How Sir Alex Ferguson is helping ex-West Brom captain in quest for Scottish football history

One of Derek McInnes’ biggest achievements as a player was leading West Brom to the Premier League back in 2002.

It went alongside the Scottish midfielder’s two domestic trophies he won in Scotland as a player with Rangers, before he went on to move to France and then Albion.

As a manager, his CV is an impressive one, certainly north of the border.

The former tough tackling midfielder, who has been linked with the Baggies job on numerous occasions has won domestic trophies with St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock.

He has previously revealed to the Baggies Broadcast how he applied for the job and was keen on a move to Albion - but nothing materialised.

His foray down into English football with Bristol City wasn’t his most successful period - but the ex-Albion hero is now on the cusp of pulling off what will go down as the greatest moment in his managerial career.

And it would be a seismic achievement in Scottish football, something that has not happened since the 1980s.

McInnes’ Hearts’ side are a point ahead of Celtic with two games of the campaign remaining - and face the Old Firm side in what could be a final day showdown.

A victory for Hearts would mean they pick up their first title since the 1960s and it would see McInnes follow in the footsteps of the greatest manager British football has ever seen.

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson was the last manager to break the Rangers and Celtic stranglehold on the title in 1984/85.

And McInnes has revealed how the 84-year-old has been in regular contact with him in a bid to aid the ex-Albion man in his quest to make history.

He said: “Every conversation I have with him, I feel privileged.

"He knows my players, he's well aware of who's who, and some of them can't get their heads around that when I tell them!

"I mentioned Cammy Devlin to Sir Alex the other day and he said we missed him when he was out injured. So I told that to Cammy.

“The wee man said, 'he never said that.' I told him he did, and then I said, 'he says you need to pass forward more, you need to switch the play more and you need to shoot more.'

“He actually didn't say that, but now Cammy thinks he did!"

Hearts face Falkirk on Wednesday evening and if they win and Celtic are beaten at Motherwell then the title is heading to Tynecastle.