Hearts pay players’ November salaries

Hearts have confirmed that they have paid their players owed money from their November salaries.

The Tynecastle club normally pays its playing staff on the 16th of each month, but their October salary was received on November 4.

With December’s pay due tomorrow, Hearts today released a statement on their official website declaring that the November salaries had now been paid.

The payment has been made 29 days overdue.

It is understood a complaint to the Scottish Football Association is also being considered as the Hearts players commit to resolving the matter.

The option of walking away from Hearts, citing FIFA’s article 14 and breach of contract, is also understood to have been explored.

However, that option requires players going 90 days without payment. At present the 90-day date is January 14.

PFA Scotland and the players instead hope their move will force owner Vladimir Romanov to pay their overdue salaries, in addition to solving the financial crisis engulfing the club by selling players when the winter transfer window opens.

Wishart added: “We now have a number of options open to us in terms of the law, the football regulations of Scotland and, obviously as has been documented, football regulations abroad within FIFA.

The Hearts statement, penned by director Sergejus Fedotovas, attacks the media and a number of figures associated with the club.

Reference is also made to solicitors using the pay crisis to “grab the limelight”.

Paul McBride QC this week offered to help Hearts players recover wages owed to them by the Gorgie club.

“Mr Romanov has been at Hearts for quite a while and apart from help to sell Scottish papers, said Fedotovas in his statement.

“He has invested around £70m in the club, kept the club at Tynecastle and prolonged its history for at least 7 years.

“All this hysteria around Hearts is a very profitable business for the media and even some solicitors have taken the chance to grab the limelight alongside more controversial “experts”

“Now he is leaving and without his help it will be much more difficult to make ends meet, or target the top of the league. People who are wrongly happy about it can pass on their thanks to the likes of Gary Mackay, George Foulkes, Anderton, Rix, Burley and others that used the club for their personal agendas, pretending to be supporters of the club but in fact seeking supporters for themselves. And a special thanks to Mr Murdoch and his exemplary journalism methods that have been adopted in various forms by many football writers in Scotland.”