BILLY BROWN insists Jim Jefferies is exactly what Hearts need after his long-term colleague and friend returned to the club in an advisory role.
Former Hearts captain and two-time club manager Jefferies will advise the board on footballing matters in a part-time role for six months after plans to hire a sporting director were temporarily shelved.
Brown served as Jefferies assistant for over two decades at Tynecastle, Kilmarnock, Falkirk, Berwick Rangers and Bradford and has an intimate understanding of what the 69-year-old will be able to offer.
Current manager Robbie Neilson, who replaced Daniel Stendel last month, is attempting to revive the team’s fortunes on the park following a disastrous campaign last season and Brown is in no doubt that Hearts will benefit from Jefferies’ expertise.
Brown said: “It’s great news for the Hearts supporters, he’s somebody who knows what the club is all about.
“He was Hearts-mad at school, he was there as a player and manager twice.
“He is exactly what they need at this time, he’ll make decisions and get everybody together and it’s a good move for Hearts.
“I think the most important thing for Hearts at the moment is to pull everyone together, the Hearts supporters.
“Things went badly wrong last season and Jim will certainly help with that.
“The supporters like him, he has been successful and everybody will get behind him.
“It’s a big move, the signing of Craig Gordon was a positive step and bringing Jim back, to me, is a really big decision, and a good decision.”
Brown, who was number two to Jeffries when Hearts lifted the Scottish Cup in 1998, added: “Over the last 18 months, two years, things have been pretty low.
“Results are what matters and you just hope with a decision like this Hearts can turn the corner.
“I’m sure they will, he’s been through a lot.
“I think the player recruitment to start with, the number of players who were signed and were never good enough for Hearts, I think that needs sorted out.”
Brown also believes Jefferies will offer a valuable sounding board to Neilson concerning any football-related matters.
He added: “With Jim’s knowledge and experience – he started at Berwick Rangers in 1988 – he’s been about a long time and handled lots of different issues.
“He’s exactly the man that’s required at the moment.”
