Hearts defender Toby Sibbick has noticed a major difference in the Tynecastle togetherness since returning to Gorgie.
Sibbick spent several months on loan at Hearts under Daniel Stendel before the pandemic forced a suspension of football in March 2020.
Hearts were soon relegated after being bottom of the table when Covid-19 struck, but Sibbick returned to a much different club in January this year.
Robbie Neilson’s men have already secured third spot in their first season back in the cinch Premiership and reached the Scottish Cup final with victory over Hibernian last weekend.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Premiership clash against Dundee United at Tannadice, Sibbick said: “There are no friendship groups, everyone mixes in together. At previous teams there have been friendship groups and not everyone interacts with each other.
“A lot has changed. A couple of years ago, I don’t know if there were too many egos, but I don’t think everyone was together.
“A lot of faces have gone out and a lot have come in and I do feel the dressing room is a lot more united than it was a couple of years ago
“I have been in those relegation fights for almost my whole career apart from one season and it’s obviously tough, especially if you go 1-0 down, it’s almost a psychological thing that you are going to lose the game and it’s hard to get back into it.
“That’s probably how it was last time and when you’re down there it’s easy to blame everyone else, apart from yourself.
“It’s a much better place now to be.”
Hearts can go no higher or lower than third, but Sibbick is determined to finish the league campaign on a high so they are fully ready to face Rangers at Hampden on May 21.
“It’s important because if we get complacent you can go into a final and almost get battered,” the 22-year-old said.
“We have spoken about it and we don’t want to get complacent, we want to win the games we have left and get as many points as we can.
“Everyone wants to be in the starting XI for the final and we will all be working hard to get in it.”
