Sponsor backs Hearts over suspension of Craig Thomson

The money-lending company Wonga.com announced a two-year deal in April to become Hearts' shirt sponsor. Speaking at the time, Wonga's chief executive Errol Damelin said, "The club shows real class on and off the pitch and we're excited about being involved from next season onwards."

Since the deal was struck, Hearts have had opprobrium heaped on them for their handling of the Thomson affair.

The 20-year-old defender was last month convicted of lewd, libidinous and indecent behaviour in relation to his inappropriate conduct towards two under-age girls over the internet The 20-year-old.

The full-back, who pleaded guilty, was fined 4000 and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.

Hearts initially announced the player would be free to resume his career with the club and issued a statement claiming there had been "mitigating circumstances" surrounding the case.

This provoked a storm of protest. The chief executive of the charity Children 1st called on the Tynecastle club to sack the player and the club's official water supplier withdrew its sponsorship.

Hearts then announced they were suspending Thomson, a move welcomed yesterday by Wonga.com, whose communications manager John Moorwood said: "We have naturally been concerned by what is a very serious situation and we have been in regular contact with senior people at the club.

"We fully support the indefinite suspension of the player involved and we'll continue to monitor the situation closely. We are also mindful of the remaining Hearts players and all the supporters who have done nothing wrong and we are still very keen to support them through our sponsorship."

Asked if they would continue to support and sponsor Hearts if the club allowed Thomson to return, Moorwood said: "Our understanding is that he's not involved with the club in any way at present and I wouldn't want to speculate, nor make a judgment on something that hasn't happened. As far as we're aware the suspension is indefinite."

A Hearts spokesman denied yesterday that it was pressure from sponsors that caused the club to suspend Thomson. The long-term future of the player has yet to be decided, with the final decision resting with club owner Vladimir Romanov.Meanwhile, drugs charges have been dropped against the Hearts player Robert Ogleby, 19, who was arrested in a nightclub in Edinburgh.

The Welsh Under-21 internationa had been at Lava & Ignite in the Tollcross area of the city with Hearts team-mate Ian Black in May when the pair were arrested and charged.

Hearts released a statement yesterday saying that the case against the young striker had been dropped.

Ogleby said: "I want to concentrate on my football, build on that experience with Hearts and focus on doing what I do best and try to play as many games as I can."

Black appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month in connection with the same incident. His case was continued without plea to allow for further enquiries to take place.

A Crown Office spokesperson confirmed that the case against Ogleby had been abandoned and said: "We can confirm that the Procurator Fiscal at Edinburgh received a report concerning a 19-year-old male in connection with an alleged incident on 16 May 2011. After full and careful consideration of the facts and circumstances of the report, including the available evidence, the Procurator Fiscal decided that there should be no proceedings on the basis of insufficient evidence. The case against this individual is now closed."

Ogleby is expected to join East Fife on loan after playing as a trialist for the club against Hearts in the Tynecastle side's 3-0 win in a friendly at Bayview on Tuesday night.

Hearts are due to leave for Germany this morning where they will continue their pre-seaon preparations with matches against FC Ludwigsfelder tonight and Union Berlin on Saturday.