Hearts axe management duo Jim Jefferies & Billy Brown

Aug 1 2011

JIM JEFFERIES was sensationally removed from his position as manager at Hearts today while assistant boss Billy Brown has been sacked by the Tynecastle club.

The development comes just 24 hours after the Jambos lost 1-0 at home to Dundee United - their first defeat of the season.

It also comes a mere three days before their crucial Europa League qualifying second leg at home to Hungarian outfit Paksi - with the tie hanging in the balance at 1-1.

It is understood Jefferies has been offered a director of football job at Tynecastle. But the veteran boss is unlikely to accept the post and is expected to follow his long-term assistant Brown out of the Gordie club for a second time.

The circumstances surrounding today's controversial news at Tynecastle remain unclear.

But the Jambos, despite qualifying for Europe after finishing third in the SPL last season, have endured a turbulent summer.

Defender Craig Thomson was convicted of lewd and libidinous behaviour towards two girls aged 12 and 14 on the internet and was placed on the sex offenders register.

Hearts caused outrage when they initially said they would stand by the player before performing a u-turn. Only today was it confirmed the player had been sent to Lithuanian side Kaunas - owned by Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Jefferies and Brown have worked as a management team since taking over the reigns at Berwick Rangers 23 years ago. They led Hearts to the Scottish Cup in 1998 beating Rangers in the final at Hampden before moving on to Bradford City.

A difficult spell in England ended in their sacking from Bradford in 2002 and Jefferies and Brown were soon appointed at Kilmarnock where they remained for six years before returning for a second spell at Hearts in January 2010 following the sacking of Csaba Laszlo.

Taken from the Daily Record