SIMMO HAS HIS HEARTS SET ON HACKETT

Published on 07/06/2006

CARLISLE United boss Paul Simpson is planning a summer raid for out-of-favour Hearts right-winger Chris Hackett.

The highly-rated former Oxford flier, 23, has been told he is free to leave the SPL runners-up after just six months at Tynecastle – and this has immediately alerted the Blues boss.

Simpson is seeking to sign a new right-winger, pictured in action for Oxford, as he reshapes his side for the step up to League One.

And he told News & Star Sport he has already held talks with Hackett’s agent.

“He is definitely a player I like,” Simpson said. “He has got real pace about him and he is someone I am interested in.

“I have spoken to his agent but that is as far as it has gone at the moment.

“He is a player I have seen on a few occasions, although Russ (Richardson, chief scout) has seen him more than I have.

“We know he is a player who can cause problems and we do need a right-sided player.”

Oxford-born Hackett impressed in two outings for the Kassam Stadium side United last season, first in a 1-0 U’s win in October and when the Cumbrians triumphed 2-1 at Brunton Park the following month.

He was snapped up by then Hearts boss Graham Rix for around £20,000 in the January transfer window but only made one start and one substitute appearance for the Jambos before Rix was sacked by flamboyant Lithuanian owner Vladimir Romanov in March.

Hackett failed to figure for the Edinburgh side as they closed in on a Champions’ League place and he was omitted from the squad for their Scottish Cup final penalty shoot-out win over Gretna.

Rix’s replacement, Valdas Ivanauskas, has since told Hackett – along with fellow midfielder and Rix recruit Lee Johnson – they are free to look for new clubs. Ivanauskas said: “I think it would be better for him to look elsewhere.”

The winger made 27 appearances and scored one goal last season for Oxford, who were later relegated to the Conference, before joining Hearts. He made 142 appearances in total for his home-town side, scoring nine times.

News of Hackett’s impending departure from Tynecastle is likely to have alerted several Coca-Cola League sides, and Simpson, currently without an out-and-out right-winger after Brendan McGill’s departure to Gretna, said he expects competition for his signature.