Heart of Midlothian F.C. Reserves and Academy

Reserve team

Heart of Midlothian's reserve side competes as the second team for the club. It joined the Scottish Premier Reserve League when that competition was established for the 1998–99 season. Initially an under-21 league, it shifted to an open-age format in 2004–05. The Reserve League was scrapped after the 2009–10 campaign because of financial difficulties and insufficient backing from other teams.

During that era, Hearts Reserves played home fixtures at Forthbank Stadium, the ground of Stirling Albion. The squad was made up largely of under-19 players and those close to the first team, with occasional appearances from senior players recovering from injury. Gary Locke served as the reserves' head coach at that time. In July 2018, reserve leagues were brought back to replace the development leagues that had operated since 2009.

The new SPFL Reserve League had an 18-club top division and a nine-club second tier. No age limits applied beyond a minimum of 16 years old. After the first season in 2018–19, several clubs announced they would leave the Reserve League in favor of arranging challenge matches, but Hearts chose to stay in the competition.

Under-20 Team & development squad

Heart of Midlothian's reserve side plays in the SPFL Development League, which was formerly called the Scottish Premier Under 20s League. The club's academy was granted 'elite' status in 2017 as part of Project Brave, a Scottish FA scheme that aimed to focus young talent development at fewer clubs with superior facilities and coaching. The under-20s train at Riccarton on the Heriot-Watt University campus and host their matches at Ochilview Park in Stenhousemuir.