David Templeton reveals his advice to Liam Boyce on Hearts and why it's unfair to relegate any club now

Winger urged old team-mate to take Tynecastle move
Hamilton's David Templeton wants league reconstruction.Hamilton's David Templeton wants league reconstruction.
Hamilton's David Templeton wants league reconstruction.

David Templeton wants Scotland’s leagues restructured to give players and fans much-needed variety, adding that relegating Hearts or any other team as a result of coronavirus would be unfair.

The Hamilton Academical winger is keen to sign a new contract with his current deal in South Lanarkshire due to end. He expects to play Premiership football next season but former club Hearts have no such guarantee.

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They are bottom of the table – four points adrift of second-bottom Hamilton – and stand to be relegated unless league reconstruction is approved by clubs.

Having returned north in January from an 18-month spell at English League One side Burton Albion, Templeton knows the benefits of a larger division. He encouraged Liam Boyce to join Hearts when the Northern Ireland striker chose to leave Burton in January.

Templeton insists it would be unfair to relegate Hearts, Partick Thistle or Stranraer from their respective leagues under the current plan to end the 2019/20 campaign based on points per game.

He hopes some form of reconstruction can lead to a bigger top flight next season – with a 14-team set-up being mooted.

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"I would like reconstruction, purely because I've been down in England playing different teams every week. Not playing the same teams four times a season is better,” Templeton told the Evening News.

“I think people have been crying out for that for years and years, and it hasn't happened. Whether they go down that route, I don't know, but it would be nice for players to come up against different teams all the time.

"Celtic and Rangers have always been a big factor in TV deals in Scotland and I think that will still be the case. What has happened with this virus is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and it's harsh to relegate teams when the league isn't finished.

"Partick Thistle, for example, had a game in hand which could have taken them up to second bottom in the Championship. Instead, they're being relegated. It's not really fair on clubs.

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“I know if we were bottom and this was happening to us, you would be absolutely gutted knowing you still had a chance to save yourself. Hopefully they can get something sorted that suits everyone.”

Now 31, Templeton admitted he would never have expected to return to Scotland with Hearts bottom of the league. He spent five and a half years at Tynecastle Park experiencing cup finals and scoring a memorable European goal against Liverpool at Anfield.

It has taken time to digest his old club’s current predicament. "It definitely was strange seeing that. I still look out for Hearts' results and I did that all through my time in England,” he said.

“I loved the club when I was there and I've always kept an eye on them. When they were interested in Boycie, I would speak to him about them. I told him how good a club it was.

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“When I was there, it was different in terms of higher up behind the scenes. There are still people there that I know and so many good people. It's such a good club and I loved my time there.

"I knew that, if results got better, that Boycie would love it as well. They haven't managed to get the results they wanted and it's obviously a tough time for them just now. If they get back to normal I'm sure he will do really well and have a great time at Hearts.

"When he was talking about signing, I said to him they would be fine. I said: 'They've got a new manager [Daniel Stendel] and they'll make new signings and pick up.' Even after that, I was surprised how poor they have been.

"When we played them at Tynecastle [in February], we were so comfortable. I felt by half-time it could have been three or four but we got young Jamie [Hamilton] sent off and Hearts came back into it against ten men.

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“While it was 11 against 11, I was surprised by how poor they were that day. It has been like that this season for them, unfortunately.”

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