Jambo kid Sloan agrees loan move to Alloa

PROMISING Hearts youngster Robert Sloan has agreed a loan move to First Division Alloa Athletic until the end of the season and is set to be thrown straight into the team to face high-flying Falkirk at Recreation Park tonight.

The 19-year-old midfielder joins up with fellow Tynecastle starlet Ryan Davidson, who is also expected to make his debut in the re-arranged league fixture after joining earlier in the month. Davidson was set to make his Wasps bow at the weekend in the home clash with Ayr United but Scotland’s big freeze ensured that they will now both line up for the First Division’s bottom team in tonight’s game.

Sloan has made seven first-team appearances for the Jambos, getting on the scoresheet once when he netted a late winner in a 2-1 victory away to Motherwell towards the end of last season. This season, however, the arrival of Frenchman Jean-Louis Valois has seen his top-team chances restricted with his only outing coming as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Aberdeen at Tynecastle at the start of November.

It is hoped that this move will allow him to improve as a player so that on his return to Gorgie at the end of the season he will be able to challenge for a first-team place.

Tynecastle boss Craig Levein said: "Robert came onto the scene at the end of last season and did very well but so far this season he hasn’t performed to the same standards he set for himself.

"Robbie Nielson went on loan to Queen of the South earlier in the season and it looks to have done him good so hopefully a change of scenery can also help Robert.

"It’s good to get first-team experience and hopefully this will give him the opportunity to experience the rigours of first-team football and the opportunity to play against men rather than boys."

Alloa manager Terry Christie was delighted to have brought in Sloan to bolster his squad.

He said: "Robert is a left-sided player who looks very good. We saw him in the Hearts under-21s and he did very well.

"I am delighted to have brought him here until the end of the season as he will be able to freshen things up for the second half of the campaign. It is a good move for him as well because he will be able to get first-team football in the First Division.

"I know that we are bottom of the league but we do try to play football and I think we can be good for each other.

"I am very grateful to Craig Levein for allowing us to take him and Ryan Davidson to the club."

HEARTS fans are reminded that applications for tickets for the Scottish Cup tie against Falkirk close at 5pm tomorrow.

Due to the restricted number of tickets allocated to the club all applications will be balloted. Tickets are 12-15 for adults and 6 for concessions.