Hearts may NOT see out the summer

ROBERT MARTIN

BRYAN JACKSON last night warned Hearts will die unless he can find enough cash to get them through the next few weeks.

Jackson and BDO have been handed the task of trying to save the Jambos after they entered administration yesterday.

He said: “This is a huge task. Hearts is a huge club and we all know from reading the press over the past few weeks that we are starting from a negative situation where people haven’t been paid. The cash flow is negative.”

Jackson, who has been performing a similar role at Dunfermline, raced to Edinburgh yesterday afternoon to start work.

He held meetings with managing director David Southern and finance manager Fiona Sinclair to try and get a grasp on the club’s finances.

With the club’s season ticket money already all spent by the previous regime, Jackson urgently needs to find new money to ensure the club keeps going.

He added: “It’s the worst month of the year because there is no income just now.

“Season ticket sales have been underway, but there is a problem utilising that money.

“We’ve a real problem in terms of how we are going to fund the club over the next two months.

“We need to get through June. In July there will be a few friendlies hopefully, and then we’ll get into the season.

“But right now there’s a real cash flow problem and we need to look at ways around that.

“I’m in the hands of other people in these situations. If there are no buyers or funding or the fans don’t come out and support in every way, then we can’t continue because we can’t keep the doors open.”

The future looks bleak for the 139-year-old Edinburgh institution. But Jackson insists he would not have taken the task on if he didn’t think Hearts could be rescued.

He said: “Clubs are always saveable — I wouldn’t take this on if it wasn’t saveable.

“But that doesn’t mean the club will be saved.

“One of the reasons we are taking on a challenge like this is we know it is a huge club with a huge support. We know that support will rally round, that’s evident.

“If we weren’t confident that was the case there would be nothing for us to work for.”

Boss Gary Locke visited Tynecastle on his return from holiday yesterday.

But Jackson revealed he has yet to speak to the Jambos gaffer, his players or any of the staff.

He is expected to address them this morning at Tynecastle, with job losses likely to follow.

Jackson said: “At this point in time we have not spoken to anyone from the club. We are trying to get as much information as we can so we can get a strategy going forward.”