Vladimir Romanov has grown bored of his Hearts experiment as an investment of tens of millions of pounds failed to change the side from mid-table strugglers into a team capable of something Motherwell seem able to do on significantly less.
Romanov wanted to transform Hearts into the biggest club in Scotland but failed to address the structural limitations of the club. While Hearts may be the biggest team in Edinburgh, Edinburgh is a net exporter of football fans, Tynecastle is squeezed into a cramped corner of the city and provides very little opportunity to harvest corporate income, and, in case you haven’t noticed, there were two well-established competitors in a larger, net-import city with ample corporate income opportunities.
Various Hearts boards have looked to relocate the club or extend facilities at Tynecastle without much headway being made. A bid of £22m was received from a house builder for the stadium some years ago but without a viable alternative the deal stalled.
A viable alternative could come onto the market soon.
If Rangers go out of business Romanov is in a unique position to take advantage. Craig Whyte holds a floating charge on Ibrox and Murray Park but any bid in excess of his liability, which would be considerably less than the value of the properties, which have a book value of £139m, would secure both pieces of real estate.
Hearts could sell Tynecastle and Hearts training ground, raising enough funds to considerably offset what they would need to pay to secure Ibrox, if not provide a surplus, and establish foothold in the Glasgow market to complement their historical Edinburgh fan base. One club would have a pull on a huge proportion of Scotland’s two largest cities.
At a stroke Romanov would ensure his club were for all time, at the very least, the second largest team in Scotland, and, eventually, could push Celtic for top spot.
It would be a ballsy move, but if you want to create a super-club you need to think a little creatively.
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So very shocked and saddened by the news of Paul McBride’s death.
I met him a couple of times and found him to be a thoroughly decent guy. A great loss to the legal profession in which he truly excelled and a heartbreaking loss to his family and loved ones who are in my thoughts.
what about superally on a tobyjug-
id buy 1
Celtic lost a real friend in Paul McBride.
My God, you don’t know the minute right enough.
May he rest in peace.
Hamiltontim
I will get ma lawyer on to u ;)))))
Take the Treble…….
the toxicity at Asbestox will be cranked up higher than their interest payments……
A horrible hole, full of hurtin’ huns. Count me out.
Win it at home, amongst fellow Tims.
The ice cream will taste better, with no bitter aftertaste….
HH
http://vimeo.com/37830276
sit back ,relax and enjoy
praecepta on 4 March, 2012 at 18:59 said:
did your long tail break the blog…………. :)
Blogs went all Whyte!!!
MWD
We’ve all gone italicy
prestonpans bhoys on 4 March, 2012 at 19:09 said:
praecepta on 4 March, 2012 at 18:59 said:
did your long tail break the blog…………. :)
Might have had something to do with me in my ‘soap-box’ and leaning forward – giving it welly! :-)
Since St. Valentine’s Day, millions of words have been written and spoken explaining just why Scottish Football, especially Celtic need THEM
No one as yet has had the gumption to ask unequivocally, ‘Would not Scottish Society as a whole, be better off without THEM’?
praecepta on 4 March, 2012 at 18:59 said:
Don’t apopogise for the length of the post. I think all of us need a lot of words to decribe what all this really means to us.
Brilliant post Sir !
No one as yet has had the gumption to ask unequivocally, ‘Would not Scottish Society as a whole, be better off without THEM’?
unfortunately the scum who follow them will still be here
Truly awful news about Paul McBride QC.
KINGLuBO
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon on 4 March, 2012 at 19:12 said:
We’ve all gone italicy
thank god you said that, I was away looking for my reading glasses since I thought something was wrong………………………..
Really guys, I take 15 minutes out for a bath and look at the mess of this place!
Jobo
‘describe’ even. Why am I leaning to one side ?
Wonder if this will work?
Why am I leaning to one side ?
don’t know??? too much vodka in your jelly????
BOLD WHYTE
Win the Treble or win the League at Ibroke, both are within our grasp.
In these days of jelly and ice cream, we can overindulge.
Nope – tried using HTML to make my post italic thinking that would counter the effect, but it didn’t
But seems ok on the new page now!
a new page and all is well, back to norm….
I like this.
This is as close as i get to joined up writing!!
AWWW!!
Its been fixed.
Gutted.
praecepta on 4 March, 2012 at 18:59 said:
Apologies for the long post – but this has been on my chest for a while.
Sackcloth and Ashes!
EDITED
*******
Can I add my name to your sentiments.
Like you, I have witnessed and suffered their wrongdoings for over sixty years.
Great post.
I don’t think that some of the huns realise just how serious this is for their club. I overheard a couple earlier today talking about 11 players to go being an over-reaction from the administrators! The other mentioned the £3M or so “found” the other day and reckoned that would make all the difference.
What does it take to get them to realise that liquidation is about to happen?
Let’s not be greedy. in November we would have taken winning the league by the skin of our teeth anywhere, let alone at Ibrox. As for the treble, one game at a time please.
prestonpans bhoys on 4 March, 2012 at 18:47:
It was good to meet you as well yesterday mate, you have a firm old handshake yourself…:)
hamiltontim:
Text on its way to you.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
All this talk of winning at iPox …!!!!
Would rather win it in paradise any day of the week.
With as many Celtic fans as possible as opposed to a select few
Who manage to get tickets for the bigot dome.
Every title is special to each and everyone and at home with 60000
Doing the huddle would Be remembered for a long time.
IPox or treble……..are you crazy…….treble as have only done 1 in my time
Havingapartywhenthehunsdiex csc
Tickets out tomorrow for the bigotdome game. Perhaps the last time to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the club from 1872 before they go bust.
Remember to buy their programme because next year’s programme will be blank for honours i.e. titles none, cups none, highest score none – need I say more !!!!!!!!!!!!
Kojo
It is not often I get the chance to correct you so gotta take the opportunity! You made a fleeting remark relating to a certain establishment called ‘Jack in the Box’ where you referred to a couple of “Big Macs” (and a burrito), but having worked many a night shift in one of said eating houses (Gilroy CA) I have to tell you they are called “Jumbo Jacks”! Served a mean Taco too!
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon on 4 March, 2012 at 19:22 said:
No apologies for reheating cauld kale.
Liquidation does not matter.
THEY will forever be humiliated and tainted by the St. Valentine’s Day admission that they would seek any means possible to slope the pack man.
A report today suggested that THEY had resorted to raising funds by means of collection buckets outside Ibrox yesterday.
FAVOURITE UNCLE on 4 March, 2012 at 18:10
You deserved every pitiful phrase of that nonsense.
Hell scud it into you for encouraging him.
Gordon_J
My buddy just realised on Friday that things ‘might not be good as it dawned on him that they might be liquidised.”
Honestly. There’s no talking to those who do not want to listen.
I told him his club might be stripped of some titles if it is proven that they employed multiple contracts.
“Achhh that’ll never happen”.
Then I reminded him that it was only on Thursday that he said the same about liquidation.
Give him his due. If found that they cheated he firmly believes the club should not be liquidated and that they should be allowed to exists on the basis that they pay back every penny they owe if a way can be found to do so.
MWD
Their ridiculous fund-raising schemes will not even pay the bill for Duff and Phelps.
Thoughts with Paul McBrides family. A disaster.
Treble for me. My first visit to the bigotdome was in 76 I think when Joe Craig scored a screamer in the top corner. All standing then. My last trip there was the 4 – 4 game when T.B. put us 3-1 up the Murdo pulled us out of the mire with an equaliser. I cant stomach the place and the sooner it’s shut for good the better. A big singing and dancing sunny party at Celtic Park would be the business. HH.