Hearts supporters invited to play role in club’s future

By BARRY ANDERSON
Published on 25/10/2012 12:00

HEARTS supporters are being invited to drive the club’s future by taking part in a new fund-raising exercise which the club hope will raise over £1million.

The Evening News has learned that fans will have the opportunity to become involved in how Hearts are run and will have “a critical role to play in the direction the club takes in the near future”.

Full details of the plan will be contained in a brochure to be handed out to every supporter attending Saturday’s SPL match with Ross County at Tynecastle. The booklet will outline the direction the board wants to take the club, which will include greater fan involvement and investment.

The plan is designed to support the 
efforts of the board in protecting the club against current economic 
difficulties, which yesterday saw them banned from signing players for the next two months as the Scottish Premier League punished them for late payment of wages.

Hearts are determined to ensure money troubles quickly become a thing of the past and have devised their new plan to generate a seven-figure sum. Funding from parent company Ukio Bankas Investment Group has stopped, therefore fans will now get the chance to have their input into the future.

A spokesperson at Hearts said: “We will be revealing full details to supporters at this weekend’s game against Ross County and they will have a very important part to play in the future direction of the club. We are hopeful that when we reveal details they will be supportive of the initiative being launched.”

Hearts officials are keen to see a big crowd this weekend to ensure details of the new initiative reach as many supporters as possible. The plan is heavily supported by the club’s Lithuanian hierarchy, with majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov also considering visiting Edinburgh for the match.