'Serious guy' - inside the face-to-face meeting between Hearts sporting director and Tony Bloom

Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones has been left convinced that Tony Bloom can be a positive influence on the club after a face-to-face meeting with the potential investor.

Bloom has proposed to pump nearly £10million into the Tynecastle outfit in return for a seat on the board for one of his representatives and a 29 per cent stake through non-voting shares. A decision on whether to accept the motion will go before the 8,000 members of the Foundation of Hearts, the supporters group who own the Edinburgh club, following the period of consultation, which concludes on May 26.

Bloom already has a relationship with Hearts through the link-up with his Jamestown Analytics firm which specialises in recruitment data and is being used to help spearhead the search for new players. Jones will also be heavily involved in the process, alongside new manager Derek McInnes, when it comes to rebuilding the squad over the summer window ahead of the new season.

Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group

"I've been down to Jamestown and met Tony," explained Jones, the former Scottish FA performance director. "My day-to-day dealings are with the guys at Jamestown Analytics, they're obviously in the same building, but it's a really positive relationship that's in place. I really enjoy every day working with them, and again, if Tony's investment comes through and the Foundation of Hearts approves it, then it's a really exciting moment for the club.

"I think he's quite a serious guy. What I noticed from Tony is he knew a lot about the club, and he knew a lot about the inner workings of the club and a lot about the direction of where we're looking to go. So, he takes a real interest. That's a real positive for me, because if he's taking that interest, then he is serious. Obviously, our partnership and relationship with Jamestown Analytics is a good one, and I hope it's continuing to be a good one. What fruit that can bear from there is exciting to see."

Analytics mixed with human touch

Jones is also convinced that Hearts have appointed the right man to lead the team from the dugout and is excited to work together with McInnes, alongside Jamestown, to improve the squad.

"We talked to Derek about how the system works and what the remit is," he said. "He was just really excited, as I was when I found out what it was. Our system, in line with Jamestown, will help create a squad, but Derek's the one that will create the team and create a successful team. The partnership between myself and Derek is fundamental to that. Jamestown supports that and helps us inform our decisions from there.

"Myself and Derek are vital to the process of ensuring that the players provided by Jamestown are the correct fit. And that's obviously on the human part. Jamestown can't tell you about the human being. They can tell you on the analytics side. So myself and Derek, that's the fundamental part to us, to make sure that the squad that we create is filled with the right sorts of personalities and the right sorts of players that fit Derek's style and the positions that he wants. That's why my relationship with Derek is so important, because we're the ones that will steer those decisions."