ANOTHER TYNE MESS FOR VLAD

VLADIMIR ROMANOV'S plan to turn Tynecastle into one of the world's finest arenas suffered a major blow last night.

Hearts' majority shareholder recently revealed his vision for the old Gorgie ground which included splashing out £1.8million on land next to the stadium.

But the club have hit a major obstacle with the news the site is not for sale for at least another year.

Romanov had wanted t o construct a new state-of-the-art enclosure to increase the stadium capacity as well as build hotel and conference centre.

But parents of children from the nursery, which is housed on the land, raised concerns over the relocation and the City of Edinburgh Council have decided to postpone further consultation until next summer.

In a letter to parents, Roy Jobson, director of children and families at the council, said: "I am writing to inform you that we have now decided to postpone this report until the Autumn to enable council officers to explore the options in more detail.

"During the consultation it became clear that it would be impossible to move the nursery school by August 2006 and in my final report I will be recommending that any proposed move should be delayed until summer 2007 at the earliest."

Councillor Rev Ewan Aitken, executive Member for Children and Families, added: "During the consultation period it became clear that both parents and staff had real concerns about the proposed timescales.

"We have decided to postpone any possible move for the nursery until next summer."

A club spokesperson said: "We are more than happy to support the children, parents and staff of Tynecastle Nursery School in order that any move would suit their timescales.

"We know how important the nursery is and whatever agreement is reached it will be done with the interests of the nursery and local community."

Meanwhile, Hearts could be handed a nightmare Champions League trip to Kazakhstan in today's eagerly-awaited draw for the second qualifying round.

Last season's SPL runners-up enter Europe's premier competition for the first time in their history and will learn their opening opponents when the pairings are announced in Nyon.

Hearts are seeded in the second qualifying round draw but UEFA last night confirmed that, unlike the UEFA Cup, there will be no regionalisation in the Champions League. That means they could face a horror trip, such as to Kazakhstan's FK Aktobe, if they are unfortunate in the draw.

The first qualifying round involves 22 teams and the 11 winners from those two-legged fixtures join three sides from the next round - Mlada Boleslav of the Czech Republic, Austria Salzburg and Slovaks MFK Ruzomberok - in the uneseeded list of 14 for the second qualifier as potential opponents for Hearts.

The 22 first-round sides, in coefficient order, are: NK Gorica (Slovakia), Apollon Limassol (Cyprus), NK Siroki Brijeg (Bosnia- Herz), FHK LeipajasMetalurgs (Latvia), MYPA 47 (Finland), FC Sheriff (Moldova), Sioni Bolnisi (Georgia), FK Ekranas (Lithuania), Hafnarfjordur (Iceland), FK Rabotnicki (Macedonia), Cork City (Ire), Shakhtyor Soligorsk (Belarus), FC Pyuinik (Armenia), Birkarkara (Malta), KS Elbasani (Albania), FC Tallinn (Estonia), Linfield (N Ire), TNS (Wales), F91 Dudelange (Lux), FK Baku (Azerbaijan), Torshavn (Faroe Islands), FK Aktobe (Kazakhstan).

Taken from the Daily Record