Hearts star Michael Smith has demanded a challenge for the European spots when they make their return to the Premiership next season.
The Northern Irishman has been one of the few Hearts players who have come through the Championship season with pass marks and he's now desperate to get back to action in the top flight.
New players are likely to join Robbie Neilson's men over the summer months and Smith hopes they can add a real intensity to the squad.
Hearts might have comfortably won the Championship but fans have been frustrated with performances, as well as the Scottish Cup defeat to Brora Rangers.
But Smith is determined to make up for that and believes the Tynecastle outfit must hit the ground running and challenge for the top six, and then the top four.
He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “We have to start strong next season. The players we bring in will hopefully help us to firstly push for the top six, but this club should definitely be top four.
“It's a good feeling but we were expected to win the league. Everybody wanted to beat us, we were everybody's cup final, but we got there in the end. We had some good days and bad days but we are looking forward to next season now.”
