David McCarthy: Hearts and soulless.. a legacy scorned by Vladimir Romanov

DAVID argues that a club which not so long ago had such a deep respect for it roots has crumbled in just eight years of mismanagement by a group of businessmen who couldn't care less about its history.

IN 1914, there was a song written by T M Davidson and David Stephen, called Hearts Lead The Way.

It goes like this: "When the Empire is in danger and we hear our country's call, the Mother's land may count on us to leave the leather ball.

"We've hacked our way in many a fray, we've passed and gone for goal.

"But a bigger field awaits us and we were keen to join the roll."

The song paid homage to the 16 members of the Tynecastle first-team squad who volunteered to fight for the 16th Royal Scots in the First World War.

An entire football team decided to enlist and fight for king and country.

Seven of them didn't come home – John Allan, James Boyd, Duncan Currie, Ernest Ellis, Tom Gracie, James Speedie and Harry Wattie.

Three of those brave soldier-footballers died on July 1, 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme that claimed the lives of 20,000 British servicemen. The others perished in the line of duty before the war ended in 1918.

These men encapsulated Heart of Midlothian Football Club. Even the name sets it apart from any other in the British game. There is nothing else quite like it. Yet, in the space of eight years, this institution has crumbled under the watch of people who do not give a toss about the men who made Hearts great and the fans who turned it into the third-biggest club in this country.

Heart of MidLithuania, we joked when Vladimir Romanov rode in. But nobody is laughing now.

I worked closely with Hearts during the early 90s when Wallace Mercer was in charge, Les Porteous was secretary and everyone was on first-name terms with every person at the club.

Mary, the lovely Irish tea lady who actually supported Hibs, was treated with as much respect and dignity as the larger than life Mercer was.

It had heart. It had soul. And a deep respect for its roots.

The arrival of Romanov changed everything. The club became swamped with people who saw it as a business. They treated managers disgracefully and their support with disdain.

Even in the dying embers of their malevolent reign, they were insulting the people who had moved heaven and earth to keep their club alive.

So whoever signed off last week's statement blaming the running-out of money on fans who hadn't bought enough season-tickets should be first on the list of those run out of town by KPMG or whichever administrator is appointed.

But it summed up what these folk think of their "customers".

A few months ago kids were emptying piggy banks to help fill the financial black hole Romanov left.

Those fans contributed almost £2million to a share issue. It seems every penny of that cash has gone, paying the taxman, salaries and the upkeep of a stadium neglected by the absentee landlord.

They went on to buy 7000 season tickets and have no guarantee they'll get them.

Yesterday, this newspaper devoted its back seven pages to the Hearts crisis.

We quoted Gary Mackay, Paul Hartley, Stephane Adam, Gilles Rousset – all players who have worn the maroon jersey with distinction.

We spoke with the MP Ian Murray who is leading the Foundation of Hearts group and with Paul Goodwin of Supporters' Direct, who are pushing for fan ownership.

We did contact current Hearts players but none would speak on the record.

There remains a fear of upsetting the owners – but the manager, Gary Locke, has to step forward now.

Like Ally McCoist at Rangers, Locke is a diehard and possibly the only person Hearts fans can totally trust.

But he has to be seen to speak for his players and to the fans. If his paymasters won't let him, he should say: "I'm going to do it anyway."

They won't be his bosses much longer. I know what John Allan, James Boyd, Duncan Currie, Ernest Ellis, Tom Gracie, James Speedie and Harry Wattie would have done.

Don't you?

Taken from the Daily Record