The 2019-20 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak and controversy for Heart of Midlothian as The Jam Tarts finished a devastating 12th in the Scottish Premiership. The season was prematurely curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a highly contested relegation on a points-per-game basis, despite the club reaching both the Scottish Cup Final and the League Cup Semi-finals. Leading the league scoring were Steven Naismith and Sean Clare, each netting 4 goals, in a turbulent campaign defined by multiple managerial changes and a desperate but unsuccessful legal battle against the club's painful drop from the top flight.