Stabbed in the back

PAUL KIDDIE

OUSTED Hearts chairman George Foulkes today revealed how Vladimir Romanov turned up at his door with flowers and wine to persuade him to back the sacking of chief executive Phil Anderton.

Furious Foulkes refused and has accused the Tynecastle majority shareholder of acting like a "dictator".

Foulkes held a meeting with East Lothian MP Anne Moffat today and she has made a House of Commons call for the Government's financial watchdog to investigate Romanov's takeover of Hearts. She has put down an Early Day Motion at Westminster calling for the Financial Services Authority to launch a probe.

The motion will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper - parliament's daily agenda sent to all MPs, Minister and senior civil servants.

Miss Moffat, Secretary of the All Party Scottish Football Group, hopes it will prompt Chancellor Gordon Brown into action.

The motion reads: "We recognise the stance taken by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, chairman of Heart of Midlothian Football Club, in resigning his position to defend the integrity of the club, the support of the fans and the future of Scottish football.

"We call on the Financial Services Authority to investigate the circumstances surrounding the takeover of the club."

Miss Moffat said: "I am very concerned about events at Hearts. It seems to be a complete family takeover. Just because they're millionaires, the Romanovs seem to think they can do what they like with Hearts but there's much more to building up a successful club than money."

Caretaker manager John McGlynn has been left bewildered by the latest sensational twist and held an emergency meeting with his first-team squad this morning.

The players were stunned by the news which started filtering through just after 5pm last night but McGlynn will demand the Gorgie stars shut themselves off from the boardroom pantomime and focus on the weekend visit of Dundee United.

"Of course the players were shocked by what happened. That is a natural reaction," he said.

"However, what am I supposed to do, bury my head in the sand and pretend nothing is happening?

I can stay and fight or walk away. I am not financially well off enough to walk away so the choice is quite simple.

"My loyalty is to the football club, they pay my wages and there is still a job to do."

McGlynn has masterminded wins over Dunfermline and Kilmarnock, although ten-man Hearts crashed to their first defeat of the season against Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday.

This weekend's visit of United promises to be another examination of the players' resolve but McGlynn is confident the joint league leaders will be up to the task.

"We don't want anyone to lose their jobs but we can't influence what happens in the boardroom," he said. "The players have shown a mental toughness in the past to shut out things which have been going on away from the football pitch and I'm confident it will be the same on this occasion."

Taken from the Scotsman