HEARTS HEARING FOR GORDON

By Gavin McCafferty, PA Sport

Hearts captain Craig Gordon faces an internal disciplinary hearing today over his support for the statement that sparked the departure of his predecessor.

The Scotland keeper and Paul Hartley flanked Steven Pressley on October 27 when he criticised the way the club was being run under majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov.

Pressley left Tynecastle on December 9 after being increasingly sidelined and Hartley was omitted from the starting line-up following his hearing on Thursday.

No decision was taken last week on the midfielder but Gordon - who was appointed club captain on Friday - does not expect a drastic punishment.

The 23-year-old said after the Jambos' 1-0 defeat by Aberdeen on Saturday: "I have no idea what will happen. Paul has been very quiet about what has happened to him, he doesn't want to discuss it with anybody.

"So I will need to go in and see what happens on the day.

"But I'm not worried. I will go in and listen to what they have to say.

"I will also have my say and see what happens from there.

"I don't know what is going to happen because no-one ever does but I don't think I will be losing my place."

Pressley has still to decide where his future lies with an announcement not expected before the end of the week.

Meanwhile, the deadline for Romanov to appeal against a £10,000 Scottish Football Association fine for his criticism of referees expires today.

The SFA had not received any notification from the Lithuanian-based businessman by the end of yesterday.

Romanov said in September: "Last season, you didn't manage to protect the Scottish Cup and gave it to Hearts, despite all the referees' efforts and intrigues."

The Tynecastle club were fined £10,000 by the SFA in October after being found guilty of a disrepute charge for carrying the statement on their website, but they have challenged the fine.

Romanov's case was deferred because he did not attend the meeting and he was found guilty in his absence last Monday of bringing the game into disrepute.

A spokesman for Romanov revealed last night that the Russian-born tycoon did not want to say anything on the matter.

If he does not appeal, he has 30 days to pay the fine under the SFA's rules before being charged 4% interest per annum on the sum.

The SFA closed a loophole in May that had allowed the outspoken banker to air his views with impunity because he has no official post at Tynecastle.

That resolution means every person holding authority at a club or control over the board falls under the SFA's jurisdiction.

Taken from sportinglife.com