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BRYAN JACKSON


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Big interview: Hearts’ new stand marks future, says Bryan Jackson


Few could argue if Hearts named Tynecastle Park’s new multi-million pound structure “The Bryan Jackson Stand”. The man himself would probably collapse with embarrassment, but it would nonetheless be a fitting tribute to his diligence in saving Heart of Midlothian Football Club from extinction.


Jackson will tell you he was just doing his job and nothing more at the time. Don’t let him kid you. He was a business restructuring specialist with BDO, placed in charge when Hearts entered administration in 2013. There were sleepless nights, battles with tetchy Lithuanian administrators, flights to Eastern Europe and threats of liquidation during a year of relentless stress and tension.


If Ann Budge, pictured below, and the Foundation of Hearts fan movement ultimately provided the Capital to get the club out of administration in 2014, it was Jackson’s expertise, tenacity and professionalism which made it all possible. He simply refused to give up believing he could prise the club’s majority shareholding from bankrupt Lithuanian companies UBIG and Ukio Bankas.


Of course, Budge’s £2.5million loan was crucial, as were donations from supporters which saw FoH take off spectacularly. The pace of Hearts’ recovery since then has been breathtaking and their new multi-million-pound stand is close to opening. If work is completed and safety certificates secured in time, it will open this Sunday against Partick Thistle.


Whenever the unveiling takes place, it will be another indicator that the club is here to stay. Never again will it be allowed to teeter so close to death. “I think it’s absolutely remarkable that they are going to be opening this new stand so soon after an administration event,” said Jackson, who passed control of Hearts to Budge when administration ended in May 2014. “To have raised the money and done all the planning that needs to happen, it’s an incredibly ambitious recovery. You can only be impressed by it. I certainly am.


“The financial turmoil came to an end when Ann took control but this stand is another marker that it’s truly finished. This is another marker that the problems of the past are truly over. To fans, it’s all about what happens on the park. There’s no point having a new stand if nobody comes to the ground. So that’s a factor but you’re building a new stand at probably the most atmospheric ground in Scotland. And it’s all happened in just over three years. It is incredible.


“It’s a great marker for confidence: Here’s a new era going forward. It’s a great milestone to say: ‘We really are here for the stay. We’re not going back to what happened before.’ Look at the confidence in the future because it’s actually building a stand which gives you more capacity. That’s a huge show of confidence in the stability of the club. They will fill it, that’s where the confidence is.”


Jackson is now semi-retired and somewhat removed from the world of Scottish football insolvency events. Saving Motherwell, Dundee, Dunfermline, Portsmouth and Hearts from shutdown makes for a stunning CV.


Yet, for Jackson, nothing is as impressive as the progress made in Gorgie since he left the building. The building which has since been demolished and replaced by that hulking new stand. The paved area outside will be named the ‘Foundation Plaza’ in honour of the fans who helped keep Hearts beating, and who have contributed £3million towards the cost.


A title for the stand itself has yet to be revealed. Naming it after Jackson would be fine, but he highlights Budge and the Tynecastle supporters as the real heroes of the club’s survival fight.


“My view is that Ann, along with the supporters, saved the club. Ann bridged it, the supporters were making donations, coming to all the games and backing her. The Foundation were making all the payments, as they still are. I’ve always had a very strong view on that,” he stressed.


“There were all those horrendous obstacles to overcome but it was the fans who really saved the club more than anybody. When Ann and I were having chats prior to her taking over, we discussed what had to be done. It was a broken club in every way and had to be rebuilt. You don’t know how long the recovery will be, you just hope it will recover.


“I don’t recall having any discussions with her about her plans to build a stand. Probably, at that time, I don’t think she would’ve known herself. On day one, she had all the player and manager side to sort out herself. We were very much still in survival mode.


“Maybe at the back of her mind, she wasn’t sure. I think she said she looked at all the options, moving and everything else.”


Jackson was first introduced to Budge during that year-long administration. She was a godsend at a time when administrators who held Hearts shares in Lithuania were threatening to liquidate the club.


“I always felt Ann was the right person when I met her. She was very impressive, she was a Hearts fan and was willing to put her own money forward. I couldn’t really have wanted for anybody better at that stage, particular given the kind of pressure I was under,” explained Jackson.


“The progress she made hasn’t altogether surprised me because I had high expectations of her abilities. What I think she has done incredibly well is taking her skill set into the world of football. That’s difficult because, as you know, the world of football is insane.


“A lot of people have had difficulty doing that because of the nature of the industry, whereas she appears to have done it incredibly well. The pace she has put the stand in at has been great.


“She has made a lot of quick decisions. Look back at what she had to deal with on day one, day two and day three. It was quite remarkable. I think she showed a really decisive side to her in the way she just went in and made decisions.”


During her long and successful business life, from IT expertise to running Hearts, the decision and conviction to rebuild Tynecastle Park is as impactful as any. Jackson is just happy to sit back, smile and watch it unfold.

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Good read. His acknowledgment to Ann and the fans is particularly pleasing. I know it was our collective investment that effectively saved the club, but Bryan Jackson's expertise and experience no doubt gave us the best chance of getting that CV.

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letsalldothebeattie

Absolute hero for what he done to help save the club and deserves to be remembered and recognised as such. 

 

I would even even like to see him go into the Hall of fame for his work to save us during admin

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Footballfirst
8 minutes ago, letsalldothebeattie said:

Absolute hero for what he done to help save the club and deserves to be remembered and recognised as such. 

 

I would even even like to see him go into the Hall of fame for his work to save us during admin

A more practical option would be to get him on the Board of the club or FOH, once ownership of the club is transferred.

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letsalldothebeattie
5 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

A more practical option would be to get him on the Board of the club or FOH, once ownership of the club is transferred.

Either way as long as he’s recognised by the club for all he done I’d be happy. I know we the fans had a lot to do with saving us but he’s a large part of it as well and deserves recognition of some sort by the club

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Rudi5kaceldream1ng

Rightfully deserves a lot of praise. Hearts are like Lazarus,now we’re back for good though. Christian Bale smug face etc..

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10 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

A more practical option would be to get him on the Board of the club or FOH, once ownership of the club is transferred.

 

It would be good to have someone with his knowledge but I don’t think this would interest him. 

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It would be good to get him to officially open the new stand. 

 

Yes I know he was just doing his job, but l for one think he deserves extra recognition.

 

 

 

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The problems of fighting of insolvency and building this new stand are comparable. Bryan did a magnificent job in saving this club. Ann Budge and the Foundation are also doing a great job in very trying and difficult circumstances. When this whole thing is finished it will be a testament to all not least Bryan Jackson who without his skill and tenacity we wouldn’t be where we are now and where we are headed in the future.

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scott herbertson

He makes a very good point about Ann Budge adapting to the “insane” world of football club ownership well from a more regular business background. So many business people have complacently assumed they could just transfer their skills and do as they please, but she understood the fans perspective and the need to take them along (or at least the majority) on the decision making.

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To read this and then compare it to the nitpicking in the Stand Thread you do wonder if some Hearts fans can actually contemplate how close we came to extinction when they moan about the bloody font choice!

 

Brian walked past when I was having a pint outside at Platform 5 once, I gave him a shout and a thumbs up, he smiled but you could tell he wasn’t saving Hearts for the publicity but as a professional doing his job which you have to admire.

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scott herbertson
Just now, Leisham38 said:

To read this and then compare it to the nitpicking in the Stand Thread you do wonder if some Hearts fans can actually contemplate how close we came to extinction when they moan about the bloody font choice!

 

Brian walked past when I was having a pint outside at Platform 5 once, I gave him a shout and a thumbs up, he smiled but you could tell he wasn’t saving Hearts for the publicity but as a professional doing his job which you have to admire.

 

 

Absolutely - but I think he is a professional “plus”. He took an active interest in what he was doing and went that extra mile to ensure success. Having watched a local club go to the dogs as a result of the failure of an administration process (Kingstonian) where the club was “saved” by handing it over to someone who did not have it or the fans’ best interest at heart , I have nothing but admiration for the way Jackson conducted himself and managed the transition.

 

Like  a few others I wrote to him at his company afterwards just to thank him for what he did and it’s  a measure of the man that he wrote me a modest thank you note back.

 

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Read and digest fully what Bryan Jackson says in this interview.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will the rebuilding of the Heart of Midlothian.

The current custodians of the club are not building foundations for tomorrow, next year or the year after.

They are building for fifty years hence and beyond. Only the short sighted don't see this and alas there are a few of these in the Hearts support.

 

Our foundations are being built on solid stone and not sand as many football clubs appear to be.

Long may it continue. We shall not be moved.

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Reminds me of a chance meeting I had in Tesco in Haddington a couple of years ago, just after we'd won the Championship. You know thing when you walk past someone and then you say hello because you think you recognise them from somewhere?

 

I say "Oh, Hi Bryan", and he said "Hi" back. And then I felt a wee bit compelled to say something else so I talked a bit about Hearts to which Bryan politely seemed happy to chat about.

 

Then I said something like "...and in a way, much of that is thanks to you for the great job you did over that year".

 

Bryan looked at me a wee bit confused. "What do you mean?" 

 

I said "...about great job you did during admin and getting us over the line."

 

"I don't know what you mean?" said Bryan, who at this point, I thought was just being humble.

 

I looked at Bryan for a second. 

 

"Bryan?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Bryan Jackson?"

 

"No, Brian Inness"

 

30 seconds later, I was in my **** ing car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The man's a Heart of Midlothian FC legend.

 

His contribution to the Club increases with every passing day, for without his expertise and intervention we would surely have perished. Without his interventions and mastery, the money we chucked into the well wouldn't have made any difference.

 

To paraphrase Carol from The Walking Dead, "you did more for my little girl today than her daddy did in his whole life" (and some people think it's just about zombies). 

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That was back then.

 

Bryan's a true football man and therefore I still wouldn't mind seeing him as our eventual  CEO sometime in the future , if he was willing to take on the task.

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Gave me my plot at the ceremony a couple of months ago and a top fella. I don’t know if he gave a monkeys about us before admin but he obviously cares now. 

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Motherwell, Dundee, Dunfermline, Portsmouth and Hearts have a lot to be thankful that they had BDO and Bryan Jackson as administrators.  As a comparison we have Sevco, Dumb & Dumber and LIQUIDATION.   

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49 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

Read and digest fully what Bryan Jackson says in this interview.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will the rebuilding of the Heart of Midlothian.

The current custodians of the club are not building foundations for tomorrow, next year or the year after.

They are building for fifty years hence and beyond. Only the short sighted don't see this and alas there are a few of these in the Hearts support.

 

Our foundations are being built on solid stone and not sand as many football clubs appear to be.

Long may it continue. We shall not be moved.

 

I broadly agree with this but it doesn't mean we should excuse bad decisions being made now.

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Coburg Hearts
4 hours ago, novoman said:

It would be good to get him to officially open the new stand. 

 

Yes I know he was just doing his job, but l for one think he deserves extra recognition.

 

 

 

Agreed. He was just doing his job, but in so doing I reckon he went above and beyond the call of duty. He went the extra mile, and then some.

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5 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

A more practical option would be to get him on the Board of the club or FOH, once ownership of the club is transferred.

Great shout.:spoton:

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Had the pleasure of sitting beside him at a dinner a couple of years ago when he gave me a real insight to how Hearts were saved.  Do not underestimate the chaos to the process those Leith bitter tossers caused him, with their bogus fax offers and reports of inflated Edinburgh land prices sent to the Lithuanians!!

 

They wanted us dead - NEVER ever forget that! 

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3 hours ago, Darren said:

 

I broadly agree with this but it doesn't mean we should excuse bad decisions being made now.

 

 

JKB should have a list of all your bad decisions, so that we can all castigate you for your failure/incompetence.

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5 hours ago, Buffalo Bill said:

Reminds me of a chance meeting I had in Tesco in Haddington a couple of years ago, just after we'd won the Championship. You know thing when you walk past someone and then you say hello because you think you recognise them from somewhere?

 

I say "Oh, Hi Bryan", and he said "Hi" back. And then I felt a wee bit compelled to say something else so I talked a bit about Hearts to which Bryan politely seemed happy to chat about.

 

Then I said something like "...and in a way, much of that is thanks to you for the great job you did over that year".

 

Bryan looked at me a wee bit confused. "What do you mean?" 

 

I said "...about great job you did during admin and getting us over the line."

 

"I don't know what you mean?" said Bryan, who at this point, I thought was just being humble.

 

I looked at Bryan for a second. 

 

"Bryan?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Bryan Jackson?"

 

"No, Brian Inness"

 

30 seconds later, I was in my **** ing car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:laugh:

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Lord Beni of Gorgie

A superb article. It was only 3/4 short years ago. Sunday without having to exaggerate will be one of the most emotional days I have ever spent inside Tynecastle.

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1 hour ago, Thomaso said:

Had the pleasure of sitting beside him at a dinner a couple of years ago when he gave me a real insight to how Hearts were saved.  Do not underestimate the chaos to the process those Leith bitter tossers caused him, with their bogus fax offers and reports of inflated Edinburgh land prices sent to the Lithuanians!!

 

They wanted us dead - NEVER ever forget that! 

 

Ever since the 5-1 final we’ve taken the boot off that nearly dead animals neck. It’s starting to get back up and I seriously hope we throw it back down and do the job properly next time there’s a chance and put it out it’s misery. 

They didn’t just want us dead they actively tried to help it along, when the shoe is inevitably on the other foot I can’t imagine them getting out the other side. 

 

Back on topic. Bryan Jackson getting a seat on the board seems like an astute piece of business to me, hopefully we can make it so. ✌️

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Dagger Is Back

Had the pleasure of meeting him to discuss a few business ideas we had.

 

Found him very down to earth, humble and with a sharp mind.

 

Made us very welcome.

 

An absolute legend in Hearts history

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siegementality

We all owe Bryan Jackson a huge debt of gratitude. Likewise - as he reminds us numerous times throughout the article - Ann Budge.  Some people really need to remember how huge an impact she has made on our club.  Bryan Jackson carried out the CPR until Budge and FOH arrived to save us. No-one who worked their rocks off for the club at that time should ever be forgotten.

 

 

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2 hours ago, colinmaroon said:

 

 

JKB should have a list of all your bad decisions, so that we can all castigate you for your failure/incompetence.

 

:lol:

 

I don't work for Hearts in a senior management position or play for the team so I'm not sure why that would be necessary but I'm happy to start it off for you.


1. Trying to have a reasonable conversation with a man whose life revolves around an imaginary friend.

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7 hours ago, Buffalo Bill said:

Reminds me of a chance meeting I had in Tesco in Haddington a couple of years ago, just after we'd won the Championship. You know thing when you walk past someone and then you say hello because you think you recognise them from somewhere?

 

I say "Oh, Hi Bryan", and he said "Hi" back. And then I felt a wee bit compelled to say something else so I talked a bit about Hearts to which Bryan politely seemed happy to chat about.

 

Then I said something like "...and in a way, much of that is thanks to you for the great job you did over that year".

 

Bryan looked at me a wee bit confused. "What do you mean?" 

 

I said "...about great job you did during admin and getting us over the line."

 

"I don't know what you mean?" said Bryan, who at this point, I thought was just being humble.

 

I looked at Bryan for a second. 

 

"Bryan?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Bryan Jackson?"

 

"No, Brian Inness"

 

30 seconds later, I was in my **** ing car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post of the year.thanks for giving us a laugh.

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Francis Albert
8 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

A more practical option would be to get him on the Board of the club or FOH, once ownership of the club is transferred.

Great idea. I think we need someone outside the inner citcle of ann/foh acquaintances and friends and he has a lot of expereince of football finance and the way clubs are or have been run. 

I

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I presume the ones who crack one off in this thread aren't also Vlad lovers. Would be a touch duplicitous if they were 

 

Although with kickback you never know. Any way the wind blows and all that 

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Francis Albert
8 hours ago, Tazio said:

 

It would be good to have someone with his knowledge but I don’t think this would interest him. 

Not even as a paid non-executive director? Worth a try.

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scott herbertson
10 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Not even as a paid non-executive director? Worth a try.

 

 

I agree - we’ve seen the stamp of the man in all his actions. He seems to be happy to continue a relationship with us by attending ceremonies etc. That suggests to me if the role was right he might be interested. 

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12 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Not even as a paid non-executive director? Worth a try.

 

As far as I know he’s happy getting to spend proper quality time with his family without the stress and enjoy his football watching without other teams matters in his mind. 

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15 minutes ago, Francis Albert said:

Not even as a paid non-executive director? Worth a try.

 

Perhaps they have tried. I hope his role in the club's survival is marked in some way.

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Francis Albert
2 minutes ago, Tazio said:

 

As far as I know he’s happy getting to spend proper quality time with his family without the stress and enjoy his football watching without other teams matters in his mind. 

Good for him and i'd be the last to complain about someone enjoying retirement. But for a couple of hours a month plus travel and expenses and few ten grand a year worth a shot. An experienced outside view would be invaluable

 

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