New signing Malachi Fagan-Walcott says he already can’t wait to walk out in front of a packed Tynecastle Park next season, having joined the Jambos from York City.
The versatile defender has already seen Tynecastle up close, having spent the Covid Championship season with Dundee, but won’t have long to wait to enjoy the full Gorgie experience, admitting it’s the thing he’s looking forward to the most.
“I'm most excited to walk out here, he told Hearts TV.
“We got about seven or eight thousand fans at York, and they were loud and it was a good environment. So, I can't wait to see what it feels like being the home team here and experiencing it. We've been working on the deal for some time, but it feels good to actually get up here, see everything and actually get it done.
“I had a conversation with my agent, and he said that Hearts were interested. I heard that they had European football and I'd played here [at Tynecastle] once before in the Championship and they easily cleaned the league up.
“I put all these factors together, it’s a club that's ambitious, that wants to go to another level and it kind of goes hand in hand with me. I want to go to another level, so if we can help each other, why not?”
Some friendly advice had Malachi on his way to Hearts as he explained conversations with former Jambos and thanked his former teammates and colleagues at York City for a memorable title-winning season last year, while adding a flavour of what Hearts fans can expect to see from him in a maroon shirt.
“I spoke to Daniel Oyegoke and Malachi Boateng. They had nothing but good words to say, an unbelievable club, if you get the opportunity, go there, the place is unbelievable and Edinburgh is unbelievable. They just added fuel to the fire to make me want to come here.
“I like to play at my tempo. I don't like to get too involved in what's going on outside. I like to just play at my tempo, I’m a ball playing centre-half, but I can get a bit nasty and I can do the other side of it. I love scoring goals too.
“I think when you go to different clubs, you just take little bits and bobs from them all. I feel like coming here, is just going to be another place that's going to help me elevate.
“I feel like having that base from Tottenham, Cardiff, even the Dunfermline, Dundee and York, they all played a big part in different sides and different aspects of the game that have made me who I am today.
“It was a pretty special season, a special group [at York}. We just came out every game, and no one could beat us.
“That's the mindset we had as a group and we went on to win a league. It was an unbelievable season and credit to everyone at York, the owners, the players, all the staff. They helped me through my time there, my two years there. So, I've got nothing but love for the club and love for the people there.”
The 24-year-old is hoping to take that momentum into the new season, penning a deal at Tynecastle until the summer of 2030.
“It's always about developing. Developing as a player and a person”, he continued.
“I come here with high hopes for myself and high hopes of the club. And we just grab each other by both hands and take each other along the way.
“My goal for the season is just to develop, finish as high as possible in the league, go and do what I need to do to help my teammates and help the club have the best season they possibly can.”
“I feel like I've been off for quite a while now, since the 25th of April. I need to go back and get playing and to meet new people, I just can't wait to get going.”
You can watch Malachi’s interview in full on Hearts TV and YouTube.
