Hearts: Former chairman Leslie Deans hails the Jefferies effect at Tynecastle

RESOURCES: Jim Jefferies

Jefferies celebrates his first anniversary back at the Capital club next Saturday, having been appointed by owner Vladimir Romanov in the wake of Csaba Laszlo's departure.

The man who led Hearts to a first Scottish Cup triumph in 42 years during his initial spell in charge got off to a sticky start, losing at St Johnstone in the SPL before going down to St Mirren in the semi-final of the CIS Insurance Cup.

But he has transformed the club over the past 12 months, building a side that is giving Celtic and Rangers some competition in the SPL title race and also creating a feelgood factor on and off the pitch.

Deans, who along with Chris Robinson, persuaded the former Hearts captain to leave Falkirk in 1995 to return to Tynecastle as manager, wanted to see Jefferies back in the dugout again long before last January.

And he is delighted that Romanov took his advice after the Lithuanian could see for himself the passion that Jefferies still had for the club despite subsequent spells at Bradford City and Kilmarnock.

"I remember four or five years ago having a chat with Vlad when I stated that, in my opinion, there was a manager who had done an excellent job with tight resources a decade or so before," said Deans. "I said to him that it might be appropriate to consider making efforts to have that manager back at Tynecastle but for a number of reasons, not least of which was Jim Jefferies being under contract to Kilmarnock at the time, that did not happen.

"Then, early last year, when a decision was taken to ask Csaba Laszlo to stand down, Hearts were once again seeking a new manager and, luckily for us, Jim's situation had changed radically in as much that he was no longer under contract to Kilmarnock.

"As a result, I decided it would be appropriate to perhaps make the point once again to Vlad. That was not down to pure sentiment. It was not simply a case of me harking back to the good days under Jim and being starry-eyed.

"It was based on a calm assessment of the success that he has enjoyed throughout his career in tandem with his long-time friend and No.?2, Billy Brown.

"That started at Falkirk and carried on at Hearts. And, by all accounts, after he left us, he also did an excellent job under a difficult financial circumstances at Kilmarnock for a long period of time. Jim's ability to spot a player is well known. He did a great job at Kilmarnock bringing through people like Steven Naismith and also signing Conor Sammon, who is now scoring a lot of goals for them.

"He continues to have an ability to find players from lower divisions or for little cost.

"I know that Vlad was very impressed with Jim as an individual. He also felt Jim's passion for Hearts. That passion had never faded despite the time he was away from the club and I was really pleased when the deal was done a year ago.

"Last season was difficult as it is difficult for any manager to come in halfway through a campaign and put his stamp on a team. This season, however, he had the benefit of some good planning and a good pre-season as well as some judicious alterations to the team, the returning hero Rudi Skacel, for instance, and the emergence of a new hero in David Templeton.

"The thing I noted when I paid a visit to the training base at Riccarton was the camaraderie. The players clearly like going to their work in the morning and that is vital in any line of work.

"There's a great atmosphere at the club and that has been fostered by Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown.

"The difference between now and a year ago is like night and day."

• HEARTS' SPL clash with Dundee United at Tannadice - postponed due to a waterlogged pitch last Saturday - has been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 16 (7.45pm).