Hearts v Motherwell: Tynecastle midfielder Ian Black could be returning to England

Andrew Lomax

10:00PM BST 30 Apr 2012

Scottish Cup finalists Hearts confirmed on Monday night that they would not be taking up their option to retain Black, whose three-year contract expires in the summer.

The 27 year-old, who moved to Tynecastle from Inverness after beginning his career at Blackburn, will now search for a new club. Locke recently tipped Black for a Scotland call-up and now predicts Barclays Premier League and npower Championship clubs will be seeking his services.

"I think he would be a revelation down there," said Locke, who was speaking ahead of Tuesday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Motherwell.

"I know he went down to Blackburn as a kid but I think now he's at an age where he's reaching his peak.

"Anybody down there that has seen him play this season will totally agree with myself that if he went down there he would do very well. He has been outstanding.

"It was a matter between Blacky and the board of directors. He's decided that he sees his future elsewhere.

"If we (the coaching staff) wanted to keep him or not, if he says he wants to play somewhere else we wish him all the best.

"He's a fantastic lad and a fantastic professional and he's played a huge part in the success we've had this season."

It is unlikely Black will be called up for Scotland for the Florida friendly with the United States at the end of May, as Craig Levein has an abundance of midfielders to choose from and the Hearts man is nursing a hernia which is set to require surgery after the May 19 Scottish Cup final with capital rivals Hibernian.

First, Black has a key role to play as Hearts bid to secure European football next term.

Motherwell are in pole position to finish third and take a place in the Champions League, with Rangers' financial woes meaning they are ineligible for European competition.

Nine points separate the Steelmen and sixth-placed Hearts, who trail fourth-placed Dundee United by four points and fifth-placed St Johnstone by one.

Hearts complete the SPL campaign with games against Well, St Johnstone and on May 13 at champions Celtic.

Locke added: "We've got two big games coming up and if we want to finish high up the league I think we'll need to win them.

"We've got Celtic the last day which will be another difficult game with them getting the trophy that day."

The future for Hearts beyond the Hampden date with Hibs - the first all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final since 1896 - is uncertain.

Hearts are set to operate under tighter financial constraints after payment of salaries to players and some staff was significantly delayed four times this season.

Black worked as a part-time painter and decorator earlier in the campaign and in January's derby with Hibs at Easter Road he celebrated victory by revealing a T-shirt which read 'I'll paint this place maroon'.

Now Black is set to follow David Obua out of the club at the end of the campaign, while Marian Kello has already departed.

Rudi Skacel and Craig Beattie, who is out of tomorrow's match with a hamstring problem, are out of contract at the end of the season and could also follow as Hearts seek to reduce their wage bill.

Locke added: "Everybody knows the club is looking to cut costs and by doing that we'll have to try to offload players.

"From a coaching point of view we'd like to try to keep some of our more experienced players. (But) we'll have to wait and see what the summer brings."

Hearts need look no further than Motherwell to see what can be achieved on low spending.

And Locke, who played in midfield for Bradford alongside Stuart McCall, now the Motherwell manager, paid tribute to the job his former colleague has done at Fir Park.

Locke added: "It's been nothing short of incredible."

Meanwhile Motherwell's Tim Clancy has even more reasons than most of his team-mates to savour a potentially momentous season as the Lanarkshire side enter the final stages of their race for a Champions League place.

The defender began the season on the fringes at Kilmarnock before being signed as cover by Fir Park manager Stuart McCall in August.

Even with Steven Saunders injured, Motherwell's back four looked secure with Tom Hateley, Stevie Hammell, Shaun Hutchinson and Stephen Craigan performing well.

But Clancy is in line to make his 28th appearance for the club as Motherwell look to extend their five-point lead in third place at Tynecastle.

Apart from a two-month spell after being sent off against Celtic in November, Clancy has held down a place at centre-back.

"I've been delighted with how things have turned out," the 27 year-old said. "I've played a lot of games so I'm quite happy, and when you're playing in a team that's winning it makes going to work a lot easier.

"It's just the final push now and hopefully we can pick up a few more wins."

While Clancy has been pleased with his personal return, he could not have imagined the collective reward Motherwell are close to securing.

McCall's side secured European football with a 5-1 win over St Johnstone on Saturday and victory at Tynecastle would leave Dundee United with a mountain to climb to deprive them of a Champions League qualifying spot.

"When you think back, you just want to win as many games as possible and finish as high up the league as you can," Clancy said.

"Celtic and Rangers are normally one and two in the league.

"With the Rangers situation it has opened the door for the next in line.

"We've had a very good season and find ourselves sitting in third. If we can get a positive result against Hearts it will hopefully help us finish third.

"We have worked really hard all season and spent most of the season in third.

"We dropped out a few months back when we had two games in hand and we won in midweek against Dunfermline to get ourselves back in there.

"We are very determined, we want to get as many wins as we can."

Clancy is keen to remain at Fir Park to experience the European stage.

"I'm out of contract at the end of the season so I'll find out then what's going to happen," the Irishman said.

"I'm really happy how it's gone here and I'd love to stay so hopefully we can get something sorted out."

Hearts have lost Craig Beattie to a hamstring injury but they twice fought back for a point against United at Tannadice on Saturday after the Scotland international striker had gone off.

Clancy said: "Even if they miss one or two players, they have a massive squad and full of quality as well.

"They can bring in really good players, whatever 11 they put out on the pitch will be more than capable of winning most games.

"We've got to be at our best and if we do the right things, perform well and work as hard as we have been doing, hopefully it will be enough to get us a victory."

Taken from telegraph.co.uk