Present owner inspired by predecessor

CURRENT Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov said he was "absolutely amazed" by The Scotsman's account of the club's earlier Russian influence.

"I heard a little about Elias Furst from conversations in the club, and I knew I wasn't the first Russian-born owner to be at Hearts," he said.

"But I didn't know much more than this. I am so grateful to The Scotsman for gathering this information about a man who played such a key role in making Hearts the great club it is.

"I just laughed with surprise when I heard that Furst's parents had married in Wilna, the old name for Vilnius, now the capital of Lithuania. To me it seems a quite extraordinary coincidence, it really intrigues me, and I would love to know more about him."

Though born in what is now Russia, Romanov has lived since he was a boy in Kaunas, the pre-war capital of independent Lithuania, around 60 miles from Vilnius, where he also has business interests.

At the time Furst's family emigrated from what is now Vilnius, it was then part of the Russian empire. Later it would be part of Poland, before being occupied by both the Nazis and the Soviets.

After such a difficult history, Vilnius led the way in demanding independence from the Soviet noose, leading to the break-up of the Soviet Union and Lithuanian independence.

Romanov said that Furst's endeavours on behalf of Hearts set a tough example to live up to as he too seeks to turn around the club and bring it new successes.

"I will try to be as good and even better for Hearts and hope to serve the club even longer than he did.

"One year has passed - and so I only have 30 more years to go to beat his remarkable record.

"And how interesting to learn that he was the first elected president of the SFA.

"This certainly leaves me with no option but to say that I very much want to walk this bit of his route too."

Taken from the Scotsman