All Change at Tynecastle

Ann Budge took over as Hearts Chief Executive and Chairperson on Monday and immediately began implementing the changes she believes are required to take the club back to the top of Scottish football. Head Coach Gary Locke, Assistant Billy Brown and Goalkeeping Coach Alan Combe were all advised they weren't having their contracts renewed while senior players Ryan Stevenson, Jamie Hamill, Jamie MacDonald , Dylan McGowan and Callum Tapping, along with reserve goalkeeper Mark Ridgers, were also told their services would no longer be required at Tynecastle.

Budge has appointed former Hearts and Scotland manager Craig Levein as Director of Football while Youth Team Coach Robbie Neilson has been promoted to First Team Coach.  John Murray will also return to his previous role of Chief Scout.

Ann Budge released the following statement which appeared on the official Hearts website www.heartsfc.co.uk

It was clear from my earliest visits to Tynecastle and my earliest meetings with senior staff that the company, Heart of Midlothian plc, was, in every sense of the word, "broken".
There was no overarching strategy for how the business should be run. For far too long, there had been no clear leadership. This coupled with the sole focus on day to day survival had left the club in a sorry and perilous financial state. This led to a fundamental disconnect between the various departments and a mountain of issues to be resolved. Add to this, the under-investment in various parts of the business and the current financial position, and we have a "broken" Hearts. We must all realise that there is no quick fix for these problems.

One thing is very clear. We have come far too close to losing our very existence and we must never allow this to happen again. We must grasp this opportunity to start afresh; to put in place solid foundations that will ensure we never again risk our 140 years of history. 

We must make changes. We must stop thinking short-term. We must put in place a 3-5-year plan that will see our commercial activities totally re-vamped, such that they once again provide a solid financial under-pinning to our football club; and we must also completely revitalise and re-focus the football side of our club. We have some excellent young players, who have done us proud in the last season. We owe it to them to create an environment that will help them to continue to flourish and develop. This will take time, patience and the continued loyal support of Hearts' dedicated fan base. We will implement strategies to grow and strengthen the club. We will live within in our means to ensure that the future of the club is never again put in jeopardy.

We must ensure we have a clear footballing strategy that drives every aspect of our game; everything from who we recruit into our club, from youth academy through to first team players; how we approach coaching, at all age groups and all levels; how we undertake training… and indeed, what kind of football we play at Hearts.

There must be a totally cohesive plan that ties all aspects of our club together. Everyone must be pulling in the same direction.

Next season cannot simply be about getting back up into the SPFL. Of course, we will be striving for that, but we must take a longer-term view and build for the future. One of the key objectives of the new Board is to put in place a Coaching Education Programme that is second to none in Scottish football. Only by doing so, can we realistically attain the continual year-on-year improvement we are striving for and that will add to the value of the players and the club alike, and help to secure our future.

This means change on a fairly major scale. Not everyone will agree with all the changes being put in place, but we must address the issues at hand with our heads and not our hearts. We have made these tough decisions after much deliberation and much discussion. All we ask is that you give the new management team time and we will show we can deliver.

What are the changes?

We must put in place, first and foremost strong leadership. We need new skills, strategic thinking, and strong commercial and footballing management.

Board Level Changes

A new Board of Directors is being put in place over the next few days
• Ann Budge: Chairman/CEO
• Robert Wilson: Deputy CEO/Director of Strategic Planning
• Eric Hogg: Operations Director
• Craig Levein: Director of Football
• Ian Murray (Chair of FOH): Foundation of Hearts Representative
The Board will be expanded over time to include another non-executive Director, with a strong financial background, and a second FOH Director, to further represent the fans.

Operational Management Changes

Both Eric Hogg and myself will assume a very hands-on role in the day-to-day running of the club, supported by the existing management team.

I am delighted to say that the Operational Management Team will be expanded to include a new Head of Commercial. Ann Park will be joining the team with immediate effect. We have worked together over many years and I know she will bring lots of fresh ideas and strong sales and marketing leadership to the commercial team.

Footballing Management Changes

We know it may be an unpopular decision with some of you, but the Board has decided that we cannot offer Gary Locke a new contract as Manager, at the end of his current contract. Please believe me when I say this has been an enormously difficult decision to make. We all know the pressures that Gary and his assistant, Billy Brown, have worked under over the last year. They were set an almost impossible task, which they handled with dignity and determination. For that, we are all hugely grateful to both of them. The players and backroom/support staff at Riccarton will be sorry indeed to see them go…as, I know, will a very large section of the Hearts support. They will both leave with our very grateful thanks and best wishes.

Craig Levein will join the club with immediate effect and will assume total responsibility for everything to do with the playing side of the business. He will be responsible for putting in place an end-to-end strategy for how we are going to implement a youth-driven playing policy within the club.
John Murray will return to his former role as a chief scout. In the short-term, he will also assist with running the Academy, while we identify who should head this up. For the last year, John has taken on a wide sphere of responsibilities in support of the club he loves and for that we owe him a vote of thanks. We are pleased to be able to offer him the opportunity to go back to what he loves best; namely identifying new, young talent.

These decisions have been driven by everything that has been said about needing a long-term strategy, built over a 3-5-year planning horizon. For those reasons, the new Board believes that we need to bring in someone with Craig's experience to guide that vision. With such a strong Director of Football on board, we feel we have to spend our limited resources on strengthening and building the Coaching side of the business, rather than having a 1st team manager. Robbie Neilson will take over as Head Coach for the 1st team and we will bring in a strong support team to work with Robbie in terms of an Assistant Coach and U20s Coach.

Over the next few days, a number of other changes will be announced as we start the process of rebuilding our great Club. We will have to say good-bye to a number of the fans' current favourites; we will do our best to secure all our excellent young players; and we will welcome a group of new players, who will help us achieve our vision.

A number of the decisions we make over the next few days and weeks will be driven by finance. We have to ensure we live within our means. All of the decisions have been taken with a view to ensuring the future stability of our club.

End of statement

Some of Budge's decisions were clearly unpopular with a section of the Hearts support, in particular the decision not to retain the services of Gary Locke. However, it is clear strategic decisions regarding the long-term future of the club had to be made. Locke will always be remembered as a dyed-in-the-wool Hearts supporter who served the club he has supported since childhood with hard work, passion and integrity.

It's time for everyone associated with Hearts - supporters and players alike - to look ahead. Today's changes are the first steps to ensuring a brighter future for Heart of Midlothian FC.

St. Mirren 1 Heart of Midlothian 1

SPFL Premiership, Saturday 10 May 2014 – New St. Mirren Park

A season which began with much doom and gloom thanks to a 15 point deduction and signing embargo, ended on a high for Heart of Midlothian. Hot on the heels of the news that the club has finally exited administration, Hearts grabbed a well-deserved draw against St. Mirren on Saturday.

More than 2,400 Hearts supporters headed for Paisley which was yet another incredible turnout given the game meant nothing in terms of league status. But it was another demonstration of the passion of the Hearts support.

Manager Gary Locke – whose position at Tynecastle is due for discussion with the club’s new owner, Anne Budge, this week – made three changes from the side that lost to Partick Thistle in midweek. Goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald was restored between the sticks while Jamie Walker and David Smith also made Hearts starting line-up.

As they did against Thistle, Hearts began the game on the offensive with Jamie Walker having a couple of early efforts. However, despite being on top, Hearts found themselves a goal behind just before the half-hour mark. McLean’s shot on goal was blocked by Jamie MacDonald but the ball fell to Newton who slotted the rebound home to give the Buddies a scarcely deserved lead.

A former Aberdeen player, Wylde then combined with a current Aberdeen player - Magennis who is on loan to St. Mirren – with the latter heading wide. McLean then hit a free-kick from 25 yards which produced a superb save from Jamie MacDonald and prevented the visitors from going two goals behind. Despite a bright opening, Hearts were somewhat relieved to be only 1-0 down at half-time. The travelling support, though, seemed to have their minds elsewhere with an eruption of noise emanating from the away end with news of Hibernian’s demise at Easter Road.

Gary Locke may well have had a word or two to say at the break because the Maroons came out for the second half in determined fashion. From a St. Mirren corner, Hearts broke forward with a pace that had the home defenders struggling. Sam Nicholson fed Jamie Walker whose shot on goal looked a winner until Saints keeper Dilo produced a superb save. However, the ball broke to the in-rushing Dale Carrick who kept up his impressive scoring rate of late and parity was restored.

Magennis and McGowan had chances to win the game for the home side but both opportunities were spurned. Hearts also had chances. Fine play from Kevin McHattie set up substitute Gary Oliver but the young striker’s effort went wide. Then Callum Paterson;s header was superbly saved by Dilo. The game ended 1-1 and Hearts time in the SPFL Premiership officially came to an end.

The magnificent Hearts support gave their team a standing ovation at the end of the game. Hope has returned to Hearts and the Maroon Army. With a young team that has markedly improved since the start of the season – they would have consigned Hibernian to automatic relegation but for the 15 point penalty imposed last summer – the start of the new season in the Championship can’t come soon enough.   

St Mirren: Dilo, McLean, McAusland, Newton, Kelly, Naismith, McGregor, Teale, Magennis, Goodwin, Wylde.

Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, McGowan, Wilson, McHattie; D. Smith, Robinson, Holt, Nicholson; Walker, Carrick.

Referee: Stephen Finnie

Att: 6,311

Top man: Dale Carrick

Anne Budge Takes Over at Hearts

The day Hearts supporters have been dreaming of for almost a year finally arrived today when Hearts exited administration. Anne Budge will take over as Chairperson on Monday and today she delivered this message to the Hearts supporters on the club’s official website.

 
"I am truly delighted to be able to confirm that I am now the proud majority shareholder in Hearts Football Club. It has been a long hard struggle to get to this point but together we have achieved our goal.

"The next few months - even years - won't be easy as we work hard to rebuild our Club. However, let's not think about that today...let's just enjoy! I have absolutely no doubt that together we will succeed.

"Thanks must go to everyone involved in helping us reach this milestone. Not only to those you all know about, but also to the teams of professional advisors who have helped us get this deal over the line...some of whom didn't get to bed at all last night! I personally owe them a huge debt of thanks as indeed do all Hearts supporters.

"As the days and weeks unfold we will, of course, share our plans for the future. However, as you will all know, we are now into the process of making a formal offer for the remaining shares in the club and while that process is in train, there are some restrictions on how much we can say publicly. So...no press conferences yet, I'm afraid. However, in the meantime, enjoy the moment. This is a great day in the history of our Club."

Ian Murray MP, Chair of the Foundation of Hearts, said:

"We are absolutely delighted as we thought this day would never come. We are only here due to the fantastic efforts of the supporters - without them this would not have been possible.

"We have had to be patient but now that the deal is officially done, the club can move out of Administration with a new dawn.

"The Foundation would like to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to get this over the line - BDO, and especially Bryan Jackson, everyone at the Lithuanian side, the Club, Ann Budge and her team and, of course, the fans. The Hearts family has come together during its darkest hour to ensure that our Hearts are still beating. Everyone should be very proud of themselves tonight in the knowledge that they have played their part in creating history for generation of Hearts supporters to come."

Heart of Midlothian 2 Ross County 0

SPFL, Saturday 19 April 2014 – Tynecastle

It seemed like the dawning of a new era at Tynecastle on Saturday. The news during the week that Hearts look very likely to exit administration before too long – a situation they have been in since June last year – enabling Ann Budge to take over the running of the club before passing it over in years to come to the Foundation of Hearts, the supporters group, has instilled a fresh spirit of hope and anticipation in Gorgie. Yet again, the Hearts supporters turned up in their numbers – nearly 13,700 to see a team already relegated – and they chanted their support for their club incessantly, declaring they will do this forever more. Even the weather joined in the new beginning for the club as bright sunshine beamed on Tynecastle Stadium as the feel-good factor made a rare visit.

As befitting such an occasion, the Hearts players ensured the result the home support wanted by recording their third win in four league games against a Ross County side themselves embroiled in a relegation battle, with the eleventh placed side in the SPFL Premiership faced with a dreaded relegation play-off against a Championship promotion hopeful. It’s a situation Hearts city rivals also find themselves in and when legendary stadium announcer Scott Wilson announced that Hibernian were a goal down in Paisley before Hearts had even kicked off, it brought predicable loud acclaim from those in maroon.

Hearts manager Gary Locke, whose name was chanted by the home support, opted to have Dale Carrick playing the lone attacker with Ryan Stevenson playing just behind the youngster. It was Stevenson who had the game’s first real chance after six minutes when his effort from the edge of the County penalty box curled past the post.

Fine play from Carrick and another impressive youngster, Billy King, saw the latter have an opportunity to open the scoring. With this reporter having the Queen’s Shilling on King to be first scorer, I tried manfully to contain my disappointment when the youngster opted to pass to Stevenson rather than shoot for glory and the chance was lost.

The visitors enjoyed much possession but did little to threaten Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald. The next chance fell to Hearts Ryan Stevenson but his effort from some distance flew wide, in keeping with the pattern of the first half. Half-time arrived with the game goalless but there was some cheer for the home support at the interval when Tynecastle legend Rudi Skacel appeared to make the half-time draw. Hearts fans still retain hope the great man will line up for Hearts in the Championship next season.

The second half soon adopted the pattern of the first. Carey soon had an opportunity for the visitors but his effort on goal ended in the Roseburn Stand much to the chagrin of those from Dingwall. On the hour mark, Hearts Sam Nicholson played a one-two with Billy King on the edge of the County penalty box but young Sam’s effort was easily saved by the County keeper, Brown, who was the Hibernian goalkeeper who shipped five goals in the 2012 Scottish Cup final, a fact the goading home support were keen to remind him.

Moments later, a goal did arrive in somewhat controversial circumstances. Hearts Kevin McHattie set off on a trademark run into the opposition penalty box only to be thwarted by County’s Kiss. Penalty declared referee Willie Collum who, it has to be said, didn’t enjoy the best of afternoons. The award seemed of the softish variety and the County players voiced their displeasure. Hearts Jamie Hamill, who had been booked a few moments earlier, stepped up and executed the penalty with his customary precision and Hearts were ahead. However, Hamill celebrated by picking up the ball and running towards the Hearts support in the old main stand, pursued by the referee and a posse of County players - one of whom, Songo’o, pushed the Hearts man. When County manager Derek Adams tried to intervene, he and Hamill clashed with the Staggies boss tumbling to the ground. Referee Collum then flashed a second yellow card to Hamill meaning the end of the game for the Hearts player – and also meaning he will miss next week’s Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

A man short, Hearts were now on the defensive but it was Scott Robinson who had a chance to clinch victory; however, he opted to shoot straight at keeper Brown to ensure County remained in the game. Nonetheless, Hearts sealed a fine win in the fourth minute of stoppage time when they broke forward from a County attack. Robinson squared the ball for Dale Carrick and the youngster duly despatched the ball beyond Brown to end the scoring and continue a curious penchant for late goals in this fixture.

Hearts, it seems, have found form at a point in the season when it is too late to rectify their league position. Remarkably, victory at Easter Road next Sunday will mean Hearts will have won more league games than Hibernian this season – and also increase the prospect of both Edinburgh sides being relegated this season.

As the Hearts supporters streamed out of Tynecastle on Saturday, the spring sunshine beaming on their backs, the old adage of hope springs eternal sprang to mind. Hearts have been a sick patient this season. As it draws to a close, Ann Budge and the Foundation of Hearts resuscitation of this great club appears to be sparking a much-hoped for recovery. Perhaps next season Hearts will be fighting fit once more.

Hearts: MacDonald; Paterson, McGowan, McKay, McHattie; King, Hamill, Holt, Nicholson, Stevenson, Carrick.

Ross County: Brown, Cikos, Boyd, Kiss, Brittain, Quinn, Tidser, Carey, Slew, Oikonomu, Sango'o.

Referee: Willie Collum

Att: 13,692

Top man: Dale Carrick

Hearts Back From the Brink

The news all Hearts supporters have been hoping for came tantalising closer on Wednesday with the news then Edinburgh’s most successful football club moved a step closer to coming out of administration after creditors of the now defunct Lithuanian bank Ukio Bankas approved the sale of shares in the club.

Ukio Bankas is Hearts' biggest creditor and owns 29% of the club's shares as well as security over Tynecastle Stadium, Hearts home for the past 128 years. However, these shares will now be sold following agreement at a meeting of the bank's creditors committee in Lithuania on Wednesday.

Ian Murray MP, who has fronted the Foundation of Hearts, the fans group who hope eventually to run Hearts said: "Ukio Bankas creditors met this morning and approved the deal. Sale and purchase agreement needs completed, but we can say deal done. It is absolutely fantastic news.”

Following on from the agreement last week with the bank's parent company, UBIG, to buy the investment company's 50% holding in Hearts, it seems almost certain Hearts will exit administration in a matter of weeks thus enabling businesswoman Ann Budge to complete a £2.5m takeover of Hearts before transferring ownership to the Foundation of Hearts within five years.

Budge gave a brief statement to the media following the announcement.

"This is the beginning of a new era for Heart of Midlothian Football Club," she said. "I would personally like to express my gratitude to the fans for their support and I am confident that together we can rebuild Hearts to once again become one of the greatest clubs in the country.

"I'm very much looking forward to the beginning of this new chapter in the club's history. We're not across the line just yet but this is a very positive step and we are almost there. The fans have been magnificent throughout but I would urge them to keep backing the team in their numbers during the last few games to ensure we get to the end of the season.

"The end is now in sight and together I am confident we can achieve our target."

Hearts can now begin exiting administration after 27 April - following a 20-day ‘cooling-off’ period for the UBIG share deal. Administrator Bryan Jackson said: "This is one of the final hurdles in the transfer of ownership of the club. I would like to thank the creditors of both UBIG and Ukio Bankas for agreeing to this deal and also the patience and forbearing of Ann Budge and the Foundation of Hearts.

"There is still some work to be done to conclude proceedings, but we are now very close to a successful conclusion."

 

Budge Up For Saving Hearts

The times are most certainly a-changing at Tynecastle. For the best part of a decade, Hearts supporters have often cringed with embarrassment when a press release from erstwhile club owner Vladimir Romanov hit the headlines – usually for all the wrong reasons.

Romanov, of course, has long since departed but the financial catastrophe he left behind caused Hearts to enter administration last summer. Now, nearly nine months later, the Foundation of Hearts group is poised to take over Edinburgh’s oldest football club with the club’s loyal supporters contributing towards its financial salvation.

Hearts executive chairwoman designate Ann Budge - the sole director of BIDCO 1874, the company that is poised to complete a deal worth £2.5m with the club’s administrator BDO - has this week communicated with those supporters to urge them to continue to pledge their help to realise fan ownership of the club. Here is the content of her email to those fans:

“It has been a very busy few days since we announced some of the plans for trying to secure the long-term future of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.  

Hopefully, the statement made last week has provided some degree of clarity, albeit we recognise the need to provide more details. Please be assured we will furnish more information as soon as we are in a position to do so.   

We all know the task ahead. Firstly, to ensure the Club survives; secondly to ensure it is re-stabilised financially, with the strongest possible foundations to ensure its future. These are the tasks I am offering to take on; but I will not succeed without your continued support.  

My task, as I see it, is to ensure that when I hand the Club over to you, the supporters, I will be handing over a Club in good shape and with sufficient resources to face the challenges of the future. To achieve this the Club needs investment over the next two years to stabilise and then build a solid financial base.  

Some of you are asking how long you might be asked to contribute. Right now, the Club needs your financial support to see us through the next two years. Thereafter your contributions are required to secure supporter ownership. 

Beyond that, and once ownership passes to the fans, it will be for you, the supporters, to agree the financial priorities of your Club. 

To all the supporters who are helping the Club, either by attending games, contributing to the Foundation of Hearts, buying merchandise, fund raising - the list goes on - I thank you.  

It has been said many times over the last few months, but it is absolutely true that without this support we would not be here today. 

To those of you who have already pledged, I thank you.

To those of you who have not yet done so, I would simply say that if you believe in the journey we are about to undertake, and only if your financial position allows it, please consider joining your nearly 8,000 fellow supporters, who are contributing.  

These supporters have started to build the cash reserves to enable fans ownership to become a reality, which will ultimately put an end to private ownership of our club. 

I will do my part to the best of my ability.   

Thank you, in advance, for continuing to do yours.”

 

BDO recently agreed a deal with BIDCO 1874 for the purchase of the shares from the club's majority shareholder UBIG, the bankrupt Lithuanian institution which holds a 78.97% stake. This deal needs to be ratified at a UBIG creditors' meeting, scheduled for late March, after which it is envisaged Hearts can come out of administration.

After a prolonged spell of considerable turmoil, it’s heartening to read the Budge’s words. No mention of corruption or media monkeys as was the way of Romanov. Instead, words that offer considerable hope for the future of an Edinburgh and, indeed, Scottish football institution.

Thanks to the generosity of the Hearts support and the vision of Ann Budge, credibility is back on the agenda at Tynecastle.