Hearts poised to give young stars a chance

By BARRY ANDERSON
STEPHEN FRAIL is pledging to blood promising youngsters during Hearts' post-split SPL fixtures, with Gary Glen, Ryan McGowan and Jason Thomson all enlisted for first-team duty.
Following top-six disappointment, Frail will utilise the five matches through to the end of the season to assess youthful talent at top-team level.

Thomson is expected to benefit first on Saturday week when St Mirren travel to Tynecastle. Regular right-back Robbie Neilson begins a two-game suspension and the 20-year-old is in line to deputise.

"There could be one or two of the young lads featuring during the next five games. It gives us a chance to see them playing at a higher level so we'll see what happens," said Frail.

"We have one or two young boys that we think might be ready to step up. They have been playing regularly in the reserves so it's maybe time to give them a run out in the first team."

Thomson appeared three times at senior level for Hearts in 2005 after former manager John Robertson handed him a debut against Inverness at Tynecastle. He spent last season in the First Division on loan to Livingston.

McGowan, a 19-year-old Australian centre-back, is the club's under-19 player of the year but has yet to play for the first-team, whilst 18-year-old striker Glen has two substitute appearances to his name including a 30-minute outing at Rugby Park last weekend.

Meanwhile, Hearts have announced that they are slashing their prices for the final home games of the season as a result of finishing in the bottom six.

Concession prices will apply in the remaining three matches at Tynecastle, ranging from £18 in the Platinu
m seating area, through to just £6 for Bronze.

A spokesperson for the club said: "As a result of Hearts playing in the bottom six for the final five games of the season, we've altered our pricing structure for these final three games at Tynecastle to reflect that situation.

"We want to encourage as many supporters as possible to attend matches at Tynecastle and, as a result, we've sought to make coming to these games as affordable as possible.

"We also hope that this pricing structure will encourage as many younger supporters and families to come along – particularly those who might have been involved with the Magnificent Seven programme this season."

Taken from the Scotsman