'It's our time': Hearts fan flies from Australia to witness title bid

A Hearts superfan has spent thousands of pounds on flights from Australia in the hope he will see his team win the Scottish Premiership title.

Hearts' victory against Falkirk on Wednesday night, coupled with a Celtic loss against Motherwell, would have seen the Jam Tarts win the league with a game to spare.

But with both title contenders winning, it will now come down to the final match of the season between Celtic and Hearts in Glasgow on Saturday.

If Hearts win it will be the club's first top flight title since 1960 - and the first time in more than 40 years that a team other than Celtic or Rangers has won the league.

Colin Brown, who now lives in Sydney, spent A$4,500 (£2,408) on flights to be in Edinburgh this week to see the drama unfold.

"I bought the flight tickets after the Rangers game [on Monday 4 May] but I decided to come after the Motherwell game [on Saturday 11 April] prior to the split.

"As soon as Landry Kabore put that third goal in, I turned to my wife and said 'I've got to be there'."

A season ago, Hearts finished seventh, a full 42 points behind Celtic.

After Wednesday fixtures, they are on 80 points - the biggest haul of any non-Old Firm team in Premiership history. Celtic are a point behind on 79.

If Saturday's result goes Hearts' way, they will take the title for the first time in 66 years.

"This is everything," said Colin, who is originally from Edinburgh.

"Apart from the birth of my children, this is the biggest thing. It's the one thing in your life that's constant.

"Hearts are my club and it's the one thing that will never change."

The Edinburgh team last came close to Premiership victory in 1986.

However, it slipped through their fingers after a loss against Dundee at Den's Park, and Celtic took the trophy instead.

Despite the pressure on the Gorgie boys, Colin has managed to throw off any last minute nervousness.

"I am supremely confident," he told the programme.

"We are going to do this, it's done. You've got to put the ghost of '86 behind you - we are going to win the league, it's our time."

Colin has been dedicated to the club since his first match nearly 50 years ago.

"The first game I remember going to was at Gayfield against Arbroath, 1978/79 season," he said.

"As I remember it, Donald Park scored the winner to promote Hearts from the old first division.

"Seven thousand Jambos were there - we all ended up on the pitch and I was like 'this is unbelievable'. My brother was there, my dad was there. It was phenomenal."

He plans to fly back to his new home in Sydney on Monday, but Colin says he is able to stay connected to his Edinburgh team.

"I watch Hearts TV, I watch every game and I'm right across all the social media and the Hearts Standard [podcast].

"My wife knows that when I pop my clogs, she's got to get my ashes on the pitch at Tynecastle Park. And that's genuine."

Meanwhile, Sir Andy Murray has said he and his Hibs-supporting friends are split over whether they want their closest rivals Hearts to win the league.

The two-time Wimbledon champion believes it has been good for Scottish football to have a team other than Celtic or Rangers at the top of the table.

But who will end the season as champions - Hearts or Celtic?

"I think it's going to be Celtic," Sir Andy said.