Punishing the club captain costs Hearts £20,000

IAN PAUL

11 Aug 1994

HEARTS, who are not having to seek out pre-season problems, yesterday acted quickly to try to reduce the effects of the shameful punch-up between two senior players, Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg, in what was ludicrously billed as a friendly with Raith Rovers at Stark's Park on Tuesday night.

The club fined both players the maximum allowed, two weeks' wages, put them up for sale, and stripped Levein of the captaincy.

But their move was greeted with anger by one of their corporate sponsors, who withdrew £20,000 backing as a protest at the treatment of Levein.

Earlier in the day, after a boardroom hearing during which chairman Chris Robinson and manager Tommy McLean listened to explanations from both players, McLean said: "This was a major incident during a public pre-season game and we felt it was vitally important that the club be seen to act quickly and decisively."

Referring to the demotion of Levein, he said: "Being captain is an important job for the club and we must have an on-field leader who acts in the correct manner in any situation.

"Naturally, we are disappointed that our pre-season build-up has been marred by this incident, but we are putting our house in order and the matter is now closed."

Other than issuing a joint statement expressing their apologies to fans, team-mates, and the club, neither Levein, who is in his testimonial year after more than a decade at Tynecastle, nor Hogg, who had his nose broken by a punch from his fellow defender, offered any public explanation for their behaviour.

Although the club have made a quick response to the incident, the two players are sure to suffer much stiffer sentences from the SFA disciplinary committee once the report from referee Bill Crombie is received.

He is understood to have shown the red card to Hogg, as he was being carried off for being involved in a pushing incident with Levein -- who already had been shown the card for throwing a couple of punches at him.

But the punishment for Levein brought a speedy response from Peter Jenkinson, owner of Lothian Plumbing Supplies, one of the club sponsors, who announced he was withdrawing £20,000 support.

He said: "No-one is condoning what went on, but this is no way to treat a player who has served Hearts the way Craig has.

He has been an outstanding ambassador for the club for nearly 11 years and to treat him this way is shameful.

We have been big spenders at Tynecastle over the years, but, as of today, that has ended."

The incident comes soon after Hearts had their bank accounts in credit frozen by a court who allowed an action by sacked manager Sandy Clark and his assistant, Hugh McCann, who are seeking compensation for the year of their contracts still unfulfilled.

The sacking of Clark by the new regime upset the players, who had believed the manager was entitled to at least another season to consolidate.

But the appointment of McLean seemed to have put Hearts back on course.

However, it is understood that the tough financial position of the club has worried some players who are due cash payments.

The 2-0 defeat by Raith Rovers not only left the club defeated in their final preparation game, but means they now have to do without two experienced central defenders for their opening game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

They already are without injured striker Maurice Johnston, and John Robertson is doubtful.

Hogg, who joined Hearts from Portsmouth three years ago, already had stated publicly that he wants to leave the club, but Scottish internationalist Levein has been a Hearts fan since he joined them in November, 1983.

Taken from the Herald