Hearts shareholders express anger at AGM

Romanov senior, who was not obliged to attend as he is not a member of the board, was conspicuous by his absence.

The Tynecastle chairman, heading the top table, tried to deflect difficult questions from shareholders about the club's 32 million debt and search for a new manager by changing the subject. He also offered them a 'cheap version' of the planned new stand if they wanted to keep costs down.

Hearts will play out the final five matches of the season in the bottom six of the SPL, the first time they have finished in the bottom half of the table since the split was introduced, and Romanov faced over an hour of questioning from concerned supporters.

Around 400 shareholders attended the 102nd AGM in the Gorgie Suite at Tynecastle Stadium, but club owner Vladimir Romanov was nowhere to be seen.

With only his father's representative Charlie Mann among the onlookers Roman Romanov concluded the AGM's official business within only five minutes but faced a gruelling 60 minutes from fans who are angry at the way the season has panned out.

George Hawkins was first to ask a question of Romanov as he demanded to know when a new manager would be put in place.

Performing a u-turn on comments made in January where Romanov revealed that Stephen Frail would be assistant to a new manager next season Romanov instead asked supporters to back Frail in the long term.

He said: "The reality is that to find a manager is very difficult, most managers are already out of work or ready to jump from the clubs they are working with and seeking profit.

"If you find me a manager who won't do that then fine but give a chance to our guy Stephen Frail who is already at the club.

"I know that votes are split but let's be fair to him."

That comment was greeted with shouts of "no" from the crowd and an increasingly farcical meeting was added to when Romanov launched into a tirade over the way the game in this country is run.

"You can bring Milan and Carlo Ancelotti here and the players won't play for him in the country," claimed Romanov. "For a very long time in this country it is a fixed league where Rangers and Celtic win by 30 points. Ask yourself how many games this year have been screwed by referees, five games is 15 points."

Romanov continually brushed off questions and asked how he planned to wipe out the club's increasing debt a clearly frustrated Romanov retorted: "By selling players for 9 million".

That was clearly a reference to the fact that Craig Gordon's sale to Sunderland is not included in the latest set of accounts.

That will boost the coffers but when Alex Mathie, a local businessman, voiced his concern about the effect the cost of a new stand will have on the club's debt Romanov added: "I guess that there is no need to continue with this conversation.

"Maybe with the opinions of the fans here we should not build a new stand or make a cheap version."