Latest news with #FoundationOfHearts
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
No Old Firm dominance 'from now on'
Scottish football will no longer be viewed as a two-horse between Celtic and Rangers "from now on", Heart of Midlothian investor Tony Bloom has again Brighton and Hove Albion owner is relishing attending his first Scottish Premiership game since taking a 29% stake in Hearts as they start the season at home to Aberdeen on he thinks it is good for Scottish football - and its European coefficient - if the Old Firm dominance is challenged."I don't like the fact that the last 35 years has been completely dominated by the Old Firm," he said at an event, external organised by fan ownership group the Foundation of Hearts. "Probably the last 15 years, apart from the one season when Rangers won the league, it's dominated by one club. It's not good at all and I believe I can make a difference. "I think it's really important overall for Scottish football that it is not a one or two club show and it's not going to be from now on, I assure you."Bloom said that, when he first started talking to Hearts, the view was that the target was to finish third, but now he says "the very minimum should be to finish third".He said the situation was similar to his investment in Union Saint-Gilloise, who he has helped reignite to an extent that they won the Belgian title for the first time in 90 years last season."Every game Heart of Midlothian play in, we will play to win," Bloom said. "Every tournament that Hearts are in, we think we can win it, we are aiming to win it."I accept the fact that, when we get into the Champions League, that may be a little bit difficult. But we have to have belief - we have to have big belief in who we are, what we are, our players, our head coach, and everyone at the football club."With the squad of players that sporting director Graeme Jones has helped put together under Derek McInnes, I think we will continue to get stronger year on year."Bloom revealed that his interest in Hearts goes as far back as 1986, when they needed only a draw away to Dundee to seal their first league title for 26 years only to lose out to two late goals."When I was growing up, it wasn't always an Old Firm show," he said. "I'm sure a few of you here will remember 1986. I'm sorry to have mentioned it – maybe that wasn't such a good idea!"
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Hearts should name stand after legend Budge'
Two announcements within seven days have indicated a changing of the guard at Heart of week, an extraordinary meeting of the fan-led majority shareholder group rubber stamped Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom's £9.86m deal to buy a 29% stake in the Scottish Premiership week, Edinburgh businesswoman Ann Budge, who had been instrumental in attracting the investment, announced she would be standing down as club chair at their December annual meeting - nearly 12 years after leading the club out of a financial Bloom threw down a challenge to Celtic and Rangers by vowing to "disrupt the pattern of domination which has been in place for far too long", Budge suggested "I have done what I set out to achieve".But what will her legacy be? 'Budge pivotal in driving club forward' "Pivotal" is a word that features regularly in Hearts' media release announcing that Budge's winter her role, working with the Foundation of Hearts and with the backing of the club's fans, in rescuing the club from financial adversity and enabling them to exit administration in in "driving Hearts forward" and their "resurgence" in the last decade."Under her leadership, and with the financial backing of fans, sponsors and benefactors - once again proud to be associated with Hearts - the club has reestablished itself both on and off the pitch," they stated."We have seen the delivery of a number of major infrastructure projects, including the museum, the memorial garden, a new state-of-the-art pitch and, of course, the magnificent new Main Stand, incorporating the Tynecastle Park Hotel."Hearts also point to "substantial investment in facilities" the "redevelopment of our youth academy" and of her being "totally committed" to the women's say they have "also reaffirmed its position as a community champion" under finished third three times during Budge's tenure, but while the appointment of Robbie Neilson as team boss proved astute, experiments with the youthful Ian Cathro, Daniel Stendel, Steven Naismith and Neil Critchley proved shortlived, while even the return of former Scotland boss Craig Levein was not so fruitful, with relegation coming in 77-year-old has taken more of a back seat since the appointment of Andrew McKinlay as chief executive and then Graeme Jones as sporting pivotal also describes her role in securing the tie-up with Bloom and his Jamestown Analytics recruitment company. 'Without Ann, there would be no Hearts' Asked for their views on Budge's pending departure and tenure, some bemoaned the lack of silverware, but most view her as a saviour of the club who should be remembered Budge should be held in the highest esteem by every loyal Hearts supporter, as without her intervention we wouldn't have a club to support. I sincerely hope that the board will announce an appropriate recognition of Ann's invaluable contribution to the long-term future of our club, for which we supporters will be forever Despite some lows, she's done some great work for the club in 12 years and has now pushed the Tony Bloom's investment through, which will help us so much in building for the future. Perfect high for her to leave We won nothing while Budge was in charge. That's the bottom line. She appointed multiple unsuccessful managers who were frequently sacked due to a variety of failings that should have been obvious. Relegated more than once. Last season was a debacle and she's turned a profit on her own money while at the club. Won't be missed by The timing of this announcement is really good. As we move into a new era for the club, we need fresh blood and new enthusiasm. It can't be overstated how important the role Budge has played in securing our future and, just as importantly, the values and behaviours she has instilled in the club. Jim: Great for our club. Between her and the Foundation of Hearts there wouldn't be a club. They should name one of the stands after her - a legend who only made one mistake, but we can't get it right all the time. Ryan: Absolutely phenomenal person, chairperson and Hearts legend. Up there with the greats. No matter what anyone may say, this woman saved Hearts and without her we would no longer have a club. Iain: Ann, you have over the years displayed a courage and conviction to not only save the club but to provide us with a stadium that is the envy of all. The facilities here are fabulous. Thanks for all you have We can't thank Budge enough for what she has done at Hearts. Our very existence is all down to Ann. She is the reason the Foundation of Hearts is in existence. Keith: Every single Hearts fan should be thankful for what Ann has done for Hearts. She was the one that stepped up and put the money in when Hearts were in the abyss. She will be remembered as a legend and the saviour of Hearts. JD: In a sea full of sharks, Ann captained the good ship Hearts through stormy seas and into a safe harbour. We are forever grateful and forever blessed with her steadfastness and Queen Ann has been simply wonderful for Hearts. I am just sad she wasn't in post when we won anything of note.
BBC News
01-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Without Queen Ann, Hearts fans wouldn't have a club'
We asked for your views on the news of Ann Budge stepping down as Hearts what some of you said:Barry: Budge should be held in the highest esteem by every loyal Hearts supporter, as without her intervention we wouldn't have a club to support. I sincerely hope that the board will announce an appropriate recognition of Ann's invaluable contribution to the long-term future of our club, for which we supporters will be forever Despite some lows, she's done some great work for the club in 12 years and has now pushed the Tony Bloom's investment through, which will help us so much in building for the future. Perfect high for her to leave We won nothing while Budge was in charge. That's the bottom line. She appointed multiple unsuccessful managers who were frequently sacked due to a variety of failings that should have been obvious. Relegated more than once. Last season was a debacle, and she's turned a profit on her own money while at the club. Won't be missed by The timing of this announcement is really good. As we move into a new era for the club, we need fresh blood and new enthusiasm. It can't be overstated how important the role Budge has played in securing our future and just as importantly - the values and behaviours she has instilled in the club. Good luck Ann and thank you for everything you've done for Great for our club, between her and the Foundation of Hearts there wouldn't be a club. They should name one of the stands after her, a legend who only made one mistake but we can't get it right all the time. Well done, Absolutely phenomenal person, chairperson and Hearts legend. Up there with the greats. No matter what anyone may say, this woman saved Hearts and without her we would no longer have a club. Thank you, Ann you have over the years displayed a courage and conviction to not only save the club but to provide us with a stadium that is the envy of all. The facilities here are fabulous. Thanks for all you have We can't thank Budge enough for what she has done at Hearts, our very existence is all down to Ann, she is the reason the Foundation of Hearts is in existence. Thank you so much, The club should rename the main stand as 'The Ann Budge Stand'. This gesture would leave a lasting legacy to the woman, without whom, the club would not be in Every single Hearts fan should be thankful for what Ann has done for Hearts. She was the one that stepped up and put the money in when Hearts were in the abyss. She will be remembered as a legend and the saviour of Hearts. Thank you, In a sea full of sharks, Ann captained the good ship Hearts through stormy seas and into a safe harbour. We are forever grateful and forever blessed with her steadfastness and Queen Ann has been simply wonderful for Hearts. I am just sad she wasn't in post when we won anything of note. The new main stand should be named after her - it's the right thing to do!
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
As the Queen of Hearts announces she is to step down, how should Ann Budge's Tynecastle reign be remembered?
With over a decade of service as the maroon-clad matriarch at Tynecastle, Ann Budge is to leave her position as the chairperson of Hearts later this year. It has been announced that Budge, who saved the club from financial ruin back in 2014, will step down in December. As the Queen of Hearts prepares to vacate the throne, the club have already embarked on the search for a successor. But the departure of Budge, 77, will bring an end to one of the most eventful — and, at times, divisive — stewardships of any club in Scottish football. What should her legacy be? How should she be remembered? Did she perhaps stay a bit too long? Having made her fortune in computers, should she not have logged off from Hearts before now? All valid questions. To assess the impact made by Budge, it is important to recognise what the state of play was when she first became involved with the club in 2013. After years of chaos and financial mismanagement under Vladimir Romanov, Hearts were staring into the abyss. Working alongside the Foundation of Hearts, Budge invested £2.5million of her own money to buy the club in 2014 and take it out of administration. Had it not been for that intervention, Hearts could well have gone bust. In the club's darkest hour, Budge became a guiding light. She promised that she would eventually hand the club back to the supporters, with the model of fan-ownership forming a key part of her long-term vision. She duly delivered on that promise in 2021, with Hearts becoming the largest fan-owned club in Britain. The club was debt-free and had just built a terrific new main stand at Tynecastle a few years earlier. Hearts also became a force for good off the field, becoming the first club in Scotland to introduce a living wage for all staff. They also became the first club in the country to have charity sponsors, with Save the Children and MND Scotland both featuring on the front of their jersey. All of these things happened on Budge's watch. But, on the football side of the business, there were also a lot of mistakes and missteps. Throughout Budge's 11 years at the helm, Hearts appointed eight full-time managers. Plainly, there were more misses than hits. The likes of Ian Cathro, Daniel Stendel and Neil Critchley, whilst ambitious in their thinking, proved disastrous appointments. Budge's loyalty to Craig Levein also extended too far, with Levein's over-arching influence angering supporters towards the end of his time in charge. Robbie Neilson made a decent fist of things across his two spells, while Steven Naismith also took the club into Europe after a third-place finish. But the high turnover of managers throughout Budge's time at the club speaks of an owner and chairperson whose expertise was not on the football side of things. There were also times when she sounded aloof and out of touch. Instance the sacking of Critchley towards the end of last season. When Budge was doorstepped by a reporter as she headed in to a club awards function, she laughed and brushed it off as 'yesterday's news'. Whilst she was under no obligation to answer questions, it wasn't a great look, especially given the club had endured a torrid season. Budge also railed against the establishment and fought a legal case against the SPFL following Hearts' relegation in 2020. Whilst the case was dismissed, many were sympathetic to her cause given the circumstances around the pandemic and how Hearts had been demoted. Many felt that the successful transfer of ownership to the fans back in 2021 would have been the ideal moment for her to walk away. But she chose to stay for another four years, with Hearts now looking forward to a bold new chapter with Tony Bloom's investment in the club. Reflecting on her decision to step aside, Budge said in a statement today: '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 stabilise 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. 'With Tony Bloom's investment now complete, and the supporters ensconced as custodians of the club, I believe I have done what I set out to achieve. 'The appropriate time for reminiscing and saying goodbye will come after the AGM in December but until then, my full focus will remain on what it has always been, and that is doing my very best for Hearts and our fans.' Hearts chief executive Andrew McKinlay added: 'It cannot be overstated just how much Ann has done for Heart of Midlothian and on behalf of everyone at the club, I extend both my thanks and my gratitude. 'As we get closer to December's AGM we will update our supporters on our succession plans, but for now we will continue to enjoy and benefit from working with Ann until the end of her tenure as the club's chair.' Given how Budge led Hearts from the darkness and gave them a pathway to a brighter future, it is no stretch to say she is one of the most important figures in the club's history. She forked out £2.5m of her own money and helped save the club from oblivion. That's quite a legacy to leave behind. Did she stay too long? Yeah, probably. Her popularity among fans has definitely waned in recent years, but maybe that's just part and parcel of being an owner or chairperson. You are never going to please everyone. For all that she appointed a few dud managers, Hearts fans shouldn't forget all the good that Ann Budge did. Quite simply, she saved their club. She leaves the club in a considerably stronger position than she found it. Ultimately, that's all that can be asked of any owner.
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Budge brought financial stability to Hearts'
Eleven years since taking over the reigns at Tynecastle, it has been announced that Ann Budge will step down as Hearts chair in 77-year-old Edinburgh-born entrepreneur was successful in buying the majority shareholding from administrators in 2014 after Hearts suffered huge debts left behind by former owner Vladimir with 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, fans continued to back Hearts at the pitch, Hearts 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, she played a pivotal role in securing the near £10m investment in Hearts from Brighton owner Tony Bloom, who in return received a 29% shareholding in the Tynecastle 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 fans, how do you feel about this news? And how will you remember Budge's time at the club? Send us your thoughts.
