Hearts fans break £13m total with Foundation pledges

Hearts fans have now contributed more than £13million to their club over the last nine years through Foundation of Hearts.

The supporter organisation which owns the Edinburgh club surpassed the landmark figure today.

They began collecting monthly pledges from fans in 2013 which amounts to £1.5m in extra annual income for Hearts. The total collected now stands at £13,058,044.

Foundation directors want to increase subscribers beyond the 10,000 mark over the next 12 months. Current numbers are just below 9,000 with fans loyally donating their hard-earned cash in the knowledge it will be passed to the board at Tynecastle Park.

The front of Tynecastle Park.

Former Hearts owner Ann Budge, who remains the club’s chairwoman, passed her 75.1 per cent shareholding in Hearts to the Foundation last August.

Gerry Mallon and Andrew Brown joined the FoH board last month as the group’s hierarchy was restructured following the ownership transfer.

Earlier this month, Foundation chairman Stuart Wallace told the Evening News why increasing membership was important.

“I want us to hit five-figure membership. If our membership was above 10,000 we would be putting £2million a year into the club. Passing on that kind of money would be fantastic,” he said.

“We are the second biggest benefactor at Hearts now after James Anderson. If we can grow into that position with an increased membership and increased funds coming in, that has to be healthy for the football club.

“The club recognise we are a major source of support for them alongside the other benefactors. We’re custodians of the shareholding and Ann Budge always said this was about protecting the long-term interests of the supporters.”

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