Hearts needs our supporters more than ever.

[Drylaw Hearts]

No Manager - No Season Ticket.

 

Simple.

[scottish_chicP]

No Manager - No Season Ticket.

 

Simple.

 

Exactly how I feel.

[Jammy T]

Just aswell you have some faithfull and trusted allies

 

He's good NMH, I'll give him that

 

Its funny. NMH is one of the more extreme backers of Vlad that is left here - well one that regularly posts opinions and at least attempts some depth of debate.

 

He puts himself in a position where he is ridiculed, provoked, ranted at, insulted etc etc

 

Yet he has never lost his cool as far as I am aware. Not with Vlad, not with Hatkickers generally, not with individual posters.

 

The rest of us have all lost our cool at some point, particularly those that regularly debate the many issues we have at our club - I'd suggest it is impossible not to with all that has happened

 

Its almost as if he is a professional....

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

It's a total waste of time us bashing back-and-forth about why next season may or may not be important, but it would be great to know why the club think this season is such a big deal.

 

Also, this talk of cost-cutting seems to crop up on many threads now. It's always bugged me a little, although the reasons are probably unpopular given the biggest footballing sin of them all, glory-hunting; I just wonder, if Vlad is so minted (?200m-?500m we're led to believe) and if he's such a huge football fan who wants Hearts to succeed, why are we cost-cutting at all? Why doesn't he pay for decent players?

 

He pretends he did once, but all the wage excesses of the past three years are right there on our debt.

 

I wouldn't have as much of a problem with him using our club as his play-thing to act out his management fantasies, but the least he could do is bloody pay for it!

[Cliffundo]

He's good NMH, I'll give him that

 

Its funny. NMH is one of the more extreme backers of Vlad that is left here - well one that regularly posts opinions and at least attempts some depth of debate.

 

He puts himself in a position where he is ridiculed, provoked, ranted at, insulted etc etc

 

Yet he has never lost his cool as far as I am aware. Not with Vlad, not with Hatkickers generally, not with individual posters.

 

The rest of us have all lost our cool at some point, particularly those that regularly debate the many issues we have at our club - I'd suggest it is impossible not to with all that has happened

 

Its almost as if he is a professional....

 

Hmmmm.. like some kind of PR guy?

 

well, that could be one assumption or he has inside info of events @ the club and the posts accordingly. I might be wrong here...but NMH is a reincarnation of the guy that used to post on behalf of NONE?

[Hereward]

http://www.heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HeartsNewsDetail/0,,10289~1299929,00.html

 

If HMFC want to encourage people to buy or renew STs, all they need to do is the one simple thing which they promised to do on Jan 1st.

Give us something to believe in then. Give us an experienced manager and allow him to manage.

Leave the marketing bull**** for those who lack the intelligence to see through it (i.e. rangers, celtic and hibs fans).

 

If the club actually thought next season was an important season, they would have a manager in place *before the close season began*, to allow that person to work with the team, establish training programs and bring in quality players to the squad.

 

Since the manager is still going to be an incompetent Vladimir Romanov (and Puppet DeJour), obviously the club does NOT consider the *playing season* upcoming as remotely important at all. The season they consider important is Milking season, that is, the period in which they suck funds out of the loyal fanbase while continuing to bumble and mismanage the club.

 

Judge them not on the hot air they will continue to try to blow up your arse, but rather on their careless and incompetent stewardship of the football club, and inability to keep the club competing at a level matching the standards of the followers of the team.

 

Watershed moment, Vlad and lackies. Hire a proper manager, back off and let him manage. Folk are sick to death of your waffle and lies.

[boabyarsebiscuit]

I might be wrong here...but NMH is a reincarnation of the guy that used to post on behalf of NONE?

 

You're not wrong.

 

"None" the hobo windup merchant. And when the dot.netters got one of their US members to assume the identity we were all supposed to believe "None" was an ex-Kaunas player living in the US.

[Cliffundo]

You're not wrong.

 

"None" the hobo windup merchant. And when the dot.netters got one of their US members to assume the identity we were all supposed to believe "None" was an ex-Kaunas player living in the US.

 

Ah...well...it all makes perfect sense then!

[Drylaw Hearts]

You're not wrong.

 

"None" the hobo windup merchant. And when the dot.netters got one of their US members to assume the identity we were all supposed to believe "None" was an ex-Kaunas player living in the US.

 

Was he really a Hobo is that just an assumption ?

 

I seem to recall him calling a few things right before anyone on here even got a sniff.

 

I'm sure he was the one who told us about Cherenkov.

[PTBCAL]

No Manager - No Season Ticket.

 

Simple.

 

PT.

 

[Drylaw Hearts]

PT.

 

 

I didn't say I was going to stop attending !

 

 

[boabyarsebiscuit]

Was he really a Hobo is that just an assumption ?

 

I seem to recall him calling a few things right before anyone on here even got a sniff.

 

I'm sure he was the one who told us about Cherenkov.

Educated guess. Some of his wording just too conveniently merged pidgin

English with some phrases in common use in Edinburgh but not in Chicago, or wherever he was meant to be.

 

I would be very wary of anything coming from "None".

 

Dovis888 on the other hand, ...

[Jammy T]

Educated guess. Some of his wording just too conveniently merged pidgin

English with some phrases in common use in Edinburgh but not in Chicago, or wherever he was meant to be.

 

I would be very wary of anything coming from "None".

 

Dovis888 on the other hand, ...

 

I do have to say though, some of the quotes attributed to Rodney from the agm had more than a hint of "none" about them...

[Guest JamboRobbo]

I do have to say though, some of the quotes attributed to Rodney from the agm had more than a hint of "none" about them...

 

That was my thinking. When I heard the way "Rodney" got aggressive and answered with threats whenever he was asked something he didn't like - it made me think of one person and one person only. None.

 

If that is the case, we are donald ducked IMO.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Educated guess. Some of his wording just too conveniently merged pidgin

English with some phrases in common use in Edinburgh but not in Chicago, or wherever he was meant to be.

 

I would be very wary of anything coming from "None".

 

Dovis888 on the other hand, ...

 

An educated guess ??????

 

It's a bit too precise to be a guess.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

That was my thinking. When I heard the way "Rodney" got aggressive and answered with threats whenever he was asked something he didn't like - it made me think of one person and one person only. None.

 

If that is the case, we are donald ducked IMO.

 

Even If Roman isn't 'none', he might as well be.

 

Funny, that seems to make no sense and every sense at the same time.

[topcat]

http://www.heartsfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HeartsNewsDetail/0,,10289~1299929,00.html

 

 

 

If HMFC want to encourage people to buy or renew STs, all they need to do is the one simple thing which they promised to do on Jan 1st.

 

Give us something to believe in then. Give us an experienced manager and allow him to manage.

 

Leave the marketing bull**** for those who lack the intelligence to see through it (i.e. rangers, celtic and hibs fans).

 

You seem to be upset about Marketing (of all things!) being on the club website.

 

It's obvious that you love venting your anger, impatience and righteous indignation and when you do so your a lot readable and coherent in doing so than most but surely you must feel like you're scraping the barrel here.

 

Would it actually have been any better if they'd published a statement saying "Renew or don't renew, We don't give a toss! If you want to sulk go ahead and sulk"

 

That's what I'd have done which is why I don't work in marketing.

[leginten]

The only realistic way to offset the financial impact of a reduction in season ticket sales is by selling players and further reducing the wage bill - this is not spin this is the reality of the situation...

 

This is a slightly puzzling statement as you have been touting the New Austerity since long before it became evident - if, indeed, it is evident - that ST sales are the disaster Romanov's mismanagement of HMFC deserves them to be. In other words, cost cutting has being going on regardless of whether or not ST sales for next season are low.

 

Was thinking about what it would take for me to be back on side. Firstly, tell us the truth. Tell us that we've lowered our sites, and want to fall back in line with the other sides outwith the OF. Do not get your son to prattle on at the AGM about corrupt refs.

 

This is a subject that interests me greatly. Maybe someone can put me right on this, but as far as I'm aware the last communication from the club that mentioned our aspirations was in some promotional stuff that was mailed out last summer. It still said that the aim was to make HMFC a major European club, or words to that effect. Now it could be that I've missed a press statement or two since then, and I stopped buying a match programme after the Twelve Words of Bawbag, so I don't know if there has been any official redefinition of where we're going.

But I think a dose of honesty and realism is long overdue. With Clum in the team and Shammy still on the sidelines, we aren't going to be qualifying for Europe any time soon, let alone making an impression. Oh and I nearly forgot: Shaggy in the dug-out.

[alex plode]

If the club actually thought next season was an important season, they would have a manager in place *before the close season began*, to allow that person to work with the team, establish training programs and bring in quality players to the squad.

 

Since the manager is still going to be an incompetent Vladimir Romanov (and Puppet DeJour), obviously the club does NOT consider the *playing season* upcoming as remotely important at all. The season they consider important is Milking season, that is, the period in which they suck funds out of the loyal fanbase while continuing to bumble and mismanage the club.

 

Judge them not on the hot air they will continue to try to blow up your arse, but rather on their careless and incompetent stewardship of the football club, and inability to keep the club competing at a level matching the standards of the followers of the team.

 

Watershed moment, Vlad and lackies. Hire a proper manager, back off and let him manage. Folk are sick to death of your waffle and lies.

 

 

I couldn't have put it better myself. Everyone who is considering renewing should read the above and consider the following before parting with your cash.

 

1. MALOFEEV

2. RIX

3. KURKIS

4. BENNY

5. No.24

6. Dropping Gordon when he was fit

7. Dropping Skacel when he was fit

8. Chasing 'Mr Hearts' Pressley from the club.

 

How much longer are we going to subsidise this madman's penchant

 

Buying a Season Ticket is giving him a mandate to continue as before.

 

Please stop the rot now - DO NOT RENEW

[sandylejambo]

sorry, went and got mine on saturday, not too many when i went in at one o,clock but a big queue when i left, lots of people are stilll buying them, i'm not happy in the slightest with the things that are happening at our club, but it's still my club

[Charlie-Brown]

He's good NMH, I'll give him that

 

Its funny. NMH is one of the more extreme backers of Vlad that is left here - well one that regularly posts opinions and at least attempts some depth of debate.

 

He puts himself in a position where he is ridiculed, provoked, ranted at, insulted etc etc

 

Yet he has never lost his cool as far as I am aware. Not with Vlad, not with Hatkickers generally, not with individual posters.

 

The rest of us have all lost our cool at some point, particularly those that regularly debate the many issues we have at our club - I'd suggest it is impossible not to with all that has happened

 

Its almost as if he is a professional....

 

 

Jammy_T I have typed out quite a lot of anger / abuse at certain posters who have either abused me or tried to insinuate that I am somehow paid by Hearts or a PR company or other such nonsense - I am a Hearts FAN & nothing more - I sit in section S and pay my ST money the same as everyone else - anyway I've never posted these posts because I wouldn't demean myself in that way and also I believe you must always control your emotions or else they will control you.....however I do find typing out my anger / frustration to be therapeutic but I just don't post it.

 

Anyway - regards this thread: I don't find todays Message on the website surprising at all - Drylaw Hearts posted earlier it seems like a 'panic' move and if ST sales are really as low as people are speculating then I am not surprised as the club could well be several thousand ST's down on like for like sales compared to last year & the year before.

 

If true then this will obviously have a very negative effect on current cashflow - ST sales obviously provide a large chunk of Hearts revenue and most of this will be received between April-July. This is what allows the club to budget for the forthcoming season.

 

You made an error in one of your earlier posts when you said Hearts overdraft limit is ?40M - that is incorrect - that is the borrowing limit Hearts shareholders have placed on the company (unless this was increased at the AGM?) however that might be far higher than UKIO / UBIG or any other credior are currently prepared to lend Hearts, given Hearts lost ?5.2M & ?12.2M in 2 years which saw a massive rise in debt and I am uncertain as yet as to how much losses have been constrained in this current season 2007-08 then it is almost certain that the Craig Gordon money has been used to reduce the overdraft / debt total.

 

What we don't know is what upper limit Ugianskas the chief executive of UKIO Bankas has set for Hearts borrowing limit - we could be over that ceiling or approaching it - and UKIO may be looking to make reductions in their exposure to Hearts in terms of what they are prepared to loan Hearts to cover 'operating' costs.

 

The loan for stadium reconstruction might be a slightly different issue because that is 'capital spending' and should be asset backed however this needs to be explained in much more detail however just becuase there might be money available for the stadium work does not mean that UKIO are prepared to continue subsidising Hearts loss making and indeed I would be very surprised if they weren't insisting on stringent cuts and financial controls to bring Hearts closer to 'break even' and reduce Hearts overall indebtedness and thus the Banks current exposure to Hearts debt.

 

What I also know from my wife who works in the law is that the creditors who provide Hearts with goods & services on an ongoing weekly & monthly basis have been a LOT more aggressive in pursuit of due payments since the most recent accounts were published......that is why I think Hearst face a cash flow squeeze in the coming weeks & months and obviously the club would need as much ST money as they can generate at this time.

 

There may or may not be a simple solution to the 'manager' issue that remains to be seen - what I do know and should be obvious to anyone is that whilst with-holding ST money can be an effective 'weapon' in attempting to speed up a change of policy from Hearts with regards to football operations it has has negative consequences for the clubs financial position - indeed it *might* significantly worsen it. That is all.

[Guest Freewheelin' Jambo]

I am glad to see that people are using their heads not their hearts in the season ticket debate.

 

It looks like an effect is happening.

 

Its not difficult, it costs nothing, you are not putting your head above any parapet and you are not cutting yourself off from Hearts.

 

I think it is also heatening that supporters who withhold are showing that they don't care about deadlines for cheaper tickets. They are more concerned with their club than their cash as obviously the price of the tickets will go up next week.

 

A lesson for you Romanov, you cannot buy us with your lies.

 

Well done all of our supporters.

 

Romanov, you will never defeat us.

[The Merse]

Jammy_T I have typed out quite a lot of anger / abuse at certain posters who have either abused me or tried to insinuate that I am somehow paid by Hearts or a PR company or other such nonsense - I am a Hearts FAN & nothing more - I sit in section S and pay my ST money the same as everyone else - anyway I've never posted these posts because I wouldn't demean myself in that way and also I believe you must always control your emotions or else they will control you.....however I do find typing out my anger / frustration to be therapeutic but I just don't post it.

 

Anyway - regards this thread: I don't find todays Message on the website surprising at all - Drylaw Hearts posted earlier it seems like a 'panic' move and if ST sales are really as low as people are speculating then I am not surprised as the club could well be several thousand ST's down on like for like sales compared to last year & the year before.

 

If true then this will obviously have a very negative effect on current cashflow - ST sales obviously provide a large chunk of Hearts revenue and most of this will be received between April-July. This is what allows the club to budget for the forthcoming season.

 

You made an error in one of your earlier posts when you said Hearts overdraft limit is ?40M - that is incorrect - that is the borrowing limit Hearts shareholders have placed on the company (unless this was increased at the AGM?) however that might be far higher than UKIO / UBIG or any other credior are currently prepared to lend Hearts, given Hearts lost ?5.2M & ?12.2M in 2 years which saw a massive rise in debt and I am uncertain as yet as to how much losses have been constrained in this current season 2007-08 then it is almost certain that the Craig Gordon money has been used to reduce the overdraft / debt total.

 

What we don't know is what upper limit Ugianskas the chief executive of UKIO Bankas has set for Hearts borrowing limit - we could be over that ceiling or approaching it - and UKIO may be looking to make reductions in their exposure to Hearts in terms of what they are prepared to loan Hearts to cover 'operating' costs.

 

The loan for stadium reconstruction might be a slightly different issue because that is 'capital spending' and should be asset backed however this needs to be explained in much more detail however just becuase there might be money available for the stadium work does not mean that UKIO are prepared to continue subsidising Hearts loss making and indeed I would be very surprised if they weren't insisting on stringent cuts and financial controls to bring Hearts closer to 'break even' and reduce Hearts overall indebtedness and thus the Banks current exposure to Hearts debt.

 

What I also know from my wife who works in the law is that the creditors who provide Hearts with goods & services on an ongoing weekly & monthly basis have been a LOT more aggressive in pursuit of due payments since the most recent accounts were published......that is why I think Hearst face a cash flow squeeze in the coming weeks & months and obviously the club would need as much ST money as they can generate at this time.

 

There may or may not be a simple solution to the 'manager' issue that remains to be seen - what I do know and should be obvious to anyone is that whilst with-holding ST money can be an effective 'weapon' in attempting to speed up a change of policy from Hearts with regards to football operations it has has negative consequences for the clubs financial position - indeed it *might* significantly worsen it. That is all.

 

It's not as if we're asking for the world NMH. If Romanov wants our money he can easily get it by appointing a manager. It's that easy.

 

Why has our debt not disappeared yet like Romanov said it would?

 

Why is money now an object when it was stated that money would never be an object when trying to sign quality players?

 

Romanov is UKIO, do they mistrust Romanovs running of Hearts to the extent where they would cap any loans? Do they think Romanov is making a **** of it?

[bighusref]

"the most important way - buy buying season tickets"

 

That a typo, or some subliminal, hypnotic language, message?

 

Dicks.

 

I couldn't believe that myself. Amateurs.

 

The Sales are low.

 

Very low.

 

I can sense the panic.

 

Panic? PANIC?

 

FIVE WEEKS BEFORE the end of this season, we are canvassing fans and begging them to renew.

 

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE the end of this season, we have a notice on our website reiterating the point.

 

Panic? Jeezo, aint that the truth.

[Charlie-Brown]

It's not as if we're asking for the world NMH. If Romanov wants our money he can easily get it by appointing a manager. It's that easy.

 

Why has our debt not disappeared yet like Romanov said it would?

 

Why is money now an object when it was stated that money would never be an object when trying to sign quality players?

 

Romanov is UKIO, do they mistrust Romanovs running of Hearts to the extent where they would cap any loans? Do they think Romanov is making a **** of it?

 

How the hell would I know the answers to these questions? I can only speculate like everyone else based on what I read & what I hear and try to think about it and make sense of it all - but as far as I can see ever since Skacel & Webster were replaced by Driver & Berra Hearts have been trying to limit / reduce runaway costs & gradually more & more higher earners have left or been sold with the cost of outgoing players heavily outweighing the cost of those incoming over the time period - costs / income got severely out of balance that is why Ukio would want more financial control & limits.

[The Merse]

How the hell would I know the answers to these questions? I can only speculate like everyone else based on what I read & what I hear and try to think about it and make sense of it all - but as far as I can see ever since Skacel & Webster were replaced by Driver & Berra Hearts have been trying to limit / reduce runaway costs & gradually more & more higher earners have left or been sold with the cost of outgoing players heavily outweighing the cost of those incoming over the time period - costs / income got severely out of balance that is why Ukio would want more financial control & limits.

 

You just seem to revel in trying to justify the regimes misdemeanours so I just thought you might like to try and justify the cost cutting which is being done when we were told our debt would be cleared within the year when he first gained control.

[Charlie-Brown]

You just seem to revel in trying to justify the regimes misdemeanours so I just thought you might like to try and justify the cost cutting which is being done when we were told our debt would be cleared within the year when he first gained control.

 

It was transferred from external creditors to their own group - it is not possible to make debt 'disappear' - there are only 2 ways to get cash into a business - capital & loans - thus far they have provided loans & some capital to purchase shares - whether our debt is capitalised ie converted into new shares remains to be seen?

[portobellojambo1]

It's not scaremongering - Hearts finances are under pressure - believe it or don't believe it - makes no difference to me - but that is the reality of the situation.

 

How have we managed to get from 'the debt is not a problem, you have to look at the bigger picture, we are part of a group structure and the other companies in the group will look after us" to the situation you describe above.

 

Who has fecked up so bad, who has got us into this position, because he needs a good boot .

 

It all becomes so much more difficult when dear old Phil Anderton is not there to blame, unless he is still spending a fortune on fireworks and charging it all to Hearts.

 

I think we need another statement, that someone is "bad for the club", Burley and Anderton are out of it, we saw how they tried to take us to the verge of financial and football ruin, there must be someone in there that they missed the last time who is the real root cause of the problem, time to seek him/her out and deal with him/her.

 

I suspect the tea lady has been spending a fortune on sugar and tea bags, and should be hung, drawn and quartered for it.

[Malinga the Swinga]

sorry, went and got mine on saturday, not too many when i went in at one o,clock but a big queue when i left, lots of people are stilll buying them, i'm not happy in the slightest with the things that are happening at our club, but it's still my club

 

Same for me, renewing mine and eldest son. Would like a new manager, but supporting Hearts is what we do, and won't feel that by renewing I am letting anyone down, despite what the doom and gloom merchants say.

[bilston angel]

It's a simple equation to remedy this situation as other posters have intimated, yes very simple.

 

New autonomous manager = season ticket renewal or in negative mode

No autonomous manager = no new season ticket

 

Thats my position, end of story.

The ball is in Vlads court.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

This is ridiculous. How anybody can defend Vlad's financial 'strategy' is beyond me.

 

There are two ways of looking at this, neither look good for Vlad. If we are, as NMH says we are, in a bit of a financial pickle then our current owner - Vlad - needs to take the rap for that. He must be held accountable for our ?18m increase in debt. To suggest that it would be a decrease in season tickets, and not the debt increase, that would put financial pressure on the club is dishonest in the extreme.

 

The flip-side is that the debt doesn't really count because it's held by UBIG, Vlad's company. We've all heard this one - "it's not real debt" etc, yada yada yada. Well, if that's the case, how can we then be in a financial pickle? You can't have it both ways, NMH. Either the club is bankrolled by UBIG and thus in no financial danger, or we're on our own and the debt belongs to the club.

 

These shades of grey about just how much is UBIG and how much is Hearts is, IMO, a deliberate ploy to confuse us and make questions impossible. The questions will come when it's too late, UBIG have buggered off and they want their ?40m debt back.

[scott herbertson]

This is ridiculous. How anybody can defend Vlad's financial 'strategy' is beyond me.

 

There are two ways of looking at this, neither look good for Vlad. If we are, as NMH says we are, in a bit of a financial pickle then our current owner - Vlad - needs to take the rap for that. He must be held accountable for our ?18m increase in debt. To suggest that it would be a decrease in season tickets, and not the debt increase, that would put financial pressure on the club is dishonest in the extreme.

 

The flip-side is that the debt doesn't really count because it's held by UBIG, Vlad's company. We've all heard this one - "it's not real debt" etc, yada yada yada. Well, if that's the case, how can we then be in a financial pickle? You can't have it both ways, NMH. Either the club is bankrolled by UBIG and thus in no financial danger, or we're on our own and the debt belongs to the club.

 

These shades of grey about just how much is UBIG and how much is Hearts is, IMO, a deliberate ploy to confuse us and make questions impossible. The questions will come when it's too late, UBIG have buggered off and they want their ?40m debt back.

 

There is quite a lot of confusion in everyone's heads I think

 

You talk of 'our current owner", and him being accountable (to us , I presume you mean) for "our debt", but the reality is the owner(s) is(are) accountable only to the creditors for the debt.

 

The club is unfortunately no more "ours" than "The Clash" were "mine" in 1980.

Their fans bought the records and loved the music but I didn't own the Clash and Joe Strummer wasn't accountable to me.

 

I desperately want Hearts to be 'my' Club, but the big chance to make that happened was in 2004 when I could only afford to put in some money, some parachute jump sponsorship and some more money through funding my brother's record (the proceeds of which went in part to SOH).

 

Looking back I wish i had put a bit more in, and that others had too.

 

For what its worth I think the season ticket protest is the right idea but if I was in edinburgh I would probably still buy one come May, manager or not

[Jammy T]

Jammy_T I have typed out quite a lot of anger / abuse at certain posters who have either abused me or tried to insinuate that I am somehow paid by Hearts or a PR company or other such nonsense - I am a Hearts FAN & nothing more - I sit in section S and pay my ST money the same as everyone else - anyway I've never posted these posts because I wouldn't demean myself in that way and also I believe you must always control your emotions or else they will control you.....however I do find typing out my anger / frustration to be therapeutic but I just don't post it.

 

Anyway - regards this thread: I don't find todays Message on the website surprising at all - Drylaw Hearts posted earlier it seems like a 'panic' move and if ST sales are really as low as people are speculating then I am not surprised as the club could well be several thousand ST's down on like for like sales compared to last year & the year before.

 

If true then this will obviously have a very negative effect on current cashflow - ST sales obviously provide a large chunk of Hearts revenue and most of this will be received between April-July. This is what allows the club to budget for the forthcoming season.

 

You made an error in one of your earlier posts when you said Hearts overdraft limit is ?40M - that is incorrect - that is the borrowing limit Hearts shareholders have placed on the company (unless this was increased at the AGM?) however that might be far higher than UKIO / UBIG or any other credior are currently prepared to lend Hearts, given Hearts lost ?5.2M & ?12.2M in 2 years which saw a massive rise in debt and I am uncertain as yet as to how much losses have been constrained in this current season 2007-08 then it is almost certain that the Craig Gordon money has been used to reduce the overdraft / debt total.

 

What we don't know is what upper limit Ugianskas the chief executive of UKIO Bankas has set for Hearts borrowing limit - we could be over that ceiling or approaching it - and UKIO may be looking to make reductions in their exposure to Hearts in terms of what they are prepared to loan Hearts to cover 'operating' costs.

 

The loan for stadium reconstruction might be a slightly different issue because that is 'capital spending' and should be asset backed however this needs to be explained in much more detail however just becuase there might be money available for the stadium work does not mean that UKIO are prepared to continue subsidising Hearts loss making and indeed I would be very surprised if they weren't insisting on stringent cuts and financial controls to bring Hearts closer to 'break even' and reduce Hearts overall indebtedness and thus the Banks current exposure to Hearts debt.

 

What I also know from my wife who works in the law is that the creditors who provide Hearts with goods & services on an ongoing weekly & monthly basis have been a LOT more aggressive in pursuit of due payments since the most recent accounts were published......that is why I think Hearst face a cash flow squeeze in the coming weeks & months and obviously the club would need as much ST money as they can generate at this time.

 

There may or may not be a simple solution to the 'manager' issue that remains to be seen - what I do know and should be obvious to anyone is that whilst with-holding ST money can be an effective 'weapon' in attempting to speed up a change of policy from Hearts with regards to football operations it has has negative consequences for the clubs financial position - indeed it *might* significantly worsen it. That is all.

 

The only time you get close to being riled is when you are accused of being on Vlads payroll. I dont doubt you are a Hearts fan - doesnt mean you arent "on the books".

 

Anyhoo - if you are right, i've paid you a compliment, and if you are right it is to your credit that you have maintained the stance you have in an unemotive manner.

 

However you dont have speak some pesh

 

In our first season Romanov had no clue what our season ticket sales would be when he started splashing the cash. Season ticket sales are only part of a barometer as to our finances and have had no major influence IMO on what Vlad has done with his credit with us.

 

At the end of the day our season ticket sales and finances can never of themselve have justified any wage over ?4k a week or any transfer fee of any semi sizeable nature. We've still gone further into debt with spends over these levels though

 

I dont doubt you have received information from your legal wife that people are pursuing him more aggressively for bills.

 

You know why?

 

He has spent 2 years taking ripping the pish out of suppliers by delaying and delaying payments. Despite what some people - cant remember if you yourselfs view on this is - proclaiming this as some sort of business genius, all it does it hack your suppliers off and means they stop wasting time after a while and go straight to their solicitors

 

Another act of vlad that has allowed people to drag Hearts name through the mud - unnecessary delay of payments.

 

As a lawyer myself I would advise a client 1. never to contract with Vlad, but if they did 2. sue or threaten to sue as soon as an invoice was outstanding.

 

Why? Not because I think he is broke but because I know he is a wind up merchant that needs a rocket up his ass to pay his bills.

 

Semantics re the ?40m credit limit we have - we have clearly been advised by Rodney or whoever that our debt was nothing to worry about as we were within our ?40m borrowing limit. Overdraft / shareholder approval whatever we have been told, or led to believe, we can borrow ?40m, and by all accounts we should be no where near that at present.

 

At the end of the day NMH Vlad has ensured that he has completely separated himself from any communication with the fans.

 

Meetings havent shed any light on anything, or changed things

 

Letters have had no effect

 

He barely attends or communicates with the fans anymore

 

We all know he is fond of money

 

Whether you like it or not NMH not buying a season ticket is the only way that people can see MIGHT make an impact with him. Charlie Mann has said so himself. Would you disagree with his main spokesman?

 

And I repeat if a handful of thousand of season tickets are THAT detrimental to the club under Vlads stewardship than we are well shot of his financial incompetence

 

The sooner the better

[Jammy T]

This is ridiculous. How anybody can defend Vlad's financial 'strategy' is beyond me.

 

There are two ways of looking at this, neither look good for Vlad. If we are, as NMH says we are, in a bit of a financial pickle then our current owner - Vlad - needs to take the rap for that. He must be held accountable for our ?18m increase in debt. To suggest that it would be a decrease in season tickets, and not the debt increase, that would put financial pressure on the club is dishonest in the extreme.

 

The flip-side is that the debt doesn't really count because it's held by UBIG, Vlad's company. We've all heard this one - "it's not real debt" etc, yada yada yada. Well, if that's the case, how can we then be in a financial pickle? You can't have it both ways, NMH. Either the club is bankrolled by UBIG and thus in no financial danger, or we're on our own and the debt belongs to the club.

 

These shades of grey about just how much is UBIG and how much is Hearts is, IMO, a deliberate ploy to confuse us and make questions impossible. The questions will come when it's too late, UBIG have buggered off and they want their ?40m debt back.

 

I know - I get sucked in every fecking time.

 

Whatever the position it is a shocking one

 

Debts no problem but we're cost cutting and selling anything that is worth over ?500k. Debt is a problem and we're close to going under if we dont buy another 13000 season tickets

 

Joke either way

 

Vlad has purposefully confused things, muddied the boundaries, created smokescreens

 

It allows pedantic arguments about whether we have a ?40m overdraft or not

for example

 

Its classic cold war stuff

 

As a strategy it is simple but effective

 

How anyone can be supportive of the financial smokescreens that have been created, the football mismanagement, the lack of any coherent football strategy and the total lack of respect and communication from those in power at Hearts is beyond me

 

Totally beyond me.

 

If NMH were to say - look I agree with you but without him we are screwed, I am just scared to admit it or think about it. Fair enough

 

How anyone can justfiy anything that has happened on the footballing side of the club since Burley was emptied is comical

 

No major football decision since then was the right one - save some transfers OUT OF the club

[jambos are go!]

This entire thread is based on rumour and speculation with not one hard fact in sight. Lets see see how many STs are sold by the end of July and judge the marketing stratey then. Regardless of actual attendance at least 2 to 3thousand people paid to get in the past 2 weeks for end of season games. Surely potential ST Holders - particularly for good seats.

 

Another point missed in the mayhem at the AGM(and ignored by the Press). At one stage Stewart Fraser suggested that he expected us to be just above (?24 million) the debt inherited from CPR at the end of next season. Anyone else hear that?

[bighusref]

Another point missed in the mayhem at the AGM(and ignored by the Press). At one stage Stewart Fraser suggested that he expected us to be just above (?24 million) the debt inherited from CPR at the end of next season. Anyone else hear that?

 

I didn't read that.

 

If that was said (and I have no reason to doubt you) then I hope he has not made a rod for his back.

 

Certainly an interesting statement, only time will tell eh.

[cylawny]

This entire thread is based on rumour and speculation with not one hard fact in sight. Lets see see how many STs are sold by the end of July and judge the marketing stratey then. Regardless of actual attendance at least 2 to 3thousand people paid to get in the past 2 weeks for end of season games. Surely potential ST Holders - particularly for good seats.

 

Another point missed in the mayhem at the AGM(and ignored by the Press). At one stage Stewart Fraser suggested that he expected us to be just above (?24 million) the debt inherited from CPR at the end of next season. Anyone else hear that?

 

Of course everything is rumour and speculation.

 

Including the highlighted part of your post.

 

I expect us to be ?38 Million in debt when the next accounts are published.

[Guest Freewheelin' Jambo]

I know - I get sucked in every fecking time.

 

Whatever the position it is a shocking one

 

Debts no problem but we're cost cutting and selling anything that is worth over ?500k. Debt is a problem and we're close to going under if we dont buy another 13000 season tickets

 

Joke either way

 

Vlad has purposefully confused things, muddied the boundaries, created smokescreens

 

It allows pedantic arguments about whether we have a ?40m overdraft or not

for example

 

Its classic cold war stuff

 

As a strategy it is simple but effective

 

How anyone can be supportive of the financial smokescreens that have been created, the football mismanagement, the lack of any coherent football strategy and the total lack of respect and communication from those in power at Hearts is beyond me

 

Totally beyond me.

 

If NMH were to say - look I agree with you but without him we are screwed, I am just scared to admit it or think about it. Fair enough

 

How anyone can justfiy anything that has happened on the footballing side of the club since Burley was emptied is comical

 

No major football decision since then was the right one - save some transfers OUT OF the club

 

Yes, NMH is an enigma alright.

 

How anyone who claims to be just a "Hearts fan" can reel out all the facts and figures to justify all of Vlad's decisions and continually defend all that has gone on for nearly 3 years now escapes me. And also state that he acts as a go between for the mysterious "None" and still state that he has no relationship with the Romanov regime is also completely bizarre.

 

Does he just like verbal dynamics? Does he enjoy being a lone voice taking on allcomers? Is he a seriously deluded and distressed individual? Certainly in my eyes, a person who continually advocates a point of view that has incrementally been taken apart bit by bit by events, but still insists on defending it, quite frankly should now just be ignored. It would be similar to the British people in May 1940 still clinging on to Mr Chamberlain's appeasement policy in spite of the situation staring them in the face.

 

For over a year now I have barely looked at his posts. I think at times his clinging on to his case borders on the obsessive. Which weakens his case considerably.

 

Either he is an obsessive, clinging to his views regardless, or he has an agenda.

 

Charlie, let us know the truth.

[portobellojambo1]

I didn't read that.

 

If that was said (and I have no reason to doubt you) then I hope he has not made a rod for his back.

 

Certainly an interesting statement, only time will tell eh.

 

I assume what is being taken into account is figures like the money we received for Craig Gordon Alan, which will appear on the balance sheet next February (this is where memory fails you, think we received ?7 million pounds up front if I remember rightly). I believe the debt level was around ?36 million as at the AGM, so that would bring the figure down to ?29 million. I am not sure what we have done to suggest further savings over the period 1 August 2007 to 31 July 2008 of ?5 million (ish). I would expect to see a small drop, taking Craig's transfer fee into account, but based on how we are trading would suggest even taking this into account debt could still be in the low ?30 millions (around 32/33). But as you say only time will tell.

[Only a Game]

This message sounds desperate and embarrassing.

 

Could it be that if we dont get the numbers and half say dont renew that we are looking at administration or something.

 

Vlad has ruined this club even more so than say Robinson. I never ever thought that I would say that.

 

This message makes me want to not renew, so has had the opposite effect on me.

 

For a few weeks now, in fact probably since January and certainly since the ST's went on sale the fans and the club have been involved in what amounts to a massively serious "staring" competition. We are sitting there staring at each other hoping the other will be first to blink. If the fans blink now you can wave good-bye to a new manager. The club want you to blink and renew so that, as previously, they can carry on with this farce and think they have a mandate from the fans to do so.

 

Todays statement is nothing more than throwing a pinch of salt into your eyes, tricking you into blinking.

 

The time to think seriously about blinking is just before the time where you couldnt guarantee your own seat.(Thats for those who intend to blink in any case). Let them sweat a bit longer and lets see what theyve got. If they havent got anything by the end of May then at least you know what your buying into if you still renew.

[jambos are go!]

Of course everything is rumour and speculation.

 

Including the highlighted part of your post.

 

I expect us to be ?38 Million in debt when the next accounts are published.

 

The ?24 million highlighted was what I'm sure Fraser said and is not rumour or speculation. Somebody else must have heard it.

[Jammy T]

Yes, NMH is an enigma alright.

 

How anyone who claims to be just a "Hearts fan" can reel out all the facts and figures to justify all of Vlad's decisions and continually defend all that has gone on for nearly 3 years now escapes me. And also state that he acts as a go between for the mysterious "None" and still state that he has no relationship with the Romanov regime is also completely bizarre.

 

Does he just like verbal dynamics? Does he enjoy being a lone voice taking on allcomers? Is he a seriously deluded and distressed individual? Certainly in my eyes, a person who continually advocates a point of view that has incrementally been taken apart bit by bit by events, but still insists on defending it, quite frankly should now just be ignored. It would be similar to the British people in May 1940 still clinging on to Mr Chamberlain's appeasement policy in spite of the situation staring them in the face.

 

For over a year now I have barely looked at his posts. I think at times his clinging on to his case borders on the obsessive. Which weakens his case considerably.

 

Either he is an obsessive, clinging to his views regardless, or he has an agenda.

 

Charlie, let us know the truth.

 

 

A quality of post I could never have dreamt of coming up with

[cylawny]

The ?24 million highlighted was what I'm sure Fraser said and is not rumour or speculation. Somebody else must have heard it.

 

 

Whatever way you look at it, it's speculation. Stewart Fraser's speculation perhaps but speculation none the less.

 

How anyone can believe anything coming from the club surprises me.

 

The debt will go up and up. What is going to stop that happening ?

[troy]

i ve read all the posts do s and donts and it s still no manager no st

[Zico]

Would like a new manager, but supporting Hearts is what we do, and won't feel that by renewing I am letting anyone down, despite what the doom and gloom merchants say.

 

You're not letting anyone down Andy. However a lot of people feel the only option they have regarding the managerial situation is to withold their ST money until something's done. I think as a support, we've been more than patient/lenient (some would say, too patient/lenient) with all Vlad's interference on the playing side. It clearly hasn't worked.

 

Most people (certainly me and the 8 or 9 folk I go with) will still be going next season, manager or not. The only difference is we'll be paying per game rather than upfront if a manager isn't appointed (and by that, I mean a credible mamanger, not a puppet who 'needs' the job).

 

Just as you're not letting anyone down by renewing, those not renewing aren't all doom and gloom merchants. I, and many others, simply feel that the with-holding of our cash up front is the only option we have to try and get Vlad to listen to us for once. We just want our club back - an autonomous manager, picking what he thinks is the best 11 players he has available, that 11 trying their best for us and if they lose, then they lose, like we've seen often enough over the years. Then we can moan at the players and manager as we'll know it's their responsbility - not some cabal sitting on the other side of Europe with a mobile phone in one hand and their other on the fax machine. And who never go to games and always have a ready-made scapegoat to hand.

 

If, as NMH suggests, this causes short-term cashflow problems, there is a cure. Listen to us, for once, and appoint a feckin manager!

[mitch41]

Inconsistency was our downfall for the 1st half of the last century, and from the 60's on!!! It's not exclusively a Vlad thing!!!

 

 

The point is, I'm concerned that we're looking at this with too narrow a perspective!

 

The answer is not to stop Vlad interfering, because as long as he's at the club, unless we win everything in sight, every time there's a hiccup, it will be put down to Vlad "interfering"!!!

 

I think Vlad has the right to make decisions like dropping Basso for 'contractural' reasons - where he was right out of his scooby doo was the rotation/pre-planned/remote team control!!!

 

I will settle for a manager who is allowed to pick his team and play it as he sees fit. The relationship between manager and Vlad should be like that of any 'company' with autonomous divisions.

 

He controls overall policy and the manager and CO control the day-to-day running with the proviso that they are accountable and have to explain their decisions when required.

 

 

 

..............

 

narrow perspective isn't what i'd call it my friend. romanov has shown the world that he hasn't a clue about manageing an SPL club. he may own the club but when it comes to selecting who plays for the team he's out of his depth. romanov needs only to employ a quality manager and provide him with the resources without interfereing and making the new managers life a nightmare.

romanov controling overall policy is ok but if he wants to play a part in team management hearts ist team we will always be on a loser.

[scott herbertson]

Whatever way you look at it, it's speculation. Stewart Fraser's speculation perhaps but speculation none the less.

 

How anyone can believe anything coming from the club surprises me.

 

The debt will go up and up. What is going to stop that happening ?

 

Expenditure coming down and down ( salaries)

 

 

 

sgd, Micawber, esq.

[portobellojambo1]

You're not letting anyone down Andy. However a lot of people feel the only option they have regarding the managerial situation is to withold their ST money until something's done.

 

Agree totally Zico, for those that wish to renew at this time I hold nothing against them. For those not renewing I am sure there are those that think it is nothing more than an empty gesture, I would suggest otherwise, emails, phone calls etc. would not be getting sent/made if the ST money was rolling in as it has done in the last couple of seasons

 

If, as NMH suggests, this causes short-term cashflow problems, there is a cure.

 

I do not believe NMH is lying here.

[mitch41]

won't fall for spin or promises from hearts. i'll only believe what i see and if i don't see a quality manager who has 100% control of the 1st team there will be no new season ticket from me, my son and friends.

 

 

the ball is in romanov's court.

[Buffalo Bill]

Guys,

 

If there is one thing we can all agree on, is that it's going to be an interesting summer!

 

 

I hope to god we get in a chuffin' manager and settle this club down again. But I really don't know what's going to happen.

 

 

I happen to believe that the next few months ARE the most vital in our history.

 

 

Buffalo Bill

 

.