Hearts Fans Turn On Romanov

[pete 2,499]

HEARTS FANS TURN ON ROMANOV

Posted 20/12/06 17:24

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Frustrated Hearts fans have launched a scathing attack on majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov - accusing him of turning the Edinburgh club into a "circus freak show".

 

The Heart of Midlothian Supporters' Trust posted an open letter to the Lithuanian businessman on their website, criticising his leadership over the last two seasons.

 

Romanov has rarely been out of the news since his arrival at the club two years ago.

 

The 58-year-old banker was recently embroiled in more controversy when former captain Steven Pressley, flanked by Paul Hartley and Craig Gordon, revealed there was "significant unrest" in the Tynecastle dressing room.

 

The players were called to disciplinary meetings individually, which in Pressley's case resulted in the Scotland defender being released from his contract.

 

The sanctions imposed on Hartley and Gordon remain undisclosed, although Scotland midfielder Hartley was left on the bench for the Bank of Scotland Premier League defeat by Aberdeen at Tynecastle at the weekend.

 

The Trust claimed that Romanov's good work at the club, such as guiding Hearts to their Tennent's Scottish Cup final victory over Gretna last season as well as securing Champions League qualification for the first time, has been undone by his recent actions.

 

The letter said: "We have gone from being the best thing in Scottish football for decades to being a laughing stock.

 

"People talk about us but rarely about the football.

 

"What we see now is constant interference, the public humiliation of some of our greatest players and a businessman who seems to see our club as a vanity project.

 

"And it is our club. We are the people who are now being mocked at work because of your antics.

 

"We are the people who believe our club has lost its self respect.

 

"And that is a real crime.

 

"We may not have won many trophies over the years, but we have been respected.

 

"We are an important sporting institution and you have turned us into a circus freak show.

 

"As a result, we have lost our respect for you."

 

The Trust also criticised Romanov for the way he acted towards Pressley.

 

"The way you treated Steven Pressley was, for many of us, the last straw," the letter stated.

 

"We know him well enough to know that if he thought it was in the best interests of the club to criticise, then there must have been real problems.

 

"You may have brought money to the club but Elvis (Pressley) has shown not only great class as a footballer but real integrity.

 

"Your response to being challenged seems to have been the response of the playground bully.

 

"It now seems that you and the board do not care about results on the pitch.

 

"The farce we have just endured of having a central defender play in midfield against Aberdeen with Paul Hartley on the bench, demonstrates that you do not even respect the fans any more.

 

"Surely the first most important task is to put the best team on the park.

 

"To do anything other demeans you, the club, the players, the opposition, the competition and the supporters."

 

 

 

I know Murray is no saint and has also used Rangers for his own gain but he has not turned us into a "circus freak show". If this guy had taken over Rangers my heart would be breaking at this moment.(excuse the pun)