Hearts AGM: new striker identified, top-six aim and game-changer that can turn Hearts into title challengers

Hearts believe their partnership with Tony Bloom and his data analysis firm, Jamestown Analytics, can be a “game-changer” which will help turn the Tynecastle side into credible title challengers.

The club have also confirmed they are in talks with Bloom about the entrepreneur buying a minority stake.

Although Hearts are currently bottom of the Premiership, chief executive Andrew McKinlay is bullish about their prospects, both in the short and long term. McKinlay predicts they will finish this season in the top six and says the board has identified a new striker they want to bring to the club in January.

Beyond that, he envisages a bright future for the Gorgie side in which they will compete with Celtic and Rangers for the top honours. Speaking at Hearts’ annual general meeting, McKinlay said: “Use of analytics is the potential game-changer we’ve been looking for.”

Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay during a press conference following the Hearts agm at Tynecastle. | SNS Group

He cited Jamestown Analytics’ work with Brighton & Hove Albion, Union Saint-Gilloise and Como, top flight clubs in England, Belgium and Italy, respectively. Speaking after the meeting at Tynecastle, McKinlay added: “[It is] game-changing in that context to me [because it] is a genuine opportunity to compete with the teams above us in Scotland.

“I was criticised when I first came into the club by saying I want to get back to being the third team in Scotland. I was criticised for showing a lack of ambition. And the reason I had that view was maybe it was my background, my head led my heart and I just felt the financial disparity is just almost impossible in the same way as you look at Celtic and the Champions League.

“We've all got our levels in the game and it tends to follow finances. But then you look, so what else can we do? What can we do to challenge those top two teams? And when you look around, there's various examples in Europe, not just Jamestown but others, but Jamestown are probably the gold standard and they've shown that by what they've done at other clubs and Union is probably the best one for people to go away and look at. When they took over, not only were they not one of the top teams in Belgium, they were in the second tier and by season three or four they were challenging for the title.

“It's not going to happen overnight, but genuinely I think with the use of their technology, using our finances wisely, being as smart as we can be, I genuinely think we could challenge in Scotland.”

Hearts finance director Jacqui Duncan, chief executive Andrew McKinlay and chair Ann Budge at the club's agm. | SNS Group

Pressed if that meant he thought Hearts could challenge for the league title, McKinlay said: “I do, I do think that. I can't put a timescale on it, but Jamestown have put their money where their mouth is in the way that they construct their contracts. They are highly incentivised for us to do well and they're excited, they're very excited about what they think we could achieve.”

Jamestown are now helping Hearts identify new players ahead of the transfer window opening in January. “There's a particular striker we're looking at, but not just one,” said McKinlay. “Often you don't get your first choice. We're looking at a few, all of who have come from Jamestown.”

And despite Hearts’ poor start to the season, McKinlay refused to contemplate relegation as a genuine threat. “I'm not even using that word,” he said. “I'm confident we will finish in the top six.”