Eight-year-old fan gives up Christmas present for Hearts

Published on Monday 12 November 2012 12:00

A big-hearted youngster is set to sell his main Christmas present – and donate the cash to the fighting fund to save Hearts from extinction.

Little Aaron Cameron, eight, was so moved by the news his beloved club was under threat that he instructed his grandmother to put the gift he had always wanted on the market and use the money to boost Hearts’ fortunes.

The budding footballer from South Queensferry, who plays for the Hearts youth teams, will see his beloved £100 pedal-trike sold in the coming weeks so shares in the Tynecastle club can be bought.

He said: “I knew they were in lots of danger with money so I wanted to do anything I could. I was looking forward to playing with it but I’m not sad – I’ve got lots of other stuff to play with.”

Meanwhile, former Hearts star Rudi Skacel pulled pints at an Edinburgh bar to show his support for the campaign to save the club.

The Czech midfielder turned up at the Brauhaus in Tollcross – where all the day’s takings were being ploughed into buying Hearts shares – fresh from playing for Dundee United against Hibs.

Aaron has strong family ties to Hearts through his great-great uncle John Paterson who played for the Gorgie team in the early 1950s.

His great-great-great uncle, Bob Mercer, captained Hearts, played well over 200 games for the club but was gassed in World War One, ending his career.

He became a coach for the club, but died in a Hearts jersey while making a guest appearance in a friendly at Selkirk in 1926.

Aaron’s grandmother Jeanette Cameron, 52, said the family were “very proud” of the youngster’s selfless actions. She said: “The trike was something he wanted for Christmas.

“When I got the phone call from him asking to sell it for Hearts I thought ‘what a wee shame’. But I was also thinking it was lovely gesture and I was really touched by it.”

Mrs Cameron said Aaron spotted the £100 trike in the window of a shop and was desperate for it. It was bought for him and would have been his main Christmas present.

“He really wanted the trike but was prepared to give it up to raise money for the Hearts,” his gran continued. “I knew he would’ve used it a lot and I could’ve cried when he said he would give it up to help his football team. I just felt so proud of him. He is like that though, he thinks of other people before himself.”

Aaron is not the only youngster prepared to make a sacrifice to boost Hearts coffers.

Juniper Green Primary School pupil Ciaran Cairns, 11, went to the club office on Thursday to pledge £50 that he had saved from birthdays and pocket money.

He was turned away 
because he is too young to buy shares but has now been adopted by fans as the unofficial posterboy for the Save Hearts campaign.

Ciaran said: “If I had any other money I would have given it to the club, too. I was only going to spend it on computer games – this is much more important.”

Hearts supporters have been urged to find £2 million to help the Edinburgh club survive until the summer. Financial problems and a tax demand for almost £450,000 has put the future of the club under threat.

A spokesman for Hearts FC said: “Everyone at the club was touched when we heard about what little Aaron has done.”

Taken from the Scotsman