Latest news with #FoundationofHearts
STV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Hearts fans vote to approve Tony Bloom's £10m investment proposal
Hearts fans have voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting nearly £10m of investment from Brighton and Hove Albion chairman Tony Bloom. Bloom's proposed investment was announced earlier this month but requires formal acceptance from supporters group and majority shareholder Foundation of Hearts. The businessman, who owns Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise as well as Brighton, and whose data analysis firm Jamestown Analytics has assisted Hearts in player recruitment and identifying managers, intends to invest £9.86m and will take a 29% stake in the club. Bloom would hold non-voting shares but would be entitled to one seat on the board, though he may not take that seat himself. A majority of 50% of votes cast by Foundation of Hearts members was needed to wave through the investment but Bloom's offer was backed much more wholeheartedly by fans. A statement issued on Monday read: 'Foundation members have voted to accept the proposed investment in the club by Tony Bloom. 'A total of 6208 votes were cast, with 6112 voting in favour and 96 voting against. In percentage terms, this resulted in 98.5% voting in favour of the proposal.' The move will now be formally approved at an extraordinary general meeting of the club's shareholders. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
26-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Tony Bloom gets Hearts green light as fans back £10m investment in overwhelming numbers
The Foundation of Hearts group are fully on board with the Brighton supremo's vision for the Gorgie club Hearts fans have voted in huge numbers to give Tony Bloom's bumper £10m investment the go-ahead. Members of the Foundation of Hearts group took to the polls over the offer from the British entrepreneur and handed out a landslide verdict with a whopping 99 percent of punters on board. More than three quarters of 8000 members gave the green light – with just 96 opposing the proposal. Millionaire Bloom – who also controls stakes in Brighton and new Belgian champions Union St. Gilloise – is set to sink in substantial sums in an attempt to shake up Scottish football. The move is set to be rubber stamped at a club extraordinary general meeting but the wheels are already in motion with the SFA chiefs after a Hampden summit. Boom is set to bag a 29 percent share of the Jambos and will have his own representative on the board. But the Foundation will continue to hold the power at Tynecastle with the new investor taking over a non voting stance on club matters. Hearts are already utilising Bloom Jamestown Analytics recruitment and data firm in the search for players – and the boffins also helped source new boss Derek McInnes. Gorgie chiefs have hailed the £9.86m injection as the opportunity to 'disrupt' Scottish football – and all eyes have been on Bloom's Belgian project where USG were crowned champs at the weekend for the first time in 90 years. A message to Foundation members said: 'Clearly it is a huge majority in favour and this demonstrates – once again – the passion the Foundation members have for the club and their determination to see it move forward and reap the benefits of the financial investment. We have a wonderful opportunity now, I believe, to begin to tackle the challenge of becoming a disruptor of the long-standing status quo in Scottish football. 'It will take time, and it will require the continued – and indeed increased – financial commitment of Foundation members, current and new, to achieve this goal, but we have never been better placed to reach that position. 'Tony Bloom's decision to invest in Hearts was very much founded on the many benefits he saw at Tynecastle through the club being in fan ownership, not least its financial security through the level of our pledging. 'What a testament to you, the supporters, and what a moment to be able to build on this, increase our membership, and drive forward together. 'The consultation process was also a great demonstration of the power of fan ownership. 'Not for Hearts fans the scenario of waking up to find that a deal has been reached behind closed doors with some rich person to take over their club. Foundation members were able, as their right, to scrutinise the offering and make a decision, yes or no. That is the level of influence and power that we the fans now have here, thanks to you.' Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bloom set for £10m Hearts stake after vote approval
Tony Bloom is set to take up a 29% stake in Hearts after the club's majority shareholder group voted in favour of the Brighton & Hove Albion owner's £10m investment offer. The Foundation of Hearts say from a total of 6,208 votes - which represented a 70% turnout - 6,112 voted in favour and 96 voted against. Bloom needed approval of more than 50% for his offer to be accepted. "Clearly it is a huge majority in favour and this demonstrates - once again - the passion the foundation members have for the club and their determination to see it move forward and reap the benefits of the financial investment," the group said in a statement. Brighton owner Bloom bids for 29% stake in Hearts Visit our Hearts page for all the latest news, analysis and fan views Get Hearts news notifications in the BBC Sport app "Tony Bloom's decision to invest in Hearts was very much founded on the many benefits he saw at Tynecastle through the club being in fan ownership, not least its financial security through the level of our pledging." Bloom will be purchasing non-voting rights shares, which would not impact the 75.1% voting rights held by the Foundation of Hearts but he will be entitled to one place on the board and is expected to appoint a representative rather than take up the position himself. FoH had said Bloom believes Hearts can "disrupt Scottish football" and that he wants to be a part of a "glorious chapter" in the Edinburgh club's history. Hearts finished season 2024-25 seventh in the Scottish Premiership and have appointed Derek McInnes as their new manager. The club has a formal relationship with Bloom's company Jamestown Analytics for recruitment.
The National
26-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Tony Bloom's Hearts investment voted through by FOH
For the past nine days, Foundation of Hearts members have been voting on whether or not to approve a £9.86million investment from the Brighton owner, for which he would a 29 per cent shareholding - a new class of non-voting shares. The deadline for the circa 8,000 members to cast their vote was 5pm today and the Tynecastle club have now confirmed the results. A landslide vote of 98.5 per cent sees the FOH pass the proposal for Bloom investing in the club and becoming a minority shareholder. Read more: I've never asked for a cuddle: New Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell on fan flak Spurs loanee argues Aberdeen won Scottish Cup because they wanted it more than Celtic Before it can be officially sealed it has to be ratified by the Scottish FA, whom it is believed the English entrepreneur has already held talks with. The club would also have to hold an EGM to officially rubberstamp the deal. FOH's shareholding would be diluted to 53.6 per cent but they would still hold 75.5 per cent in voting shares. Just 50 per cent of the vote was required to pass the proposal and so it went through with a landslide. Of 6208, 6112 were in favour and 96 were against. Bloom would get one seat on the board and it's understood he would place one of his associates in there rather than taking it himself. A statement from Foundation of Hearts chairman Gerry Mallon reads: "I would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation process. Clearly it is a huge majority in favour and this demonstrates - once again - the passion the Foundation members have for the club and their determination to see it move forward and reap the benefits of the financial investment. "We have a wonderful opportunity now, I believe, to begin to tackle the challenge of becoming a disruptor of the long-standing status quo in Scottish football. It will take time, and it will require the continued – and indeed increased – financial commitment of Foundation members, current and new, to achieve this goal, but we have never been better placed to reach that position. "Tony Bloom's decision to invest in Hearts was very much founded on the many benefits he saw at Tynecastle through the club being in fan ownership, not least its financial security through the level of our pledging. What a testament to you, the supporters, and what a moment to be able to build on this, increase our membership, and drive forward together. "The consultation process was also a great demonstration of the power of fan ownership. Not for Hearts fans the scenario of waking up to find that a deal has been reached behind closed doors with some rich person to take over their club. Foundation members were able, as their right, to scrutinise the offering and make a decision, yes or no. That is the level of influence and power that we the fans now have here, thanks to you."
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
'Serious guy' - inside the face-to-face meeting between Hearts sporting director and Tony Bloom
Graeme Jones convinced that potential investor has right intentions Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones has been left convinced that Tony Bloom can be a positive influence on the club after a face-to-face meeting with the potential investor. Bloom has proposed to pump nearly £10million into the Tynecastle outfit in return for a seat on the board for one of his representatives and a 29 per cent stake through non-voting shares. A decision on whether to accept the motion will go before the 8,000 members of the Foundation of Hearts, the supporters group who own the Edinburgh club, following the period of consultation, which concludes on May 26. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bloom already has a relationship with Hearts through the link-up with his Jamestown Analytics firm which specialises in recruitment data and is being used to help spearhead the search for new players. Jones will also be heavily involved in the process, alongside new manager Derek McInnes, when it comes to rebuilding the squad over the summer window ahead of the new season. Hearts sporting director Graeme Jones. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group) | SNS Group "I've been down to Jamestown and met Tony," explained Jones, the former Scottish FA performance director. "My day-to-day dealings are with the guys at Jamestown Analytics, they're obviously in the same building, but it's a really positive relationship that's in place. I really enjoy every day working with them, and again, if Tony's investment comes through and the Foundation of Hearts approves it, then it's a really exciting moment for the club. "I think he's quite a serious guy. What I noticed from Tony is he knew a lot about the club, and he knew a lot about the inner workings of the club and a lot about the direction of where we're looking to go. So, he takes a real interest. That's a real positive for me, because if he's taking that interest, then he is serious. Obviously, our partnership and relationship with Jamestown Analytics is a good one, and I hope it's continuing to be a good one. What fruit that can bear from there is exciting to see." Analytics mixed with human touch Jones is also convinced that Hearts have appointed the right man to lead the team from the dugout and is excited to work together with McInnes, alongside Jamestown, to improve the squad. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad "We talked to Derek about how the system works and what the remit is," he said. "He was just really excited, as I was when I found out what it was. Our system, in line with Jamestown, will help create a squad, but Derek's the one that will create the team and create a successful team. The partnership between myself and Derek is fundamental to that. Jamestown supports that and helps us inform our decisions from there.
