Hearts make history as Lawrence Shankland joins Jimmy Wardhaugh and Bobby Walker in the club's record books

When Lawrence Shankland stroked Liam Boyce’s low pass into St Johnstone’s net in the dying seconds of Saturday’s opening Premiership match, he would have been unaware of the significance of his actions. The striker was literally etching his name into Hearts history books by scoring their 8,000th league goal – as verified by the club statistician, Bill Smith.

Yutaro Oda’s opener 15 minutes previously gave Hearts the advantage but the second goal became a historic moment. Shankland claimed a priceless record last season when he became the first Hearts player since John Robertson to score 20 competitive goals in a single season. He kicked off the this term with another record in front of more than 3,000 travelling supporters at McDiarmid Park.

Andy Kirk claimed Hearts’ 7,000th league goal against Rangers at Ibrox back in December 2004. Nineteen years later, Shankland’s name is now written in history with the 8,000th. He joins some luminary figures from yesteryear who have claimed milestones in maroon.

Hearts’ first ever league goal was scored by Isaac Begbie – also at Ibrox – back in 1890. The legendary Bobby Walker struck the club’s 1,000th league goal against Airdrie at Tynecastle in 1910. The 2,000th came from David Edgar against Motherwell in 1927 and Tommy Brown netted the 3,000th in Kirkcaldy against Raith Rovers in 1938.

The 4,000th belonged to another Gorgie legend, Jimmy Wardhaugh. That came in a win over Aberdeen at Tynecastle in 1953. Danny Ferguson scored the 5,000th against Morton in 1965 and Jimmy Bone made it 6,000 against Dundee United at Tannadice in 1984.