Hearts wages still not paid but players get £1,000

Senior Hearts players have now suffered a longer delay in receiving November’s wages than the previous month despite being paid a proportion of their pay packets.

It is understood that around £1,000 each has been released to players who were awaiting payment due on 16 November.

However, the wait goes on for the full payment for the first-team members of the squad, who waited 19 days for their October money. A total of 33 younger players were paid in November but the club announced that senior players would be paid at the “earliest opportunity” amid cash flow issues caused by a £1 million-plus tax bill and a shortfall in transfer income.

Hearts manager Paulo Sergio has admitted the financial problems are having an effect on results and the Portuguese will have to hope yesterday’s concession is enough to avert further unrest among his squad.

It is understood Sergio persuaded players not to sign an official letter of complaint to the SPL when PFA Scotland officials visited their members the day before the October wages were paid. However, after Hearts lost 2-1 at home to St Johnstone on Saturday, he told Hearts TV: “We are losing focus on our work and that is revealed in games. We are thinking during the week of other problems – everybody knows – and we’re losing our focus, our quality, our confidence, most of all in our defensive line.”

Hearts have lost four and drawn one of six SPL games since the financial problems emerged.

Further concerns over the club’s financial state were raised when Vladimir Romanov declared he had instigated attempts to sell his majority stake, although by placing a valuation of £50 million on a club with debts of £35 million the Lithuanian has done little to encourage potential buyers.