Latest news with #AndrewMcKinlay
Daily Mail
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
The Preview: Shankland can help McInnes win Gorgie popularity contest
It's fair to say that Hearts supporters tend to be a tough bunch to please. Indeed, even when things are ticking along nicely, grumbles of discontent always find a way to cut through the cheers in and around the streets of Gorgie. Derek McInnes will find out soon enough. The reception to the former Kilmarnock manager's appointment at Tynecastle was lukewarm at best. A steady operator, yes. But not the kind of exotic name to get the pulses racing. However, a few months in, he seems to be winning over the majority of his doubters. McInnes genuinely seems excited about the prospect of getting the club back to where it belongs. Keeping hold of Lawrence Shankland will have no doubt helped in that respect. The captain found the back of the net just nine times last season, which was a pretty dire return considering his lofty standards. For much of the campaign, he looked like he would rather be anywhere else but at Tynecastle. Not unlike most of the fans. But the 29-year-old remains the club's point of difference at the top of the pitch. McInnes left no one, including under-fire chief executive Andrew McKinlay, in any doubt he wanted Shankland to sign a new deal to stay at the club. If McInnes can get the right kind of service to Shankland in the penalty box, the goals will surely flow. For so long, Hearts have been overly reliant on their talisman, which explains why the club have gone out of their way to bolster their attacking options in the transfer market. It remains to be seen whether the influence of Jamestown Analytics on the recruitment side of things will pay off. In all honesty, it might be a few years before anyone sees the fruits of that labour. But the early signs are promising. Claudio Braga and Alexandros Kyziridis have been brought in from Aalesund and Michalovce respectively, with the former already looking sharp in pre-season matches against East Kilbride and St Mirren. Throw in Elton Kabangu — who's joined following a successful loan from Union Saint-Gilloise — and teenager James Wilson, who should kick on after making the breakthrough last year, and the Hearts front line looks in decent nick. Who knows? Perhaps McInnes can finally get a consistent tune out of Kenneth Vargas too. The additions of defensive midfieler Oisin McIntee and centre-half Stuart Findlay also look like solid investments at the other end of the park. Of course, the departure of James Penrice to PAOK was a huge blow. The lad was a real chink of light in an otherwise miserable campaign for the team last year. Kudos to him for backing himself to thrive in a more testing environment. McInnes would have loved to keep him around, but he'll likely get a decent share of the profits to reinvest on the park. Nevertheless, the squad looks in decent shape for the challenges which lie ahead. And having no European football to worry about may end up being a blessing in disguise. It wasn't much use to them last season. Some fans still twitch at the mere mention of Petrocub. Their lack of involvement on the continent for the first time since the summer of 2021 means they are in the somewhat unfamiliar position of making an appearance in the Premier Sports Cup group phase, which gets under way this weekend. McInnes will make his competitive bow against second-tier Dunfermline Athletic in the 5.15pm kick-off, as his Pars counterpart Neil Lennon returns to the ground which holds plenty of memories — fond and otherwise — having ruffled a few feathers as Hibernian boss many moons ago. He'd love nothing more than to spoil the big welcome party. Miller proves he is a class act When it comes to Lennon Miller, it's no longer a question of if he will leave Motherwell, it's a matter of when. Frankly, it's astounding that he's still in the building. Speaking during his preview of this weekend's season opener at Clyde, new Fir Park boss Jens Berthel Askou admitted that interest in the 18-year-old shows no sign of going away. Which is all the more reason for Motherwell fans to enjoy him while he's here. In fact, it wouldn't be a shock if an appearance at New Douglas Park this afternoon turned out to be his last in claret and amber. It's testament to his character that he hasn't kicked up any fuss over the past few months. Then again, why would we expect anything less? A class act in every sense.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hearts 'saviour' Budge to step down as chair in December
Ann Budge will step down as Heart of Midlothian chairperson at the Scottish Premiership club's annual meeting in December, the Scottish Premiership club has 77-year-old Edinburgh-born entrepreneur took over the reigns at Tynecastle in 2013, when she was successful in buying the majority shareholding from administrators after Hearts suffered huge debts left behind by former owner Vladimir of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon says Budge will forever be remembered for her role, along with the fans group, in "saving the club from the abyss".Hearts say "the search for a new chair is now under way". Following last week's announcement of a near £10m investment in the club from Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom, Budge believes she has "done what I set out to achieve".In a club statement, she added: "This is something I have thought long and hard about. Having discussed this with the board, I feel now is the right time to confirm that I intend to step down later this year."When I first got involved with the Foundation of Hearts in 2013, I could not have envisaged the journey it would take me on. "Initially, the aim was to stabilize the club before even thinking of growth. Now, 12 years later, as I look at where the club stands, I can allow myself to feel a sense of pride at what we have achieved."Expressing his "gratitude", Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay said: "It cannot be overstated just how much Ann has done for Heart of Midlothian."Meanwhile, Mallon said: "Ann will leave a remarkable legacy when she departs the club and we are extremely fortunate to have had 12 years of her knowledge and experience at the helm of Hearts."In particular, her participation during the birth of the Foundation of Hearts can never be downplayed. Neither can the instrumental role she played in saving the club from the abyss and taking it back up to the top end of Scottish football."Hearts missed out on a top-six finish in the Premiership last season, finishing seventh, and have since appointed Derek McInnes, previously of top-flight rivals Kilmarnock, as their new head coach. Budge brought financial stability - analysis Along with the supporters group, The Foundation of Hearts, Budge brought financial stability to the although relegation came in season 2019-20, when the campaign was cut short due to the Covid pandemic, the fans continued to back Hearts with the "sold out" signs a regular feature around the pitch, Hearts can now boast a hotel within the grounds of the stadium, with Budge being a major influence in attracting wealthy philanthropists to invest in the recently, the 77-year-old played a pivotal role in securing the near £10m investment in Hearts from the Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom, who in return received a 29% shareholding in the Tynecastle club.
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Shankland to exit Hearts as contract talks break down
Lawrence Shankland looks set to leave Hearts after talks over a new contract broke down. Shankland's deal at Tynecastle had expired at the end of last season but the club had been hopeful of keeping their star striker. Indeed, given the positive talks between new boss Derek McInnes and the player himself, there was optimism of Shankland extending his stay. McInnes made no secret of his desire to keep the former PFA Scotland Player of the Year and had held more discussions with the 29-year-old earlier this week. But Mail Sport understands those talks have now broken down, with Shankland not travelling with Hearts to their pre-season camp in Spain yesterday. Whilst keen to keep hold of the striker, McInnes made it clear that Hearts couldn't wait forever in terms of a decision being made. Mail Sport understands the difference between what Shankland wanted and what the board were willing to offer was minimal, but Hearts have been unwilling to budge. A source close to Shankland said: 'Lawrence wanted to continue at Hearts but unfortunately the chief executive Andrew McKinlay doesn't share the same ambitions that he has for the club.' McKinlay, who publicly admitted making the mistake of appointing doomed previous manager Neil Critchley without meeting him in person, is eager to make amends with new manager McInnes. But it now looks likely that the club will have to move forward and start afresh without their main goalscorer. It is expected that Hearts and McInnes will now ramp up their search for a new No 9 over the coming weeks.
Scotsman
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hearts chief Andrew McKinlay speaks out on his future, abuse from fans and explains why he is angry
Edinburgh club had a disappointing 2024/25 campaign in the SPFL Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Torrents of abuse raining down on Hearts directors became almost a weekly occurrence last season. Supporters turned on senior officials during the worst start to a campaign in club history, including an early League Cup exit, then a catastrophic European elimination, derby defeats against Hibs and, finally, a seventh-place Premiership finish. One man suffered the brunt of the flak. Chief executive Andrew McKinlay endured months of unforgiving criticism which still continues as Hearts prepare for season 2025/26. There is a new management team led by Derek McInnes, plus four permanent signings with several more to follow. McKinlay, however, remains a focal point for fans' ire. Chants against him and chairwoman Ann Budge were heard several times at matches last year as some Tynecastle followers called for boardroom change. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As a former Scottish Football Association executive, public carping is not new to McKinlay. He is determined not to be derailed in efforts to restore Hearts to a challenging position. In the third of an exclusive three-part interview with the Edinburgh News, he explained the impact of vocal condemnation from fans. 'It's not nice, it's very stressful,' said McKinlay. 'I've got pretty high resilience because of previous roles I've done. I'd like to think that it's not really personal. I know it's aimed at me personally or aimed at others personally, but what do I mean by 'it's not personal'? Well, as far as I'm aware, no-one that's sang my name or shouted my name or abused me actually knows me. Once people abuse you who know you, that's a very different situation. 'These are people who are, understandably, massively frustrated with what they've seen this season and they want to take that out on someone. I totally understand it. I don't like it of course because it's aimed at me, but I totally understand it. Football is a hugely passionate sport and, for a huge number of our fans and fans of other teams, this is their life. 'During the week, they may work in a job which they just do to genuinely almost make money so they can come to the football and pay for their season ticket. I'm well aware that when we don't perform on the pitch, we've ruined their week, we've ruined their weekend. They're angry and they're frustrated. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Anger at Hearts and the quest for SPFL success in Scotland with Tony Bloom's £10m 'I can assure them that I'm also angry, I'm also frustrated, but they are entitled to their views. They're entitled to be angry at me. All I can say back is that I genuinely am working as hard as I can, trying my best for this club and I believe that I can help us and have helped us up to now have some success. We've had a bad season but we will bounce back from that. I'm also the first to admit - and I don't think anyone that I know could say anything else - but we all make mistakes. The big thing about any mistakes you make in life is that you learn from them and you go forward. 'I think in life these days - football very much so - you're almost not allowed to make a mistake. Second chances aren't given in life any more, you're cancelled immediately. I'm not talking about football, I'm talking more generally in society. I find that quite disturbing actually that people make a mistake or whatever and that's it, they shouldn't be entitled. It's almost like, 'well that's it, fire them, end of their shelf-life,' and I struggle with that. This is a tough sport, it's a passionate sport and our fans are entitled to their passion.' While others might question their own longevity or desire to continue amid such pressure, McKinlay's resolve is clear. He feels Hearts are embarking on an exciting new chapter with Tony Bloom's £10m investment and Jamestown Analytics' involvement. He insisted he has not thought about walking away from Tynecastle. 'No, not at all. I love working at this club, I love working in football,' he said. 'I'd give anything to bring success to this club. If I thought I couldn't do the job or I wasn't good enough to do the job or I couldn't take us through the next stage, then I would give thought to it but as I sit here right now, I think I can. I think even the fact that we've got to this stage, having investment from someone, the whole analytics piece, I'm sure the fans must appreciate that hasn't just happened. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'For us to get to here, there's been a lot of work by me, other members of the board and my team. The guys who work in my team put in a huge amount of work to get us the best front-of-shirt sponsor we've ever had, the best kit deal we've ever had, the stadium we've got out there now. 'You compare that to others - and I totally understand that if the men's first team have a bad season then no-one really is interested in all that other stuff. But we have a lot of really good things going on here, so we just need to get the number one thing right now and that's what I'm absolutely committed to doing.' READ MORE: Andrew McKinlay interview Part 1 READ MORE: Andrew McKinlay interview Part 2
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
'Never again' - Hearts CEO admits the key mistake made in Neil Critchley appointment
Andrew McKinley breaks silence on reasons behind sacking Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay admits the club made a mistake with their managerial recruitment process and appointment last time out. Hearts sacked Neil Critchley after six months in charge after they failed to qualify for the William Hill Premiership top six and then lost at home to Dundee to raise the prospect of a relegation fight. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They have since won their final four games under caretaker boss Liam Fox and appointed former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes as their new head coach. Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones (L) and chief executive Andrew McKinlay. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group Regarding the previous appointment, McKinlay told Sky Sports: 'I'll admit that we got it wrong. If anyone can stand there and say they've not made mistakes then I challenge them on that. The main thing is you learn from those mistakes. 'We went for a certain type of manager and Neil was a very good coach, very nice guy, but I'm not sure he quite got the club and got the demands of the club. 'We spoke to a number of people but ultimately Neil was the one we ended up with and the only one that we actually entered into serious discussions with. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We spoke to a good number of other individuals, some of whom were named at the time, some of whom weren't. 'The one thing I did learn from that process though – and it is much harder with foreign managers – was you've got to meet people face to face. 'We didn't actually meet anyone face to face last time round. Some of that was circumstances, (sporting director) Graeme (Jones) wasn't in the role, I was out in Azerbaijan. 'It wasn't straightforward, we were keen to do it as quickly as possible and therefore we did it all remotely and I would never do that again. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I don't think there's anything wrong with doing some of the interviews remotely, maybe the first lot, but I don't think you should ever appoint anyone into a job like that that you haven't sat down with face to face and that's something that obviously we've done on several occasions with Derek. 'We need someone that understands the Scottish game, someone that's managed at the top end of Scottish football, understands the demands of the Hearts support and has had success in the past. Derek is the man and I'm really looking forward to working with him.' Hearts sacked head coach Neil Critchley over fears the club could be dragged into a relegation battle. | SNS Group McKinlay expressed sympathy for Critchley and claimed he was 'very unlucky in some ways'. Hearts looked set to qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Conference League after a good start but a late penalty cost them victory at home to Petrocub in a final game they were expected to win. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad They missed out on the top six on the final day and then had two men sent off in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-finals against Aberdeen before going down to a late extra-time winner. 'Every fine margin, everything went the wrong way for us,' McKinley said. 'So in some ways you've got to feel sorry for Neil. 'We just got to the stage where we felt we were concerned, I'll be honest, after that Dundee game that we were going to slip into a relegation situation.
