Hearts warned over wage delay

Published Oct. 22, 2012 3:15 p.m. ET

foxsports

Hearts have escaped with a warning over their failure to pay players on time in September, but face another hearing on Wednesday.

Hearts escaped with a warning on Monday over their failure to pay players on time in September, but face another Scottish Premier League hearing on Wednesday over a similar offence from this month.

The SPL issued a statement stating that Hearts had been "reprimanded and warned with regards to its future conduct".

On Monday Hearts paid outstanding wages from October 15.

Hearts managing director David Southern told reporters after the hearing that

outstanding October wages had been paid today.

It is understood manager John McGlynn and six players were affected.

SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said later: "I think it's important we

don't prejudge anything and hear what Hearts have to say. We don't know whether the charge is being admitted yet.

"So rather than prejudge the outcome of any hearing, I think it's important we

sit down with a clear mind on Wednesday and judge any evidence on its merits.''

Hearts were late paying players four times last season and the SPL issued a

demand in January that they pay players by a certain date, following an official

complaint by PFA Scotland, the players' union.

But their previous record was not taken into account by the SPL committee.

"We can't do that,'' Doncaster said. "This is a new set of rules that clubs

have brought in over the summer.

"This is the first breach of those new rules and we had to treat Hearts just

as we would treat any other club that breached those rules.

"It's a new set of rules and the first breach of those rules.''

Hearts later issued a statement, which read: "We accept the result of today's

SPL board sub-committee hearing and are satisfied that this specific matter is now resolved and closed.

"We also acknowledge the second charge against the club, the subject matter of which the club believes has been resolved internally. However, the club notes that this will be dealt with separately on Wednesday.''