Peter Houston reveals Hearts offered him terms

Houston said Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas had contacted him about the Tynecastle job, which became vacant when John McGlynn left the club at the end of last month, and he felt well placed to take up the position. “I was confident. There was an offer made,” Houston said. “Everything was subject to board approval, the board approval went with Gary [Locke].”

Houston, who departed as Dundee United’s manager in January, said finances had nothing to do with him not being given the Hearts job. “My agent spoke to Mr Fedotovas and that evening I had an email with regard to heads of terms, and that was to get sorted out Monday or Tuesday,” he said. “I never heard anything Monday or Tuesday. It certainly wasn’t a financial thing that was going to stop it.”

However, the former Scotland assistant told BBC Scotland’s Sportsound programme that the terms he was offered were longer than the season and a half given to Locke.

“What we’d put in the heads of terms was the end of this season plus two,” said Houston. “Hearts seemed happy with that and I’d heard that Sergejus Fedotovas was happy with that.”

Houston said he had been informed by members of the Hearts board that he was the only candidate to whom they had spoken.

“It was maybe me and Gary, if there was a shortlist,” he said. “If I’d got the job I would have kept Gary as first team coach. I like him as a person and I think he’s developed into a very good coach.”