Elliott eager to team up with Kyle

New Hearts striker Stephen Elliott insists he can form a fearsome attacking partnership with Kevin Kyle this season.

The Republic of Ireland cap was officially unveiled as manager Jim Jefferies' latest capture yesterday after signing a two-year deal following his release by npower Championship side Preston North End.

Despite a lack of match fitness, Elliott could make his debut in tomorrow's Clydesdale Bank Premier League curtain-raiser against St Johnstone, with the Tynecastle club struggling up front due to injuries and suspension.

Elliott played alongside fellow summer recruit Kyle at Sunderland and reckons they can form a fruitful relationship in attack for Hearts.

He said: "I think we will score goals. Kevin has done well since coming up to Scotland and his game suits me. If we get the chance to play together, hopefully we can do well."

Elliott was let go by Preston after scoring just one goal in nine appearances last season, ending the campaign on loan at Norwich.

However, the striker, who began his career at Manchester City before moving on to Sunderland, Wolves and Preston, is keen to look to the future at Tynecastle.

He added: "I didn't play as much as I would have liked over the past couple of seasons, but this is a new challenge for me and I am really looking forward to it.

"Hearts is a big club and I got a lot of good feedback from people after speaking to them before coming up.

"I met a few of the lads on Monday and there are a few I have still to meet. Getting off to a good start this season is important and hopefully we can do that by getting a run of results and getting the confidence up."

Hearts manager Jefferies is delighted to have bolstered his attacking options, particularly with a player that was willing to take a substantial pay cut to join the club.

He said: "We paid no transfer fee for this boy. He was on far too much money for what we could afford and he has taken a major reduction.

"OK, he maybe got settled up at Preston, but I still know what he has lost out on. It tells you a lot about him, how badly he wants to play.

"Some people sit there and take the money; he could have sat there and got a lot more, but he has shown a willingness to give that up to come up here to fit into our structure. That shows great commitment on his part."

Meanwhile, Hearts will today launch the sales process for Rangers supporters wishing to attend the SPL clash at Tynecastle on Saturday, 2 October.

For a third consecutive season, Hearts will handle the sale of all tickets for matches against Rangers and Celtic themselves, and the Gorgie club have set a deadline for individual applications from Rangers supporters of 5pm on Tuesday, 5 September.A Hearts spokesman said: "We are continuing this policy in the season ahead as Hearts is not prepared to pay a five per cent levy on tickets for selling tickets to Rangers and Celtic supporters. We do not charge Rangers or Celtic a levy for selling our tickets. This has proved to be a very successful strategy, and we have had excellent feedback from Rangers and Celtic supporters who would not, perhaps, be able to attend away fixtures under normal circumstances." Hearts' opponents tomorrow, St Johnstone, are braced for a defensive crisis as they prepare for the trip to Tynecastle. Manager Derek McInnes faces the prospect of squaring-up to Hearts without first picks Dave Mackay, Michael Duberry and Kevin Rutkiewicz. Back injury victim Mackay hasn't played since the Irish tour while a groin strain restricted former Chelsea defender Duberry against Real Valladolid and a calf knock forced Rutkiewicz out at half-time last week. McInnes stressed: "I'm prepared to give them every chance to make it."