Hearts to stay at Tynecastle for now

Hearts have confirmed they will stay at their current Tynecastle home for another year.

The club had reached an agreement in principle to take up tenancy at Murrayfield next year while plans were put into place to sell their current home.

The proposed move provoked a furious reaction from a large section of the Hearts support, who have spent the last few months campaigning to remain at Tynecastle.

Chief executive Chris Robinson has been the main target of the protests but he maintains the sale of the Gorgie ground is vital to ease the club’s debt of around £16m (€23.7m).

New chairman George Foulkes indicated that the move to Murrayfield could be put on hold when he took over from Doug Smith at the beginning of April and the club have confirmed that today.

But some of their games could still take place at the home of Scottish rugby next season.

Tynecastle does not meet UEFA requirements for European football and the club have an agreement with the Scottish Rugby Union to play their UEFA Cup homes ties at Murrayfield but the plan is subject to approval from UEFA and the Scottish Football Association.