The 2017-18 campaign was a season of turbulence and triumph for Hearts as The Jam Tarts battled through a mid-season managerial change, from Ian Cathro to the return of Craig Levein, to secure a vital 6th-place finish and a coveted spot in the Scottish Premiership top six. Leading the charge was the charismatic striker Kyle Lafferty, whose 12 league goals (and 19 overall) proved crucial. The season's defining and most unforgettable highlight was an emphatic 4-0 victory over Celtic in December, a momentous win that ended the champions' historic 69-game domestic unbeaten run and remains a defining chapter of the club's modern history.