Robinson out of Tynecastle development project

STUART BATHGATE

CHRIS Robinson, the former chief executive of Hearts, is no longer working as a consultant on the club's plans to redevelop Tynecastle Stadium. Sergejus Fedotovas, one of the club's directors, is now expected to be Hearts' only representative in dealings with the City of Edinburgh Council and other interested parties.

Robinson was retained as an advisor by Vladimir Romanov just a week after finally severing his ties with Hearts, and many supporters reacted angrily to the news that he would still be involved - especially as his plan for the stadium was to sell it off to a company which wanted to build houses in its place. His knowledge of regulations concerning planning permission and health and safety was supposedly the reason for his involvement, and the fact that he is no longer helping Hearts' majority shareholder with the project is an indication that it has progressed some way beyond the stage of gathering basic information together.

"Chris Robinson was assisting Vladimir Romanov on an ad hoc basis with background information on the stadium projecting, especially regarding previous discussions," a spokesman for Romanov said yesterday. "The project has now been moved forward."

Phil Anderton, the former chief executive, and George Foulkes, the ex-chairman, had worked with Fedotovas in previous dealings with the council. Supporters' groups have been assured by the new chairman, Roman Romanov, that plans to build either a new main stand or a completely new stadium will not be delayed now that Hearts have parted company with those two officials.

The search for someone to replace George Burley, however, does appear to have been delayed by the sacking of Anderton, who was conducting initial interviews. Sir Bobby Robson is understood to have been at the top of Anderton's list, and although the former England manager is believed to have told friends in the north-east that he has ruled himself out, officially he is still hedging his bets.

"It is still an open book," Robson said yesterday during a visit to Aberdeen. "It is a question of how far Hearts want to pursue the matter. I have still got my enthusiasm and my knowledge. I'm in very good condition. I want to work - I like working - and I have missed the job in the last year since I left Newcastle. So I am just waiting to see what develops. I am not in a hurry to take the wrong job."

In the absence of a successor for Burley, John McGlynn again takes charge for today's home game against Dundee United. Paul Hartley has been passed fit, and Calum Elliot will come in for the suspended Edgaras Jankauskas to partner Michal Pospisil in attack.

While he is ready to hand over to a new man, the interim boss is glad he has the chance of doing so on a winning note. "Without being dramatic, this is the biggest game of my life," he said. "I would have hated to have gone out after losing to Hibs. If possible, I want to hand over to the new manager after a win."

Taken from the Scotsman