Heart of Midlothian FC were taken over by Lithuanian based Russian gangster Vladimir Romanov in 2005. Since then he has initiated a campaign to destroy the reputation of one of the UK's oldest football clubs (and the second best team in Edinburgh).
He has employed the old KGB interrogation tactic of building supporters up with the marquee signings of footballers that the club cannot afford then crushing them with the sacking of popular and successful managers. This has been accompanied by public statements of a bizarre nature attacking the Scottish football authorities. Meanwhile he has built up a debt of nearly £40 million for the club.
Hearts reputation was therefore somewhat further tarnished when their under 21 international defender Craig Thomson was found guilty of sending pictures of his naked member to girls aged 12 and 14 on Facebook. In most organisations this would probably be considered a sackable offence, but not at mad Vlad's Hearts. They issued an apology from him, followed by this statement - which appears to claim there is a mafia conspiracy against the club and the girls forced Thomson to do it. If it wasn't so insulting to the victims it might be laughable.
It is clear it is now time for the SFA to take action - Romanov is not a 'fit and proper' person to run a bath - let alone a football club - and he must be removed from his position. Decent Hearts fans - like those of AFC Wimbledon and Swansea should accept the consequences that may mean their club will have to be reformed and start again at a much lower level. But that is surely a better position to be at than to bully victims of crime while defending the dubious behaviour of sex offenders.
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