Finance expert tells Hearts why they've won a watch with Tony Bloom as he predicts bold Tynecastle vision

A finance expert insists Tony Bloom is in at Hearts to try and shake up the norm in Scottish football.

The Foundation of Hearts are now in a consultation period over the Brighton and Hove Albion chairman’s pledged to put an initial £9.86 million into the Tynecastle club. He would take on a 29% stake and these would be non-voting shares, with FOH members to vote on whether it should be carried forward.

Kieran Maguire, the University of Liverpool football finance lecturer, says Bloom has no need to make money from football now. That is proof that he is in at Hearts for other reasons as he piled praise on the entrepreneur.

Why Tony Bloom wants in at Hearts

He told the Price of Football: “Tony Bloom doesn’t need to make money out of football now. He’s independently successful, and he likes the idea of taking on the establishment. You can’t get more establishment than Celtic and Rangers. He likes the idea of maybe replicating what he achieved at Brighton, so Hearts can punch above their weight.

“It doesn’t mean that they are going to win the Premiership. But maybe finishing second, perhaps getting some cup success, getting into Europe on a more regular basis and so on. I feel that would be his vision. Bloom’s not necessarily interested in flipping the club and selling off at a bigger price at a later point in time. He gets the chance to become involved with a club in a big city, and one which potentially can also get into Europe on a regular basis.

“What we’ve learned at Brighton is to trust in Tony. Because without him we’d still be in League One. I’ve only ever met him once and I teach at university, so I’m used to dealing with super smart professors in their own field. Tony Bloom’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met in my life. I was at a match and ended up in the boardroom with him. He started talking about things which he’s observed at the match, which hadn’t even entered my head.

“Then he was saying, this is what we plan to do in terms of short term — a very smart guy. Hearts get the benefit of all his knowledge, effectively Jamestown’s knowledge, or whatever vehicle he uses to provide data, and he gets the benefit of seeing whether the Brighton model can be replicated. He’s testing himself as much as anything else.”

Hearts on Tony Bloom investment

A Hearts statement earlier this week read: “Heart of Midlothian can confirm that Tony Bloom has made a proposal to invest capital of £9.86m into the club for which he shall receive a 29% stake in the club via non-voting shares. A consultation period with the club’s majority shareholders – the Foundation of Hearts – will now begin.

“The consultation will explain the proposal to FOH members and ascertain their views before asking them to vote on this. A majority of FOH members’ acceptance is required (as determined by the FoH board) for the proposal to be successfully carried forward. Following the FOH consultation process, an Extraordinary General Meeting of the club’s shareholders will be called in order to formally approve the transaction. In the meantime, the transaction remains subject to entry into legally binding documentation, SFA approval and other normal course regulatory requirements.”