Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson hopes signing a new contract with the club will provide the stability to entice more players to remain at Tynecastle.

Neilson penned an extension until 2018 on Friday, along with his assistant Stevie Crawford, as owner Ann Budge rewarded the coaching team for Hearts' rise to third in the Premiership just months after winning promotion.

The 35-year-old is planning towards next season already and hopes to have set an example for his players by pledging his future to the capital club.

Neilson said: "From a personal point of view it was pleasing to get tied up for another couple of years.

"Football is about stability and it is important we have that.

"We didn't have during the previous regime and Ann wants to build stability which bodes well for the coaching staff and the players.

"They want continuity and hopefully it will entice a couple of them to sign up.

"It’s a place I’m delighted to be a part of and I think there’s a lot of growth to come here.

"Hopefully we can recruit over the summer and take another step forward next [season]."

Hearts sit nine points behind second-placed Aberdeen in the Premiership table with a game in hand on the Pittodrie men.

Inverness visit Tynecastle on Tuesday night and Neilson said their sights are firmly trained on trying to overtake Derek McInnes' team between now and the end of the season.

He added: "It's going to be difficult because Aberdeen are a very good team.

"All teams in this league will lose games between now and the end of the season so it is important we try and win as many as we can.

"We have to focus on ourselves to get as high up the league as we can."