deemed surplus to requirements. Something that could never be said of Lawrence Shankalnd at Hearts.