Riccarton 3 row ends Hearts' Hartley bid

A BID to get ex-Hearts hero Paul Hartley to distance himself from the Riccarton Three incident scuppered his move back to Tynecastle, it has been reported.

The move to take midfielder Hartley, 33, back from Bristol City, where he is about to become a free agent, was dumped by the Tynecastle hierarchy just days after director Sergejus Fedotovas claimed a deal was almost done.

Hearts are said to have switched their attention back to Kilmarnock's Craig Bryson amid reports that Hartley refused to sign a document distancing himself from the incident four years ago when, during his first spell at Tynecastle, Hartley joined with goalkeeper Craig Gordon and skipper Steven Pressley to hold a press conference criticising owner Vladimir Romanov's rule.

The players were dubbed the "Riccarton Three" and Hartley and Pressley were both quickly moved on from Tynecastle by Romanov.

Hartley was today reported to have been "disgusted" by the move by Fedotovas to get him to sign the statement.

A Hearts spokesman said: "Although our interest has now cooled in Paul Hartley, there are five weeks remaining before the transfer window closes.

"There are still a number of opportunities currently being explored to ensure we bring in the right person."