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JAMBOS BLAZING

Maybe the only unexpected aspect of Heart of Midlothian's victory over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership was the extent to which taken aback people appeared when news of the result and its consequences for the top of the standings emerged. Although this convincing victory at Tynecastle, which puts the Edinburgh side top of the league and a significant margin ahead of their rivals, was earth-shattering in nature, nobody who has been following the fortunes of both team this campaign will have been in the least astonished by the final score.

Over the past 40 seasons, the Glasgow duopoly of Celtic and Rangers have carved up the Scottish league between them, reducing the beautiful game to something of a joke in the meantime. Nine games into the present season it has become apparent that Heart of Midlothian – who count celebrated snooker player, Sir Chris Hoy and Ken Stott among their celebrity fans – might just be prepared to strike while the Old Firm iron is at its weakest.

THE CHAMPIONS' SLUMP

Although a lot of the focus in the Scottish game has been on the absolute bin-fire being suffered by Rangers, the complete turmoil of the situation at Ibrox has meant that the title holders' slightly less terminal decline has been able to fester below the radar. The reigning champions have already dropped 10 points from their opening nine league games this season under their manager. The Celtic manager has developed the thousand-yard stare of a individual who constantly consulting his Google calendar to see how many days are remaining until his contract ends, and awoke this morning to discover the number is 246.

"No one has put in more effort in all my time here," he informed the media following the defeat, after they had doubted his desire for anything resembling a title fight. "So the motivation is present to attempt to flip the standards that we're at. Everything is under control, there is plenty of time."

EDINBURGH DISRUPTOR

Given the horrific beginning to the campaign being endured by the other Glasgow side, the Celtic boss and his men could normally be expected to get away with their own inability to start strongly, but this year an capital city challenger has entered the mix. In spite of being forced to operate with a war-chest that isn't so much a tiny fraction of Celtic's as a minuscule amount in comparison, the Tynecastle outfit have introduced the money and expertise of a renowned businessman to the Scottish Premiership mix. As well as putting in ten million pounds during the summer, the Premier League figurehead has granted Hearts sole use of his top secret analytics-based Jamestown Analytics player identification system.

In an Irish defender, a Greek talent and a Brazilian prospect it has allowed them to unearth hidden talents from Walsall, the Slovak first division and the Norwegian second tier, among other lesser-known leagues, for the combined cost of a modest car. Spotted at their home venue on matchday wearing a club colours, the famously shrewd professional gambler could be observed cheering each goal with the gusto of a person who had likely noticed the oddsmakers had massively underestimated his side's chances of defeating the struggling title holders, and filled his boots accordingly.

MANAGER'S RESPONSE

"I don't think it's a statement win," said the facial-haired Hearts gaffer Derek McInnes after his side's latest success, their eighth win in nine league matches. "It might be for others on the outside looking in. It could alter opinions. It might validate opinions that there's a tightrope. But let's not kid ourselves, we're really pleased with what the lads have provided us. Technically, we look in a good place, and definitely in fitness we look in a good place, so long may that continue. Of course, it's not a position that this club is accustomed to being in." Correct, Derek, it is not. But the wonderful, data-driven truth is that for the first time in ages, the Scottish game might actually have a championship battle that a team besides the traditional powers can win.