Hearts fans to stage protest outside Tynecastle - 'it is time for a change'

A call has been issued for supporters to make their feelings known outside Tynecastle Park prior to the New Year home fixture against Motherwell this Thursday, January 2. The planned demonstration comes as Hearts sit second bottom of the William Hill Premiership and under serious threat of relegation after collecting just 17 points from 20 league matches.

Recent results have amplified fan anger with Hearts conceding twice in stoppage time to draw 2-2 at Ross County on Sunday following the 2-1 home defeat to Edinburgh derby rivals Hibs on Boxing Day. Hearts also crashed out of the UEFA Conference League in embarrassing fashion after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to Moldovan minnows Petrocub a fortnight ago having lost 1-0 at Kilmarnock in their previous fixture despite playing against 10 men for 84 minutes.

Head coach Neil Critchley was appointed in mid-October to replace Steven Naismith but results and performances have not improved sufficiently to quell supporter unrest, while the link-up with Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, that will see Hearts utilise his renowned data company, Jamestown Analytics, for incoming transfers remains in the early stages.

The Hearts podcast ‘This Is My Story’ is urging people to meet at 2pm on the Foundation Plaza in front of the stadium on Thursday with much of the ire directed at the board including chairman Ann Budge, chief executive Andrew McKinlay and the Foundation of Hearts.

A post on social media read: “Seven managers in 10 years. Another managerial disaster playing out. Another relegation dog fight. More money to be chucked into the void to save the season in January. £18m of our money handed over via the FoH. £25m in ‘gifts’ to balance the books. Millions in season ticket money. Millions in matchday money. Millions to Budge’s brother. Radio silence from the FoH other than to push messages from the board onto us. Fan owned, not fan run. Shut up and give us your money more like.

“Call for all Jambos to meet on the Plaza at 2pm vs Motherwell. Every 18 months we end up back in crisis, time and time again we get the next move wrong. It is time for a change. It is time for the FoH to step up and represent us, not the board. Enough is enough.”