Clark's dispute with Hearts now set to go to court

RAY HEPBURN

25 Aug 1994

HEARTS and Sandy Clark, their former manager, have embarked on a course that seems certain to end up in court, over his recent compensation claim.

The former Airdrie, Rangers, and West Ham striker and his assistant, Hugh McCann, three weeks ago sued the Edinburgh club for the final year of their management contracts.

That froze in Hearts' bank accounts, which were in credit at the time, with the club having 21 days to produce an acceptable offer of compensation.

That time has now elapsed without a solution and chairman Chris Robinson now has a further three weeks to prepare a defence for the sackings in June.

It is understood that when the original decree was sought, sufficient funds were frozen in the club's accounts to meet the £85,000 court action.

Hearts have made three offers during the 21-day period, but the latest involves instalment payments over an extended period.

Clark and McCann were sacked two days after catering chief Robinson and Edinburgh solicitor Leslie Deans bought out Wallace Mercer in a £2.1m deal after his 13 years in charge.

Part of the total purchase price, which bought just over 50% of Mercer's majority shareholding, involved a seven-year instalment plan of £100,000 annually.

New manager Tommy McLean has confessed that, without outgoing transfer activity, which he is keen to avoid, there will be no cash available in the immediate future to add to the squad.

Meanwhile Saturday's first Edinburgh derby of the new season is a 13,500 sell-out.

Building work during the close season has dramatically cut into the Tynecastle capacity.

This match also will mark the opening of the imposing new £2m Wheatfield stand, which will be ready to accommodate 5900 seated spectators.

Taken from the Herald