Mercer cuts off the cash flow to Jordan

IAN PAUL

7 Jun 1991

HEARTS' Joe Jordan, who has already discovered the realities of managerial life in Scotland after nine months in the premier division, yesterday found out again how tough it can be even to convince the club chairman of the necessity to find cash for players.

He and Wallace Mercer openly disagreed about the way forward for the club as they celebrated the renewal of sponsorship with Miller Homes for another year.

Jordan reiterated his view that he may have a team but he does not have a squad to cope with the 44-game league of next season.

In the other corner, literally, Mercer was making it clear there will not be any serious debt accrued in the process of building for next term.

"This club cannot afford to get into debt in the current climate," said the chairman, but Jordan, who obviously has had this disagreement with his chairman in less public circumstances, is adamant that money will have to be found.

"Every club will need to find extra first-team pool members for next season and if we have any ambitions to get into Europe we will have to do the same," he said.

The probability that John Colquhoun, who could be worth £500,000 or more, will elect to move now that his contract is up, may help the cash-flow but the dispute between the two principals at Tynecastle about the way forward for the club is an indication of the kind of debates taking place throughout the country at the moment.

Meanwhile, St Mirren's new man, David Hay, made his first move towards a renewal of Paisley ambitions with the signing of Lex Baillie from Celtic for £90,000.

Baillie thus rejoins the man who signed him for Celtic, but Baillie admits to mixed feelings about leaving Parkhead.

But the Celtic connection will be extended next month when Hay signs defender Mark Reid, who moved from Parkhead to Charlton but is now a free agent.

And the on/off swop deal with Partick Thistle finally went ahead last night, when the four players involved put pen to paper.

The deal takes Mark McWalter and George Shaw to Thistle with Chic Charnley and David Elliott joining Saints.

There is also some interest in Saints keeper Les Fridge, who has refused new terms but has had a £300,000 price tag put upon him.

STIRLING ALBION have been forced to move to a neutral ground for a Skol Cup tie with Hibs, who have refused to play on Albion's all-weather pitch.

The match will be played at McDiarmid Park, Perth, on August 20.

Taken from the Herald