Hearts players take part-time jobs

[Yngwie]

From BBC Gossip section:

Hearts midfielder Ian Black is working part-time as a painter and decorator as the Hearts wage row drags on. (Sun)

I'm not sure he's cut out for a career in painting. Never mind the height issue, whatever colour paint you want, he sees red!

[starchief]

If Black quits, he'd be an ideal signing for Dundee United. That'd give great balance to their team. Let players like Rankin, Flood and GMS play to their best. Personally, after his performance against Spurs, I think he could perform in the EPL. Wigan or Wolves would benefit from him.

[dougiedanger]

Apparently, to make ends meet he is doing some painting and decorating.

Different kind of plastered I suppose.

IAN BLACK is working as a part-time painter and decorator as the Hearts wage row bites.

The Tynecastle players have been hit hard with no sign of their pay packets for the last two months.

And the midfielder is struggling to make ends meet so much he was out helping a tradesman pal in Edinburgh on Monday to make some extra cash.

SunSport can reveal Black's feeling the pinch ahead of Christmas as he struggles to buy presents for his eight-year-old daughter.

A source told us: "Because the players are not getting paid, it got to the stage where Ian's now started working for his mate.

"He owns a painting and decorating business and Ian was out doing hard graft on Monday on his day off.

"He is looking at the possibility of working twice a week for him in the run up to Christmas.

"He said to the gaffer last week he might have to work on a Monday and Tuesday because he has to put food on the table for his kid.

"He has got an eight-year-old daughter and needs money to go out and buy Christmas presents as well as put food on the table."

The players have had one ?1,000 payment but the rest is nowhere to be seen and their December wages are due to be paid on Friday.

But our source added: "We are not expecting to get paid on Friday at all."

Players are suffering in the pocket and SunSport understands some players can't pay their bills.

Our source, who is a first-team regular, said: "I am having to avoid my bills and I have constantly been getting reminders.

"I have a mortgage as well but I have spoken to the lenders and they are not too bad with me about it just now."

[lukemackay]

jeeze when it gets to that stage someone has to intervene wether that be spl sfa or even a higher governing body

[AJS]

Butcher - sign him up!

[RiG]

Good old Sun! "A source said..."

[Scotty]

split this topic from the drugs bust topic into its own topic as it is clearly two different subjects.

Wonder how many more Hearts players will be forced to take on part-time jobs just to pay the bills !

[Scotty]

jeeze when it gets to that stage someone has to intervene wether that be spl sfa or even a higher governing body

I agree with you, but what I do not understand is why it has not happened ..... The excuse trotted out by the players union and the SFA/SPL seems to be that they can do nothing as its an internal matter until someone actually complains officially .... that makes me ask two questions

1. Why has no-one complained officially ?

If my employer didnt pay me on time, I would be chapping the boss' door straight away and asking some difficult questions. If the answers werent good enough, I would then be going further up the food chain until I got an answer .... If that ends up going nowhere then its lawyer time, and if applicable, getting onto my union and/or the governing body to get it sorted.

2. When does it reach a point where the league will act ?

The players should not be subjected to this, and the bodies governing our league should be applying pressure on the employer to resolve it not sitting back and watching it unfold. Makes it even worse that it is happening at one of the most expensive times of the year with Xmas coming up.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Unless Vlad the Lad is about to go bankrupt the League /SFA is probably very reluctant to get involved since Hearts are a private business (I assume).

I wonder if this is an unheard of situation in Scottish football over the past many years?

Pretty digraceful though.

[AJS]

jeeze when it gets to that stage someone has to intervene wether that be spl sfa or even a higher governing body

I agree with you, but what I do not understand is why it has not happened ..... The excuse trotted out by the players union and the SFA/SPL seems to be that they can do nothing as its an internal matter until someone actually complains officially .... that makes me ask two questions

1. Why has no-one complained officially ?

If my employer didnt pay me on time, I would be chapping the boss' door straight away and asking some difficult questions. If the answers werent good enough, I would then be going further up the food chain until I got an answer .... If that ends up going nowhere then its lawyer time, and if applicable, getting onto my union and/or the governing body to get it sorted.

2. When does it reach a point where the league will act ?

The players should not be subjected to this, and the bodies governing our league should be applying pressure on the employer to resolve it not sitting back and watching it unfold. Makes it even worse that it is happening at one of the most expensive times of the year with Xmas coming up.

I think the players were probably too scared to say anything when it started, Pressley and Hartley spoke out and all it did was eventually end their careers at the club. So i would imagine the players would have been made to tow the line for a bit for risk of being punted. Id imagine by now though its reached the point where they really dont give a toss if they are at the club or not. They will probably just want to start making a livig again out of their profession. Balogh and Elliot have already departed and Skacel is gone at the end of the month and no doubt will be followed by more departures. It is reaching crisis point.

With regards to no.2 well all that can be said is the SPL is run by muppets and this whole scenario is emphasising it. They need to intervene now.

[Yngwie]

Has it been pointed out that Hearts shirt sponsor is Wonga, a business that makes cash advances to keep people going until payday?

It's almost as ironic as when Livi racked up huge debts and went bust at the time they were sponsored by Intelligent Finance.

[SMEE]

I see the Hearts players DID eventually get their November wages. Makes you wonder if its the owner playing games, as i see no reason why it should take a billionaire an extra fortnight to stump up wages. methinks hes on a little power trip?

[Scotty]

They got it the day before the December wage was due ...... one of the Hearts supporters I know over here tells me that there were legal ramifications if if went past the date for the next month's wages.

Either way, it is my opinion that the owner of the club is not "mad" and retaining what is probably a fairly significant sum in his bank for an extra few weeks probably earned him a decent chunk of interest !

[Tug]

i heard that hearts playerrs came out to pain it black yesterday..... tongue in cheek **** take of Blackie