BY ALAN TEMPLE – Capital City Press
Hearts owner Ann Budge has expressed her pride after the Tynecastle club unveiled their new third kit – etched with the name of 8000 fans who helped to save the club from extinction.
The shirt honours all the supporters who pledged to the Foundation of Hearts (FoH) and ensured the club were able to survive following their 2013 descent into administration under the weight of debts totalling £28 million.
Budge ultimately purchased the capital club for £2.5 million but FoH, which now boasts well over 8,000 paying members, aims to take control of the club by 2019.
And the Tynecastle supremo believes the new shirt is a fitting tribute to the efforts of the fanbase
Budge lauded: “Everyone here at the club, who has been involved in producing this amazing shirt, is thrilled with the final product.
“This has been a real team effort between the club and FoH and we were delighted to produce something which truly recognises the contribution made by the pledgers.”
Hearts legends John Robertson, Donald Ford and Rudi Skacel, current director of football Craig Levein, Scottish athlete Eilidh Child and Budge herself are among those who have their names on the top.
