MURRAY PROMOTED TO NEW HEARTS ROLE

Hearts have promoted academy director John Murray to the role of director of football.

His expanded position will involve recruitment and transfers across the whole club, from the youths through to the senior team.

Murray's new remit will also see him tasked with maximising the development of all players at the Edinburgh outfit.

He told Hearts News: "Having been involved with Hearts for so long, it is a great honour to be appointed director of football and I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"The club is currently embarking on a transformational phase which will lead to a number of our brightest prospects graduating into the first team squad in due course.

"This transition, though, has to be carefully managed and the work of Darren Murray, Gary Locke and the manager will be paramount.

"I hope that the supporters will also understand that this progression will be a continual process and will not happen overnight."

Murray was appointed academy director in 2004 after spells as Hearts' head of youth development and chief scout.

He was also chief scout at Cowdenbeath and Falkirk before arriving at Tynecastle in season 1995-96.

Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas said: "John has played an integral part in the development of our very successful academy system and we are pleased that he has accepted this extended role.

"The club is going through a transformation and John's knowledge, experience and commitment will allow us to shape the football club in the seasons ahead.

"We have some very good young players and with the right mix of senior players we can become the entertaining, enterprising and youthful team we strive to be."

Taken from sportinglife.com