The majority of the Hearts players have now agreed to take club-imposed wage cuts.
The Jambos stars have accepted reductions ranging from 10 to 30 per cent, with the deals all agreed before Ann Budge ’s 5pm deadline.
A couple of internationalists are still in talks but are expected to agree to the same cuts over the next 24 hours.
The Hearts players had been in an uneasy stand-off with their owner who had threatened to evoke the controversial clause 12 loophole that would allow her to suspend wages during the current pandemic.
It now means the Tynecastle playing staff will now receive their May wage minus the agreed reductions. Budge had initially asked her players to take 50 per cent when the Coronavirus kicked in but then reduced her demands.
The playing squad were always willing to help play their part but wanted to take wage deferrals, like had happened at rival clubs like Hibs, Aberdeen, Celtic and Rangers.
The PFA (Scotland) had been in talks with Budge but she remained unmoved and refused to agree to deferrals and put the club with large, future football debts.
Captain Stevie Naismith had previously agreed to a 50 per cent cut and manager Daniel Stendel has since been working for free.
Several other Hearts players, including internationalists, had already agreed to take cuts in recent days, along with some of their younger players.
It left the remaining players in an uncomfortable position.
PFA (Scotland) had made it clear they would support them legally and that clause 12 wasn’t as watertight as Hearts thought but they have decided against going down that route.
Hearts had previously told players who took cuts that they can still leave for nothing further down the line.
The Jambos are sitting bottom of the Premiership and waiting to see if the season can be finished or they will be saved by reconstruction.
Budge is co-chairing a SPFL steering group on reconstruction.
