Selkirk 2 Hearts 6: Billy Brown backs Gary Locke as the man to guide Hearts through their cash crisis

HEARTS' young players impressed returning coach Brown during the Jambo's win against Lowland League side Selkirk.

BILLY Brown last night backed Gary Locke to guide Hearts through their cash crisis – after watching his Jambos kids fire six goals past Selkirk.

Coach Brown was by Locke’s side throughout the administration-hit club’s first pre-season match and the youngsters on show at Yarrow Park did him proud.

Brown said: “The situation we are in isn’t good but we have the right man at the helm.

“Gary Locke is going be one of the best managers in the game.

“I trained 18 players in the first-team squad the other day and only four of them were over 21.

“We have a very young squad but there is plenty of talent in that.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be with Gary at Hearts but I’m pleased I can help him.”

Both gaffer Locke and Brown enjoyed an opening 20 minutes that produced three goals from Jordan McGhee, Robbie Buchanan and Gary Oliver.

Euan Pritchard responded for the home team with a powerful header before the Tynecastle teenagers continued their onslaught.

Buchanan and Oliver added to their tallies before Sam Nicholson headed in the sixth just before the break.

Kevin Barr scored Selkirk’s second in the second half.

Delighted gaffer Locke hailed the Hearts fans after almost 400 turned up at Yarrow Park.

With half of the gate money being handed back to the struggling Tynecastle club, Locke welcomed the cash boost and the chance to field his stars of the future.

He said: “We had a fairly young squad for the match yet the supporters came out in their numbers to see them. They have been tremendous all summer by getting behind the club.

“It’s a difficult time for Hearts but you can take a lot from the support that’s behind us.”

The manager revealed that four or five of the young team on show against their Lowland League hosts will feature in the forthcoming fixture with Romanian giants Steaua Bucharest.

Yesterday’s victory marked the opening of Selkirk’s new Bob Mercer Memorial Stand.

Mercer, who captained Hearts before the First World War as well as playing for Selkirk, died during a friendly between the two clubs in 1926.

Locke added: “We weren’t sure about arranging pre-season friendlies but when we learned what the game was about we wanted to come. Bob Mercer is a name I knew but didn’t really know the full story.

“A few of those boys are playing their way towards first-team football and I liked what I saw.”

Selkirk manager Mike McKinnon said: “We were given a lesson by those young Hearts boys in the first half but we matched them after half time.

“It was a great occasion and a fitting way to remember Bob Mercer.”

Selkirk: Hatfield, Barr, Stephen, Higginbottom, Pritchard, McManus, Battle, Gay, Peoples, Johnston, Scott. Subs: Watt,
Little, Brown.

Hearts: Hamilton, Smith, Ford, Gordon, McGhee, King, Buchanan, Simpson, Oliver, McKirdy, Nicholson. Subs: Wilson, Miller, Craigie, Daniel, Jones, Smith, Horne.

Taken from the Daily Record