Ex Hearts chief in blast at Scottish football people over 'turn their back and move on' attitude

Former Hearts chief David Southern has hit out at Scottish football people for their "turn their back and move on" attitude.

The ex Jambos managing director says there have been a lot of "crocodile tears" for Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer over their respective relegations.

He says the Tynecastle club were left with no option but go down the legal route, with proceedings at Edinburgh's Court of Session to get underway today.

Hearts, along with Partick, want relegations stopped. Failing this they say that the clubs should be awared £10million in compensation – £8million to the Jambos and £2million to the Jags.

Southern, who also used to work as Dundee United chief operating officer, told Record Sport: “There were a lot of crocodile tears for Hearts, Partick Thistle and Stranraer.

“Stranraer have been a bit forgotten in this. Partick not so much but there have been a lot of crocodile tears for all three of them.

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“As has been the way in Scottish football for years, people then just turn their back and move on. Invariably there doesn’t tend to be any consequences.

“But given the gross injustice that there’s been here, you can’t blame Hearts and Partick Thistle for taking this legal route.

“It’s very unusual but you certainly can’t blame them. I saw Craig Gordon's comments and I’d just back up what he said as well.

“To underestimate Ann and Jacqui Low, you do that at your own peril. I know both of them and they’re good operators in their own business world and also in football.

“Football’s fluid – it’s difficult to be right or successful all the time – but in this case, they’re completely justified to go legal.

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“There’s not really been any comfort from many clubs or people within the game so they had no choice.

“Over the last few weeks the narrative has been, ‘let’s move on, we must move on, let’s talk together, work together and be the football family’. There is no such thing as the ‘football family’.

“As much as certain clubs and club chairmen want to cover their tracks, I’m afraid it’s not going to be possible until the court case is heard and judged one way or another.”