Hearts administration: Sutton rejects pay cut

ANGUS WRIGHT
Published on 26/06/2013 13:34

JOHN Sutton looks set to leave Hearts after rejecting a 50 per cent pay cut to help reduce the club’s wage bill.

It is understood that the former St Mirren striker held talks with Hearts and the PFA earlier this week to bring his time at Tynecastle to an end.

High earners Jamie MacDonald, Ryan Stevenson and Jamie Hamill have already agreed similar pay cuts to help the club out, but 29-year-old Sutton looks likely to return to Motherwell, after his two-year spell at Hearts.

Sutton made 50 appearances, scoring 12 goals, but was loaned to Australian side Central Coast Mariners - where he won the A-League Premiership title - last year after falling out of favour with Paulo Sergio.

He enjoyed a new lease of life under John McGlynn following Sergio’s departure, with Sutton claiming that his lack of first-team opportunities were due to the Portuguese manager’s preferred playing style.

Aberdeen and Partick Thistle had also expressed an interest in signing Sutton, who scored 32 goals in 98 appearances for the Fir Park side during his first spell.

Taken from the Scotsman