For many footballers, going from the No.10 to the No.27 could be viewed as some sort of demotion. A suggestion that they are not as pivotal or as important to the team as they once were.

After all, the No.10 is perhaps the most sacred number in football. Lionel Messi. Diego Maradona. Pele. Michel Platini. Francesco Totti. Juan Roman Riquelme. Paul Hartley.

For Liam Boyce, however, it is just another number. His No.10 is the No.27. A number he had been waiting a few years to get his hands on.

"I have it tattooed on me," he explained after it raised a few eyebrows during Heart of Midlothian's 2-1 loss to Leyton Orient at Tynecastle Park. "It was my first number in men's football [at Cliftonville] and anywhere I've gone and it is available I've taken it.

"When I came here Lewis Moore had it first then Connor Smith. I'm not the type of person to say, 'I want that number, you are not having it'. Last week, wee James Wilson got it but it was the first day and I said, 'Would you mind if I have it?'.

"I've been telling Baz [Barrie McKay] for two years that if he can sort me getting 27, he can have 10. But he's the same, he doesn't want to have to force people out of their number. This was the first opportunity I got to get it and it has started well so hopefully it keeps giving me good luck."

He added: "Everyone wants 7, 10 or 9 but I've not been like that. When I got 27 I was young, first time playing in men's football, scoring and stuff.

"Ten hasn't been good to me the last two years so I just thought I'd take it if I could and hopefully carry on the way I was any other time I've been wearing 27."

With the 27 on his back, Boyce found the back of the net within the first 10 minutes of Saturday's friendly. Asked if it would mean 27 goals he smiled and answered "hopefully".

The shorter-term goal is ensuring he is fit and firing for the season ahead after a disruptive two years due to injury. 

Boyce returned for the final two games of last season even if the substitute appearance against Rangers reminded him of the work he'd have to do in the off-season. It is work he faced head-on with just a week off.

Read more

“I felt really good [on Saturday[ and all pre-season," the 33-year-old said. "At the end of the season, I played against St Mirren, felt alright then came on against Rangers on the last day and it was a warm day and I felt a bit slow and off the pace. So that gave me the wee nudge that I’m not ready to play games, so over the summer I was going in.

“I only had a week off on holiday and came straight back to training and I just wanted to get fit. I obviously had the muscle injury and to get my legs ready and in a position where they can cover all that mileage because we are going to be playing a lot of games.

“I got a programme from Mikey our sports scientist and I was working with the physios. They kept an eye on me because I’d have probably ran too much and tire myself out.

“I was going in Monday, Wednesday, Friday and doing my own jog runs for recovery at the weekend, so I feel like I’m in a good position and hopefully it stays that way."

Starting pre-season with those two appearances last campaign under his belt was "massive" for Boyce. Twelve months ago he felt he was still viewed as 'injured' because he hadn't featured at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, the majority of which he missed due to a knee injury.

Appearances against St Mirren and Rangers meant he was "not on the injured list anymore". As much a mental boost as anything, allowing him to go into pre-season and attack.

Barrie McKay has taken Liam Boyce's No.10.Barrie McKay has taken Liam Boyce's No.10. (Image: SNS)

Now he wants to ensure he isn't in the same position as before where he was sitting watching from behind the dugout helpless.

"I think the muscle one was probably worse than the knee," he said. "When you do your knee you are like, 'I'm done for the season basically'. The start of it is really tough and then it's about getting back.

"When it was a muscle injury I was a bit gutted because I had never had one before. For needing an operation to fix it, it was a tough one to take. I missed so much and we played well, had a good season.

"I was just sitting watching those games and it is hard to take when you are not helping the team. If it is a bit of a sticky situation and you think you can help it's the hardest thing to watch, not being able to help your team-mates. That's what sort of drives you on. That's the only way to look at it, you need to get back to help everyone around you."

He added: "I haven't sat out of any training sessions or rested. I've been able to do it all without any worries, touch wood, that's the best thing and all I wanted."