New loan plan for Harry Stone after Hearts cancel his season-long stay at Partick Thistle

Hearts have recalled teenage goalkeeper Harry Stone from his loan spell at Partick Thistle.

Harry Stone has been recalled by Hearts.

The season-long agreement was cut short because Stone was largely on Thistle’s bench and not getting the game time he or his parent club wanted.

The Hearts management team will now look for another loan move for the highly-rated youngster for the second half of the season. They are keen for him to play at a high level and develop as much as possible in order to become the long-term successor to Craig Gordon at Tynecastle Park.

Stone joined Thistle expecting to play regularly in the Championship but was kept out of the team by Jamie Sneddon’s impressive form. He is now heading back to Riccarton.

Ian McCall, the Partick manager, explained the situation to his club’s official website. He said the season-long loan was brought to an end amicably by both clubs.

“Harry is an excellent young goalkeeper who has found himself on the bench for the majority of this season because of Jamie Sneddon’s incredible form,” said McCall.

“He’s at a stage where he wants to be playing games, understandably, but with Jamie playing the way he is just now, that’s not been happening here so he’s going back to Hearts to then go somewhere else where he can play.

“He showed his qualities in that 3-0 win we had at Dunfermline earlier this season with the way he commanded the box and the saves he made, so he’s definitely got the attributes to make it at the top level and we wish him all the best in trying to do so.”

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