MX23RW : Wednesday, April 2 07:28:48| >> :600:307133:307133:

Robbie Neilson replaces Gary Locke as Hearts manager

Hearts sack manager Gary Locke and replace him with Robbie Neilson following multiple changes behind the scenes at the club.

Hearts have sacked manager Gary Locke and replaced him with Robbie Neilson following multiple changes behind the scenes at the club.

Former boss Craig Levein has returned to Tynecastle Stadium in the role of director of football.

Locke, who arrived at Hearts in February 2013, leaves the club following their recent relegation from the Scottish Premiership.

Neilson, 33, takes charge of the first team after spending 10 years as a player at Hearts from 1999 to 2009. He retired from football last year.

"We know it may be an unpopular decision with some of you, but the board has decided that we cannot offer Gary Locke a new contract as manager at the end of his current contract," read an official statement from new chairwoman Ann Budge.

"Please believe me when I say this has been an enormously difficult decision to make. We all know the pressures that Gary and his assistant, Billy Brown, have worked under over the last year. They were set an almost impossible task, which they handled with dignity and determination."

Hearts's final match of the Scottish Premiership season was a 1-1 draw with St Mirren on Saturday.

ID:154783: cacheID:154783:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2387:
Written by
Jack Prescott
Restore Data
Share this article now:
A general view of Tynecastle Stadium, home to Heart of Midlothian on September 2, 2012
Read Next:
Ann Budge completes Hearts takeover
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic31253392207278
2RangersRangers31205666313565
3Hibernian31121184841747
4Aberdeen31137114247-546
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd31128113940-144
6Hearts31116144343039
7St Mirren31115154250-838
8Motherwell31115153754-1738
9Ross County3198143152-2135
10Kilmarnock3188153553-1832
11Dundee3187164867-1931
12St Johnstone3175193257-2526


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!