Hearts star Jamie Hamill becomes latest star to agree pay cut in bid to help keep crisis-hit club afloat

Gordon Waddell

23 Jun 2013 00:01

HAMILL has joined midfielder Ryan Stevenson and keeper Jamie MacDonald in taking a 50 per cent pay cut as administrators BDO desperately try to save club from liquidation.
Hamill agrees 50 per cent pay cut Hamill agrees 50 per cent pay cut

JAMIE HAMILL yesterday became the latest Hearts player to agree a pay cut to help keep the club afloat.

But John Sutton could be cut loose at Tynecastle if he waits any longer to accept a deal.

Full-back Hamill has joined midfielder Ryan Stevenson and keeper Jamie MacDonald in taking 50 per cent pay cuts as administrators BDO desperately try to streamline the club's wage bill.

And the Jambos were given more positive news when it emerged last night they had added another 300 to the season-ticket tally with fans rallying to the cause.

The punters were told they needed to add 3000 within a fortnight and have now committed to 800 in only 48 hours. However, the one downside for boss Gary Locke yesterday was Sutton stalling.

The Jambos gaffer was desperate to keep his experience at the club but it's understood the striker's agent believes his man – with a year left on his current deal – can get better elsewhere.

The players who have agreed wage decreases have allowed Locke to keep the guts of his squad intact for what will be a trying season.

Deeper cuts were feared when the administrators announced on Thursday that two senior players would be axed.

But it has emerged the pair are Marius Zaliukas, who has already left but whose contract runs until August, and Andy Driver, who is on loan at Houston Dynamo and also has just weeks left on his deal.

Administrators Trevor Birch and Bryan Jackson are continuing talks with interested parties after meeting with Foundation of Hearts chiefs and the SFA and SPL.

It's understood the pair favour a solution with fan involvement, if they can deliver the right figures to creditors Ukio Bankas.

They do, however, face some immediate issues with the team due back in for pre-season training on Thursday.

Heriot-Watt University, who own the Riccarton training base, have been in dispute with Hearts over unpaid bills and some sessions have taken place at Spartans' Ainslie Park.

However, the club will still be granted access to Riccarton while talks are ongoing.

Meanwhile, managing director David Southern has expressed his pride at the way the surviving staff have reacted.

He said: "Thursday was the worst day of my working life and all of us still with the club were wracked with guilt over those leaving. But the dignity of those still there has been phenomenal."

Taken from the Daily Record