Hearts confident of avoiding tax bill court date

HEARTS are confident of paying an outstanding £100,000 tax bill before being served with a winding-up order in court.

The deadline for the unpaid PAYE amount is 5pm today and Tynecastle sources say the club will meet the obligation before the matter reaches Edinburgh’s Court of Session.

As of this morning, Hearts officials were unsure if the full amount would be raised before close of business today. Should the deadline pass without payment, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will ask the courts to wind up the club. Hearts would then have a further eight days to pay the £100,000 once the winding-up advert appears in the press.

HMRC are expecting payment in full today and will not hesitate to begin the winding-up process tomorrow if their deadline is not met by Hearts. However, those within Tynecastle remain confident that the tax bill, if not cleared today, will be met before the matter reaches court.

Meanwhile, a potential takeover of the club by fans will reach its next stage on July 4 when Foundation of Hearts begins converting fans’ pledges. The group is working on behalf of six key supporter organisations, which hope to collectively take control of Hearts from majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Foundation of Hearts have received over 4000 pledges from individuals via their website and will hold an open question-and-answer session this Friday in Tynecastle’s Gorgie Suite (7.30pm start). Anyone wishing to attend should email [email protected] with their name and address. Tickets are available for collection from the club shop from this afternoon.