Hearts explain their refusal of Saints' request

COLLEEN PATERSON
HEARTS today insisted they had to put their own supporters' interests first after refusing a request from St Mirren to move their SPL clash back 24 hours.
The Paisley outfit had asked the Jambos to play on Sunday, February 22 to accommodate the Buddies' televised Homecoming Scottish Cup match against Motherwell.

Their game against Mark McGhee's side is due to take place on Thursday, February 19, giving them less than 48 hours to prepare for their trip to Tynecastle.

Hearts refused their request and managing director Campbell Ogilvie said: "We received a request from St Mirren to possibly move our match to the Sunday. While we have taken a balanced view of this particular situation, it is not the first time that such a scenario has occurred.

"After very careful consideration of all related factors, it was clear that it was not in the best interests of our supporters or our own club.

"While we are always keen to support fellow SPL member clubs, and we do have sympathy with St Mirren's situation, we do have to place our own season ticket holders and sponsors as our priority.

"We have also been selling match tickets for the game on the original Saturday date for a number of weeks now and we have sold a significant amount of hospitality for the Saturday game.

"There are also knock-on matchday operational costs that Hearts would have to incur by moving the game to Sunday. We trust St Mirren will understand our position on the matter."

St Mirren are irate over Hearts' refusal to accept their request to change the date. Buddies chairman Stewart Gilmour said: "I hope someone will now go to Hearts and do to them what they have done to us."

Gus MacPherson, the Paisley side's manager, added: "I'd always considered this to be an unwritten law – a gentleman's agreement. Most clubs would have done the decent thing."

Taken from the Scotsman