9am Briefing: Hearts debt close to £35m

HEARTS have revealed their debt rose to just under £35million for the year ending 31 July 2009 – an increase of £5million from the previous 12 months.

Savings of over 3million were achieved across the business including 31 per cent operational cost savings of 1.94million, a 7 per cent reduction in employment costs of 842,000 and a 19 per cent saving of 421,000 on finance costs.

That meant operating losses were restricted to 8.6million compared to the previous year's 11.2million.

Hearts also reported a net gain on player sales with the 1.81million principally due to the transfer of Christophe Berra to Wolves.

A club statement read: "The transaction was the highest value transfer for any player from a Scottish club in the January '09 transfer window and once again demonstrates the value of Hearts' player development system.

"The club reasserts its view that the development of young players through the Heart of Midlothian Football Academy will continue to underpin the future growth of the club's onfield ambitions."

The statement continued: "The board remains focused on improving revenues, increasing efficiencies and reducing costs across the business.

"The club's employment costs will continue to reduce significantly in seasons 2009-10 and 2010-11 as a number of players reach the natural end of their contracts.

"This will in turn assist the club in bringing the budget for playing staff closer to market standards without compromising on quality.

"Indeed, through its new football management team, the aim remains to improve the quality of the squad and predicted conditions in player markets are expected to help boost the availability of quality players."

The club also confirmed the extension of a shirt sponsorship agreement with existing sponsors Ukio Bankas.

Nish apologises

COLIN NISH has apologised to Hibs fans after hitting out at them in the wake of the Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts.

The Hibs striker was unhappy with criticism aimed at boss John Hughes by the club's supporters and, speaking in newspapers at the weekend, he had said: "Probably only about five per cent of them know what they are talking about anyway.

"The rest of them just go to moan at people. So it doesn't surprise me. If we were winning games they'd get bored that we were winning."

However, Nish says he now regrets those comments and has issued an apology.

Speaking on the club's official website, www.hibernianfc.co.uk, Nish said: "As a lifelong supporter of the club, the team's recent results have been disappointing for me – as they have been for all supporters – and that frustration led to me making comments that I immediately regretted.

"Now I would like the opportunity to set the record straight and apologise to the fans for any upset caused.

"I'd never intend to criticise the supporters of Hibernian because, as I've said before, I am a fan of this club and so are my family and my friends."

McLauchlan is new SRU president

IAN McLAUCHLAN has been confirmed as the next president of the Scottish Rugby Union.

The 68-year-old – known throughout the rugby world as Mighty Mouse – has been nominated unopposed by Scotland's rugby clubs.

He will take up his post at Scottish Rugby's annual general meeting at the end of June.

McLauchlan's playing days are remembered for his scrummaging and animated loose play, which was at the heart of the British and Irish Lions test series successes in New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa three years later.

He captained Scotland on 19 occasions and won his first cap out of the Jordanhill club against England in 1969 and his 43rd and final cap against New Zealand ten years later.

He said: "My aim will be to strengthen rugby in Scotland and assist in any way I can to help the clubs to build, the pro-teams to build and the national team to build."

Oz celebrates first Crucible champ

AUSTRALIA was toasting its first Crucible champion today after Neil Robertson ground out an 18-13 victory over Scotland's Graeme Dott to lift the Betfred.com World Championship title.

The match finished at 12:54am, matching the latest finish – John Higgins completed his victory over Mark Selby at at the same time in 2007.

As he became the first champion from outside the British Isles since Canada's Cliff Thorburn in 1980, Robertson wrapped himself in an Australian flag and saluted the crowd before lifting the trophy.

"This is absolutely perfect," said Robertson, whose girlfriend is due to give birth any day now.