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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“James pulled the post himself ,after a few complaints from posters”
Well done James.
Respect is due where someone is brave enough to acknowledge an error. For what’s its worth I never doubted your intent…
VP
Not a bother mi amigo
This was the tweet
@JonathanSmith82: @ETimsNet @Pmacgiollabhain rumour police have evidence of referee dealings & Whyte owns 4 of squad, not Rangers and Ogilvie implicated
TET
Got it buddy thank you for that.
Hello Timland been in a daze for days
How are the teddy’s doing today
Tragic news re Paul McBride…RIP
Re ESPN just emailed and cancelled.
Hh
Regarding ESPN here’s the reply I received the last time I complained;
21/10/2011
Hi Mick,
Thank you for your feedback with regards to the commentators on ESPN.
We are always happy to hear from our fans and receive your views on how to improve the channel further. Our commentators are employed for their individual and strong views, also for their experience in the game. ESPN appreciates your comments and will pass them on to the relevant people in the organisation.
Kind regards,
ESPN
Facebook: ESPN TV UK Twitter: @ESPNTVUK
Comments : Sack CRAIG BURLEY… There that was simple enough,he’s the most critical commentator on ESPN regarding Celtic. A majority of Celtic fans think this way,just log on to various sites. he’ hasn’t got a complimentary thing to say about Celtic. When I watch Celtic on ESPN an burley is commenting I turn down the volume and listen to the radio. Is it coincidence that his comments after the game are in contrast to Ray Stubbs and John Collins…evident to me anyway. The guy’s an arse!
—————————————————————
I’m now going to ask for the email address of their head office in America so as I can complain there,will post any reply.
Lurgan 53,
Yes, it’s still the same.
Oiche mhaith.
Árd Macha
e mail to ESPN complaint about you no who
Blood pressure commonly known in medical circles as THE SILENT KILLER,as people who have high blood pressure do not find out about it until it is to late
if you are over 40 get it checked it, a few pills a day could save your life
by god aint i a bundle of joy
Lurgan 53 on 4 March, 2012 at 21:58 said:
If several Rangers’ players have their contracts terminated tommorrow what actually happens to them? For example – could we sign Lee Wallace or would any such business have to wait until the next transfer window?
………………………………………………………….
Long time since we heard from you. I was getting worried. In Lee Wallace’s case can he sign for anyone because that would mean he has played for 3 different clubs within last 12 months. The others would be free agents and I imagine would be able to sign for other teams. Though maybe not Aluko for same reason as Wallace.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee on 4 March, 2012 at 22:46 said:
Hello Timland been in a daze for days
How are the teddy’s doing today
Set for permanent hibernation
Has Burley replied yet to Lenny’s tongue lashing????
Hail hail
It seems the crappy commentator with the massive chip on his shoulder is unrepentant over his comments.
Craig Burley@CraigBurleyESPN
Wow! A lot people on Twitter are angry with my comments today. Well guest what, I’m not going to apologize, so deal with it.
All of the people giving me abuse on twitter today don’t have the guts to say it to my face #Cowards
iki on 4 March, 2012 at 22:41 said:
StMichaelsBhoy2 on 4 March, 2012 at 22:01,
thomthethim noticed a similar scenario with Novo a long time ago on here. No goals was before the court I think, where his contract revealed a ridiculously low salary.
Árd Macha
L53 – been a while. I wasn’t worried….! :-)
T4
lucky number 7 on 4 March, 2012 at 22:51 said:,
I believe that’s a fake account.
Árd Macha
James F’s post was a bout 2am, seeing that yir lazy b’s, I’ll repost it for ye in a mo.
V
lucky number 7 on 4 March, 2012 at 22:51 said:
Don’t have to say it to your face Craigy boy, we just say it to your employer. :)
Rico
Rory McIlroy new wordl number 1 …go on my son :-) leaves Tiger trailing
re players made redundant
I’m sure the position is as follows;
– they can sign for anyone straight away
– however they cannot play until the transfer window re-opens
Árd Macha on 4 March, 2012 at 22:52 said:
Ooops! :)))
Rico
Time to hit the sack, she has me painting everything that doesn’t move, handy enough with the compressor and spray gun, hardly uses any paint as well, makes life a lot easier when the walls aren’t smooth.
Looking forward to more revelations the morra, it’s just like Christmas every day, what we going to do when they are gone :>))))
Take care
HH
KTF
Not been on much today .
Shocked and saddened about the news re Paul McBride. My thoughts and condolences to his family in this time of need. RIP PMcB. YNWA.
My knowledge/experience of him came from what was reported in the media (both new and mainstream) and my primary and abiding thought is that he was a strong character who understood right and wrong and stood up for what he believed in . To me , that made him a ‘righteous’ person.
He’ll be missed , by his family and friends , his profession , and us , the Celtic support for whom he represented an all too rare light in the darkness of inequality and oppression.
HH Paul.
Sanna
I wouldnt give Burley any abuse, he’s only trying to be controversial, ignore him ….. don’t give him what he wants.
V
tonybhoy on 4 March, 2012 at 22:53 said:
re players made redundant
I’m sure the position is as follows;
– they can sign for anyone straight away
dont think they can sign anyone while in administration
Árd Macha
Would make sense but if it is fake the person doing it has hit his low intellect and poor use of language bang on ;0)
match fixing by refs…wouldnt surprise..1 that spring to mind the game at ibrox dundee untd v them couple of seasons back…ref in attendance the mike mccurry guy,,,,blatant cheating….if i had been the utd manager id taken my players off the park….seem to remember this one outwith cheating against celtic……..r.i.p paul mcbride..will always be remembered
If there is anything in this story that police have information about referees doing something what could it be?
Could it be the proof we need to show the world that the “honest mistakes” were in fact a controlled campaign to ensure Rangers survival as they needed the money from the CL to satisfy the banks and those owed money?
It seems the only likely thing if the rumour is true.
If there was evidence of deliberate cheating on their behalf with or without their knowledge then it will make Dougie Dougie look like a summer’s day picnic.
I would love it if it were true and evidence could nail them. We have felt for years that these things have gone on and to get the evidence to ram it down the throat of every commentator, pundit and Rangers apologist (before we even get to their fans) that WE were right and they were wrong on that issue alone would be as pleasing as them going into administration for decades of financial doping catching up with them.
I will hang fire until anything is proven but I’ll be having a rather large say if anything comes to pass.
We wait and see.
The last few weeks have been quite surreal and never did I think I would live to see Rangers in the state they are in right now.
I have enjoyed the gloating and revelled in the turmoil that each day seems to bring for them.
Today’s news, however, brings me right down with a bump. What a shock it was to hear of Paul McBride’s untimely death and I would gladly forego all my recent joy if that man could be reunited with his family tonight.
RIP Paul.
For those looking for James Forrests post, it seems to have been dissappeared…….. it was at 2:34am on last article.
I won’t repost it as it may have been removed for whatever reason…..
V
maniana amigos
Re Burley he can tweet what he wants..reduced subscriptions will say a lot more in the espn boardroom than some deranged shock jock commentator .
Keep at it bhoys and girls hh
James’s post…
To me it was fine…written in his usual entertaining and heartfelt style. I think if you read it in the way it was written and you are familiar with the Glesga vernacular then no problemo.
BUT the written word is still a strong thing and different persons take different messages from the same set of words.Just as James did RE Fat Sally’s veiled threats from Saturday evenings press conference.Just as I did myself actually. James took the pish outta the moron . Then when I re read that statement on Sunday I seen how dark and menacing his words really were…Super Ally might well have blood on his hands in the coming weeks.
James , to his credit apologised when he seen the fire storm developing and himself asked that the post was removed.
I bleed green and white started a wind up and before ye know it….The Salem Witch Hunts!!
How far has the human race really developed?
The lynch mob now has a keyboard.Human emotion remains as malleable as ever.
More power to your pen James.
HH
Vmhan
JF pulled it himself mate.
Oiche mhaith coladh sámh.
Árd Macha
Could things get so bad for SFA/SPL that UEFA/FIFA
slap a ban on them that resulted in Celtic being dragged
down with the cheating f@@kers ?
I do hope that all who write to ESPN also mention Burleys dreadfull observation about our young left back being aptly named as Blackman…..
More than anything that should resonate with his employers…..
e mail winging its way to espn re burley this very minute
Headtheball – well said. I’ve got similar thoughts, and it might be a karma thing, but we just don’t do gloating and triumphalism. Whereas our city brethren are world champions at both!
They are at their worst when they are winning. They just want to get in Timmy faces and give it large, usually resulting in an A&E full of green & white. MWD will testify to that after last year’s LC Final.
When they lose, they normally disappear under the rocks they crawled out from.
The news about Paul McBride puts many things in perspective and we should be thinking about his poor family.
TTTT