Ryan Stevenson insists Hearts should be fired up for reclaiming top spot in Edinburgh after watching Hibs flop in the Betfred Cup Final.
The former Hearts hero believes the semi-finals at Hampden will have had players and fans licking their lips at the prospect of next season if they can bounce straight back up.
Add in the Scottish Cup semi-final win over Hibs and taking Celtic to penalties in the final and Stevenson is confident Hearts can put themselves in a good position next season.
Robbie Neilson's men are top of the Championship and although they suffered defeat to Raith Rovers on Saturday, it's expected that they will go on and clinch the title.
And Stevenson hopes they can get back challenging Aberdeen to be best of the rest and competing for trophies every year.
In his Daily Record column, he wrote: "Hearts would have watched the Betfred Cup semi-finals and taken out two massive incentives.
"Firstly, they should see they can go right back into the higher echelons of top-flight and challenge for honours
"Secondly, they can also believe they can get back above Hibs to being top dogs in Edinburgh whilst setting their sights on taking Aberdeen’s recent mantle of being the closest challengers to the Old Firm.
"Looking at the two Betfred semi-finals at Hampden, tying them together with the Scottish Cup Final defeat to Celtic in December and adding their own semi-final victory over Hibs, that’s the proof trophies are there to be won.
"It’s certainly a good bit of banter when you see Hibs getting beaten. I was on my social media platform and you see all the Hearts fans jumping onto the bandwagon as soon as it happened.
"Listen, I played for St Johnstone and they are a right good club. I have many friends there and my head is completely with Hearts anyway.
"So, also considering the stick I get from Hibs fans, I was quite glad when I saw wee Craig Conway, who is a good friend of mine in any case, score as well to make sure St Johnstone went through.
"Livingston are also into the Final deservedly after a great run of form, but seeing those two are contesting the showpiece occasion next month only confirms that Hearts can get back up there and be doing it regularly with the size of the club.
"It just shows you. Hibs were favourites to win the Betfred while Hearts are in the Championship and didn’t.
"They were favourites to win the Scottish Cup semi against Hearts and didn’t. It flips so quickly.
"Edinburgh has been a bit of a yo-yo in recent years. Both teams have had spells out of the top flight and, although I’m talking about taking a bit of stick off Hibs supporters and not crying that they lost at Hampden, I would genuinely like to see them both up there battling in the Premiership for the sake of Scottish football. I mean that.
"There’s nothing better than derbies and both of them going at each other while flying. That’s what we need.
"To be fair to Jack Ross, he’s doing a good job in the main, even though the weekend was a big disappointment for Hibs.
"We want them both pushing, although, obviously, with Hearts getting the better of the argument and winning the games."
