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Thank goodness the current Scottish government had the foresight to build a new Forth crossing. Something previous administrations, and UK pre-dev, always put to the back burner.

A clear sign that Hughes intends to release the entire squad.

What I like about your approach, Bughtmaster, is the way in which you try to dwell on the positive about things and people rather the negative. That 's why you win friends and influence people. Personally speaking, I am now becoming a little tired of all the back and forth negativity surrounding this transfer situation. J. H. is staying and he knows as well as anyone else at the club, or the fans, that his future and that of the club will no doubt be strongly affected by his performance and continuing enthusiasm and commitment. This is nothing more then a blip in the road and surely we should all now settle down and get on with it. If necessary we have to put up with the occasional outburst/perceived faux-pas so long as we know deep down that it comes from his basic integrity and hopes for success. As mentioned above he is human and that's just his way of emoting. If we don't like it then what are we going to do --suck it up or fire him?..... Doh! If he had gone to United I think he would not have had his worries to seek and it could have deeply negatively affected his future career imho.

DD you are wrong quoting 9 years, the SNP were wanting to make a start on the A9 in their first term but all the other parties voted against it and the money was used to bail out the Edinburgh Trams!

Well you certainly have to give these Nats credit for consistent and indeed persistent creativity! Doofer's Dad makes a lot of good points a couple of posts before this one. But with regard to Alex' spin on this sorry issue, the reality is that the new Forth crossing is not an factor in this current mess since it is incomplete and merely diverts attention from the real problem. This shambles results from it suddenly emerging that the structural integrity of the present bridge has been allowed to get so bad that the whole thing has had to be closed immediately. This follows an assurance back in May that everything was fine and now it suddenly turns out that there are potential structural problems right across its entire length. And, while operation is contracted out to Amey, the buck stops with the Scottish Government since transport is a devolved matter. This shambolic situation has arisen on the SNP's watch.... unless they happen to claim that a great big Westmonster arose out of the Forth and attacked the underside of the bridge! Five years ago, almost to the day, Father Jack was obliged to resign following transport chaos during bad weather. Given that the buck for this far more serious situation stops with Derek MacKay, will he be next? The SNP are indeed, as DD says, great at taking credit for anything they can (or even can't), whilst ignoring failures. So they tell us that:- They gave us a new Forth crossing...... whilst conveniently ignoring that the current disaster is a result of their incompetent stewardship of the present one. They gave us a new state of the art hospital in Glasgow.... whilst conveniently ignoring that the place lurches from one crisis to another. They gave us the Curriculum for Excellence... whilst conveniently ignoring the mayhem that the cack handed implementation of this scheme has created in schools. They gave us Police Scotland.....I rest my case m'lud!!!!!! That just about covers most areas of devolved power where the SNP are demonstrably making a complete pig's ear of things whilst telling us all how wonderful they are. It's simply an extension of Peace is War, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength..... oh yes, and GTA is worth more than the oil!

So inevitable that when Westminster was in control of transport nothing happened and when, for almost a decade, the Labour/Lib Dem coalition were in control of transport nothing continued to happen....

There is a pitch inspection at 7:30am tomorrow. http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4790

The SNP are very good at claiming credit for just about anything they can whilst shirking responsibility for their failures. There was an inevitability about both projects and it just so happens that the SNP were in power when the decisions were made. They have had to be pushed hard to put money into dualing the A9 and nearly 9 years after coming into office we are only now seeing the first work starting. It is hardly something to brag about. Following discovery of major structural problems which meant the bridge would have a very limited life at full loading, the previous administration commissioned work to identify options for replacement. When the SNP came into office, they simply had no option but to approve it. I appreciate that there is precious little the SNP can justifiably claim credit for so I suppose I can understand why they are so desperate to claim credit for these infrastructure projects.

Understanding from Twitter is that Hearts will reprint if you dont get on time. Details will be passed to them

Sorry Alex, you are so naïve and gullible. Do you not realise that they only invest in such vital infrastructure projects, including the long overdue duelling of the A9 and A96 with a view to sewing seeds of discontent and agitation for independence and are not at all concerned with prudent investment in the future of the nation. In fact, it seems that every step the take at Westminster, Holyrood and local government is so motivated. Worse still, they are guilty of disturbing the equilibrium of 'The Mother of Parliaments' by acting above their, presumably second class, station.

I'm not shy in stating I'm a big fan of Hughes, he's worked wonders with what is at his disposal and I hope he stays for many years to come. I understand his frustrations in not being allowed to even be offered the opportunity to talk to United, and I've always said I admire his honesty and how forthcoming he is.... however on this occasion after you've just put pen to paper on a new deal I think it's a bit disrespectful to have come out and said the things he's said. Sometimes it's better to just bite your tongue. Anyways, it's said now so let's bury it and get on with climbing the table and getting the rest of the lads signed up.

So you're blaming our club for the fact that Hearts didn't want to sell away tickets at Tynecastle on the day? Interesting.

Surely like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, interpretation is in the eyes and ears of the critic. To me there still is too much distrust and disloyalty to Yogi shown by many on here, He is doing a great job for us and is confident of progressing this Club, Perhaps some of the reported mistrust and disloyalty stems from how he is viewed by many of the ''Supporters'' of the Club. These same ''Supporters'' only to hail laud and praise him when things are going well but too quick to find fault given any opportunity that arises. He is human after all and humans have always had their faults Okay perhaps broadcasting his feelings to the press is not the best thing to do but frustration can lead to a variety of mishaps. I'm sure he would have vented all his feelings even more strongly in his contract negotiations. All that really matters as far as we are concerned is that he does his job and takes the Club forward like he says he can, Let's show some trust eh?-------------what ever happened to togetherNess -------------bring it back what happened to the togetherNess

I'd be amazed if part of his new contract negotiations didn't include a 'clause' that stipulated that he should be afforded the opportunity to meet any future suitors! Hughes is an advocate of a club not standing-in-the-way, if another comes-in with interest - or 'comes calling' as he puts it. He was vocal about that during the Christie move to Celtic. It's natural that he was disappointed not to be given the chance to just speak to Dundee United. And, as Butcher demonstrated when he went to 'talk' to Barnsley, it doesn't necessarily mean a deal is inevitable. Indeed, when he (Butcher) reflected on what he'd been offered then subsequently rejected it, to stay with us, it was such a huge 'shot-in-the-arm'! The way Mixu has started at Tannadice, it may not be long before they're 'sniffing about' again! But at least we'd now get more compensation - one would assume!

So what was all that nonsense about getting tickets from ICT then? What a farce. And what is this 'subject to availability' all about? Expecting a rush are they? Why the hell can't we go to a league match on Saturday without having to buy a ticket first?

I've had exactly the same experience...ring Hearts, ring ICT, ring back Hearts, ring ICT again (who will call me back on Monday) I can organise flights, rent a flat for the weekend, book tickets to the Zoo and other visitor attractions...all nice an easy, But to buy two bleedy tickets to a football match, not so!

Brilliant news - DELIGHTED Does anyone else feel that 375 posts on this topic is sufficient? Yogi is an asset of this club and imo a very valuable one at that, so maybe we should put it to bed once and for all.

You may talk o’ gin and beer When you’re quartered safe out ’ere, An’ you’re sent to penny-fights an’ Aldershot it; But when it comes to slaughter You will do your work on water, An’ you’ll lick the bloomin’ boots of ’im that’s got it. Now in Injia’s sunny clime, Where I used to spend my time A-servin’ of ’Er Majesty the Queen, Of all them blackfaced crew The finest man I knew Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din, He was ‘Din! Din! Din! ‘You limpin’ lump o’ brick-dust, Gunga Din! ‘Hi! Slippy hitherao ‘Water, get it! Panee lao, ‘You squidgy-nosed old idol, Gunga Din.’ The uniform ’e wore Was nothin’ much before, An’ rather less than ’arf o’ that be’ind, For a piece o’ twisty rag An’ a goatskin water-bag Was all the field-equipment ’e could find. When the sweatin’ troop-train lay In a sidin’ through the day, Where the ’eat would make your bloomin’ eyebrows crawl, We shouted ‘Harry By!’ Till our throats were bricky-dry, Then we wopped ’im ’cause ’e couldn’t serve us all. It was ‘Din! Din! Din! ‘You ’eathen, where the mischief ’ave you been? ‘You put some juldee in it ‘Or I’ll marrow you this minute ‘If you don’t fill up my helmet, Gunga Din!’ ’E would dot an’ carry one Till the longest day was done; An’ ’e didn’t seem to know the use o’ fear. If we charged or broke or cut, You could bet your bloomin’ nut, ’E’d be waitin’ fifty paces right flank rear. With ’is mussick on ’is back, ’E would skip with our attack, An’ watch us till the bugles made 'Retire,’ An’ for all ’is dirty ’ide ’E was white, clear white, inside When ’e went to tend the wounded under fire! It was ‘Din! Din! Din!’ With the bullets kickin’ dust-spots on the green. When the cartridges ran out, You could hear the front-ranks shout, ‘Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!’ I shan’t forgit the night When I dropped be’ind the fight With a bullet where my belt-plate should ’a’ been. I was chokin’ mad with thirst, An’ the man that spied me first Was our good old grinnin’, gruntin’ Gunga Din. ’E lifted up my ’ead, An’ he plugged me where I bled, An’ ’e guv me ’arf-a-pint o’ water green. It was crawlin’ and it stunk, But of all the drinks I’ve drunk, I’m gratefullest to one from Gunga Din. It was 'Din! Din! Din! ‘’Ere’s a beggar with a bullet through ’is spleen; ‘’E's chawin’ up the ground, ‘An’ ’e’s kickin’ all around: ‘For Gawd’s sake git the water, Gunga Din!’ ’E carried me away To where a dooli lay, An’ a bullet come an’ drilled the beggar clean. ’E put me safe inside, An’ just before ’e died, 'I ’ope you liked your drink,’ sez Gunga Din. So I’ll meet ’im later on At the place where ’e is gone— Where it’s always double drill and no canteen. ’E’ll be squattin’ on the coals Givin’ drink to poor damned souls, An’ I’ll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din! Yes, Din! Din! Din! You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din! Though I’ve belted you and flayed you, By the livin’ Gawd that made you, You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din!