Hearts players face 5pm wages deadline

Salaries due to be paid with cuts set to kick in

Players at Tynecastle Park have been asked to accept wage cuts.

Hearts players must agree to wage cuts by 5pm today or risk their contracts being suspended.

With monthly salaries due to reach bank accounts on Thursday, those agreeing to reductions of between 10 and 30 per cent must do so by close of business this afternoon for money to be processed.

Some of the first-team squad are reluctant to accept the cuts and would prefer to defer a portion of money whilst football remains suspended due to coronavirus.

However, the Hearts owner Ann Budge is ready to invoke Clause 12 in player contracts and suspend payments if necessary. She has admitted that deferrals are “simply not an option” for the Edinburgh club.

Budge wrote to every player on Friday asking them to accept the cuts and has already made it clear that deferrals would leave Hearts in debt – something she is steadfastly against.

“I outlined the rationale and also explained why a deferral is simply not an option for the club. To reiterate, I cannot – and will not, in good conscience – leave the club in a position again where football debt is left as a ‘legacy’ for those who follow,” she said.

With no matches and no income since football was indefinitely shutdown on March 13, Hearts are taking action to ensure they survive the impending financial crisis.

They carry a first-team squad of more than 30 players with one of the largest wage bills in Scottish football outwith Celtic and Rangers.

Some players, though, believe similar wage deferrals at other clubs should be implemented at Tynecastle Park. They have made their feelings clear through their union, PFA Scotland.

Manager Daniel Stendel is working without a wage and captain Steven Naismith has taken a 50 per cent reduction.

Today’s 5pm deadline leaves little time for others to negotiate and Budge has already made clear that cuts are the only way forward for Hearts under current circumstances.