Rangers manager Derek McInnes admits feeling “guilt” about leaving Hearts for Ibrox in the summer and accepts the rough reception that could come his way when he returns to Tynecastle on Wednesday.

After coming within minutes of Hearts’ first top-flight title in 66 years, only to lose out to Celtic on the last day, McInnes says he is proud of what he achieved at the “really well-run” Edinburgh club.

And he believes Hearts are “absolutely title contenders” this term under new head coach Wouter Vrancken.

But he is not expecting a warm welcome, despite handing over a squad that came so close to breaking the dominance of Celtic and his current club.

“Well, the hope would be that you get on to the pitch and clap the fans and there’s an acknowledgement both ways, but that’s not going to happen,” McInnes said.

“I totally understand it, though. I loved my time at Hearts, I need to say that. It was only a short time, but I thought my Hearts team were a breath of fresh air for Scottish football last season.

“I really enjoyed what we managed to achieve. It shows what can be done despite not having the huge financial muscle of Rangers and Celtic to compete with, and I was proud of what we did there.

“I think taking a team who finished in the bottom six and getting to 80 points, I just felt a real injustice at the end of it all. So I think I understand it’s not going to be great for me [on Wednesday], but I get it.”

Hearts led the Scottish Premiership for most of the season, only to lose 3-1 at Celtic Park as the reigning champions retained the title in the most dramatic fashion.

“At the time, at Hearts, we were hurting last season,” McInnes said. “It was almost as if we were in mourning. That seems a bit exaggerated, but that’s how it felt.

“We were all kind of clinging to each other in the first part of the close season. It’s a time when we felt we should all be sticking together. So I kind of feel the guilt that I had a decision to make, whether I stayed or whether I left.”

McInnes realises how Hearts fans felt about his exit, given he himself had a similar reaction to captain and leading scorer Lawrence Shankland having already announced he was moving to Ibrox.

“I remember how I felt then, how I felt a bit let down, a bit flat with the whole thing. For me to make a similar move a couple of weeks later, I understood that,” McInnes added.

“The treatment I get is what it is, and you could say I deserve it, but nothing will change how I felt about my time at Hearts.

“I think there was a real injustice. We felt that grievance towards the end of the season that we should have won a title.

“I wanted to be a manager that won a title outwith the Old Firm. But for a few contentious decisions going against us, I think we would have won it.”