John Sutton is full of praise for the Hearts fans who have not turned their back on the club in their hour of financial need. Although the side have only a slim chance of making the top six - the 2-1 loss to Motherwell yesterday did not help much - the fans are still turning up in huge numbers for the home games. Hearts started the season with the second highest playing budget in the SPL and entertained thoughts of challenging for the runners-up spot. Amid the backdrop of severe financial difficulties with a share issue just falling short of the £2m needed to complete the season, manager John McGlynn lost his job despite taking his side to this month's Scottish Communities League Cup final. First team coach Gary Locke and academy coach Darren Murray were in charge on Saturday but the defeat leaves 11th-placed Hearts nine points adrift of sixth placed Hibs, with only 12 points to play for before the split.
Sutton - who scored against his former club at the weekend - said: "I think the players are aware how good the fans have been for us, I have always been lucky to play for clubs with good fans and we really should be the second biggest team in Scotland with Rangers out of the league. Languishing in the league, we have not played well or stuck back-to-back wins together, but the fans have stayed with us. To an extent, people like Gary have stayed with us as well and you want to repay the faith they have showed in us. It's going to be tricky getting into the top six but we have big games coming up, we have the game on Tuesday (against St Johnstone), the derby against Hibs and the cup final against St Mirren, so there is still a lot to play for this season."