PRESTON 'APPALLED' BY BURLEY DEBACLE

Former Hearts player Allan Preston has slammed the Edinburgh club's controversial decision to part company with manager George Burley.

The ex-Tynecastle defender also believes the decision could lead to the club's biggest disappointment since 1986 when they lost out on the league title on the last day of the season.

Sitting at the top of the table unbeaten after 10 games, Jambos players were stunned to be told of Burley's departure when they met for their pre-match lunch on Saturday ahead of their home game against Dunfermline.

However, under interim boss John McGlynn, the SPL leaders still extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 games with a 2-0 win over the Pars.

The Gorgie club later released a statement citing "irreconcilable differences" for the sudden departure of Burley.

However, Hearts fan Preston was far from impressed.

He said: "I am appalled at the treatment of George Burley. They have lost the best manager they have had in a long time.

"For Hearts to get rid of him when they were 10 games unbeaten and sitting at the top of the league is terrible. Ridiculous.

"It is beyond the wildest dreams of Hearts fans to be where they are now but this situation sums the club up.

"They would be as well having Roger de Courcey and Nookie Bear for manager because (Vladimir) Romanov just wants a puppet he can work.

"And the fans could end up asking 'What if?' at the end of the season.

"The supporters are still saying that after Hearts lost the league all those years ago to two Albert Kidd goals for Dundee.

"People still ask 'What if Albert Kidd had not been playing?' or 'What if some of our players were not down with the flu?'

"That could happen at Hearts if they lose the league - fans might say 'What if George Burley hadn't left?'. They will wonder that for evermore."

On Friday, majority shareholder Romanov had increased his stake in the club to 55% in his bid to take outright control of the club.

Chairman George Foulkes described the development as a "great day for Hearts" and proclaimed Burley as the best manager in Scotland.

However Preston, who was sacked from Livingston in acrimonious circumstances last season soon after new owner Pearse Flynn took over, insists he was never convinced by the statements.

He said: "I listened to George Foulkes saying on Friday it was a great day for Hearts and they had the best manager in the SPL and the next day the best manager in the SPL is away.

"I don't like the idea of having one man in total control of a club.

"You have seen the same at Manchester United, their fans are going mental because they only have the one owner now.

"There's too much we don't know and the statement they put out on Saturday evening was a sham.

"They said it would clear things up but it has only muddied the waters further.

"I was down Gorgie Road before the game and the fans were just stunned.

"But I imagine George Burley will be delighted that his side won 2-0 and kept the run going.

"I know John McGlynn was taking the team but, no disrespect to him, it was Burley's team out there."

Taken from sportinglife.com