Hearts pull Miller offer

HEARTS withdrew their bid to buy Lee Miller from Bristol City last night, after the Edinburgh club failed to receive a definitive answer to the personal terms offered to the player.

The English club had agreed a fee with both Hearts and Aberdeen, thought to be a basic sum of £225,000 which could rise to £350,000, and it was left to the player to speak to the two clubs then make a decision on his future. It was thought that Hearts would be in the best bargaining position because the player has been on loan at Tynecastle since January, but the club's board of directors ran out of patience when the player's agent had not given a firm response to the proposal by last night. As Hearts pulled out of the deal, Miller was in talks with Aberdeen about a move to Pittodrie.

Hearts had offered Miller a three-year deal which would have made him one of the top three earners in the Tynecastle squad. When it emerged that this was not enough to make up Miller's mind, the Gorgie club took their deal off the table at Bristol, unwilling to become involved in a bidding war for the player's services.

The way is now clear for Aberdeen to snap up the former Falkirk striker, who has made a big impact since returning north of the Border with 11 goals in 21 games, although it is possible that Hearts could return to the table if the player is unable to strike a deal with Aberdeen.

Jimmy Calderwood, the Aberdeen manager, insists he would have no problem with Miller playing for Hearts against Aberdeen this weekend even if he did agree to move to Pittodrie before Sunday's game. Calderwood has made bids for four players, the others being Kris Boyd of Kilmarnock, Steve Lovell of Dundee and Barry Nicholson of Dunfermline.

He will be anxious to secure Miller, having had his bid for Boyd rejected last night. "This offer was considered well below the club's valuation of the player and was rejected outright," said Kilmarnock general manager David Mackinnon. "The club consider the matter closed."

Calderwood has made a £150,000 bid for Nicholson, who is keen to link-up again with the man who signed him for Dunfermline from Rangers. The Fife club's new manager Jim Leishman hinted earlier this week that he is resigned to losing the midfielder to Aberdeen even though Nicholson still has a year of his contract to run.

Taken from the Scotsman