Hearts v Ross County: Hamill on a mission to ensure Tynecastle return to the top table

JAMIE HAMILL believes it is unacceptable that Hearts have failed to finish in the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and says he will do his utmost to ensure the same fate does not befall the club again next year.

The defender will make only his second appearance of the season against Ross County at Tynecastle today having returned from a year out following a cruciate ligament injury as a substitute against Aberdeen last weekend. "It's been a difficult season and the league table does not lie," Hamill said. "We can't be sitting where we are now in 12 months' time.

"A club of Hearts' stature, you can't be sitting 11th in the league. We need to be in the top six and pushing for titles. It's not about budgets and things like, it's about crossing that line and going out and getting three points."

Hamill admitted he hopes to start today's lunchtime kick-off. "I'm feeling fit," he said. "I am ready to play and if the manager picks me I will give him 110%."

With County's place in the top six secure, Derek Adams turned his attention to off-field matters, calling for tougher scrutiny of Scottish clubs' financial status.

"We feel we have done things the right way as a club, he said. "You can't spend money you don't have.

"You see people being bankrupted every day because they take out loans they can't afford. You can only live within your means and the time is probably right for the SPL and SFA to bring in something that looks at clubs' finances and deals with it in the right way.

"For so long, they haven't done that while in England in the lower tiers they are doing that better now than ever.

"If they are going to reconstruct Scottish football, now is the time to look at clubs' finances with strict rules. Banks have been too soft on clubs in the past and they have taken a lot of loans over the years on the never-never. In Europe it is much better. I know in Holland there was at least one club who broke the rules and is now defunct."

Adams has played down his team's chances of claiming a Europa League place but has no intention of allowing his players to rest on their laurels for what remains of the season.

"We want to go to Tynecastle and win," he said. "We've drawn against them twice this season. The first game down there was an exciting encounter and we were unfortunate to only get a point.

"The only pressure on us [today] is that the game is live on television but that is a good pressure because the players want to perform well in front of the cameras."

County have doubts over Iain Vigurs (shoulder) and Sam Morrow (groin). Paul Gallacher, the goalkeeper signed after he was made redundant by Dunfermline Athletic, will be in the travelling party.

Taken from the Herald