Hearts have announced the passing of former chairman Leslie Deans at the age of 71.
A boyhood Jambos fan, he has passed after a very short illness last night in the care of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. During his tenure, Hearts won a historic Scottish Cup in 1998, bringing the first piece of silverware to Tynecastle since 1956. He was appointed in the summer of 1994 and stood down before the turn of the millennium.
In a statement, the Scottish Premiership club said that their 'thoughts are with Leslie's friends and family at this terribly sad time' and that 'Leslie was the epitome of a true Jambo.' His brother, Jeffrey, paid tribute to a character who was known to many as 'a five-foot giant of a man.' He said: "It is with sadness and immense pride that I can say that Leslie left us in some style, full of funny stories, thinking of and thanking all of the huge number of people who had touched his life and made it so wonderful.
"His mother and father of course who pushed him to use all of his abilities in the place they thought best for him, George Watsons College, but also all the people he met in business, clients, strangers on a train or a cafe in Spain, and of course the friendships forged over sixty years on the terraces and Board Room of Tynecastle.
"His partner Carole, the family and the Solicitors firm he founded are glad to have had him in our lives and thank the staff in Royal infirmary High Dependency Unit for their outstanding care and humanity.
"They helped Leslie to find celebration and dignity in his last moments."
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