 His spell in Edinburgh encompassed the club's rise to the top of the Scottish League with a group of exciting young players he brought in, and the decimation of that team after they enlisted together to fight in World War One, with several killed and others wounded.The closest he came to silverware was in the 1919 Victory Cup where Hearts were defeated in the final by his old club St Mirren.McCartney resigned from his position in October 1919, and was succeeded as Hearts manager by his son Willie.