Hearts youngster Kevin McHattie: Fans raised the cash to get me here so I'll pay them back by taking wage cut

Gary Ralston

TYNECASTLE full-back offers to half his pay while supporters snap up season tickets to help fend off liquidation after club's collapse into administration.
Kevin McHattie Kevin McHattie

HEARTS fans paid for Kevin McHattie’s dream move to Tynecastle so he thought nothing about funding their bid for survival.

The Scotland Under-21 full-back has offered to take a 50 per cent pay cut to help the Gorgie club through their hour of financial need.

McHattie, 19, made the gesture yesterday when he turned up at Tynecastle with boss Gary Locke and team-mates Dale Carrick and Jamie Walker to urge fans to keep backing the bid to keep their club in business.

McHattie has been linked with a move to Leeds and confessed he’d be willing to make the switch if it helps raise much-needed funds – even though he doesn’t want to quit Locke’s squad.

The Jambos have now sold almost 1000 season tickets in just 72 hours after administrator Bryan Jackson revealed they needed to sell 3000 to finance four months of breathing space as they bid to secure a new owner.

A steady stream of Hearts fans piled into the club shop yesterday to buy the replica shirts and tickets they hope will raise £800,000 in the short term to help fend off liquidation following their collapse into administration with debts of £25million.

McHattie says his gesture was returning the favour to supporters who forked out £10,000 through the Hearts Youth Development Committee to secure him from Dunfermline three years ago.

He said: “It was a result of the fans’ fund-raising efforts I was transferred to Hearts in the first place so it’s nice to give something back and thank them for bringing me here. It’s been great so far.

“I was devastated when I heard the club could be going into administration. My agent and I spoke about the situation and when it (the wage cut) was mentioned I said yes, definitely.

“I’m happy to do what I can to help because this is a magnificent place. Hearts are a great family club and I want to stay here.

“Hearts have done so much for me, particularly the backroom staff. They brought me to the club when I was just a kid and helped me develop to where I am now in the first team.

“It’s all hands on deck and some of the other boys have already offered to make sacrifices to keep playing here.

“It’s great to see. All the players are sticking together and I have to think about the other guys at the club and staff. We have to try to keep everyone together.

“The fans are playing a massive part and we also have to do it for them. It’s amazing the way our supporters have responded in such a short time in terms of buying merchandise and season tickets.They’ve been fantastic.”

McHattie turned up for pre-season training last summer hoping to make the breakthrough with the Under-20s.

Instead, an early season injury to left-back Danny Grainger handed him a chance to prove he could cut it at the highest level.

McHattie handled the situation superbly and has caught the eye of Leeds. He knows he may have to leave Hearts if they table an offer that can’t be ignored.

He added: “If that happens I’d need to speak with my agent and the club and see what’s best.

“Obviously, I’m in the first team at Hearts and want to continue to thrive and do the best I can to help my career.

“There’s a lot to take in at the moment but I have to make sure I keep my feet on the ground.”

If McHattie does stay at Hearts, he’s adamant the 15-point penalty handed down by the SPL for the club going into administration can be overcome.

Dundee recovered from a 25-point deficit in the First Division three years ago and he insists Hearts can do the same and retain their top flight status.

Locke’s squad start pre-season training on Thursday – the manager hopes Riccarton will be made available by Heriot-Watt University – and McHattie admits the opening weeks of the new campaign will be crucial.

He said: “We must get off to a flier and win as many games as possible in the first half of the season.

“We can do it for sure and the experience the young boys picked up last season will be key. We need to go on a run similar to the one enjoyed by Dundee.

“This has helped pull the squad even closer together. We’re one big family – including the fans.”

Locke has been pulling 16-hour shifts in recent days and was happy to give up his day off yesterday to beat the drum with fans on behalf of their club.

He signed autographs, shook hands, posed for pictures and lamented the woes of the club with supporters who turned up from all corners of Scotland to show their support.

Locke said: “The reaction of supporters has been great. I’d encourage fans to keep buying if they can. These are tough times and if they can’t buy a season ticket, maybe they could buy a ticket for a single game.

“It never ceases to amaze me just how much this club means to our fans. It’s touching to hear of kids giving their pocket money to support the club.

“It takes me back to when I was a kid. The club may not have had the same financial worries but as a wee boy all I wanted to do was see Hearts play and it’s the same for the youngsters today.”

Taken from the Daily Record