Gary Mackay: I look forward to Hearts prospering after Craig Levein's exit

I am looking forward to seeing Hearts prosper again on the football field following Craig Levein's departure.

We all have our views, some will agree and some won't, but the fact he was involved in the recommendation of Daniel Stendel is a concern to me. It's a concern that Ann continued with her blind faith, if I'm being brutally honest.

It's important he is away now so we can now look at how we go forward as a club and recover from relegation. As a group of supporters, we have suffered a fair deal in the last couple of years and we can now hope for some brighter days on the horizon.

I think it was always going to be the case that season ticket sales would rise once he left. There is no denying there was a negativity around the club and that stemmed from the football department, the most important area of the club.

There are now more than 6,500 fans who have renewed their seats for next season, even though much of it will probably be played behind closed doors. That’s great backing and nobody should underestimate the loyalty and commitment shown.

To make sure the fans buying season tickets are properly rewarded, it is hugely important that there are footballing and recruitment matters being looked at already.

There is a lot of indecision just now because Hearts don't know what league they are going to be in. I do hope that we are as well-prepared off the park as we possibly can be for when the time comes to sign some players.

Ann Budge said recently that she can’t even contemplate new arrivals with everything else going on just now, and that is understandable. I just hope she has got somebody somewhere looking into it.

Maybe Donald Park could be helping with that sort of thing just now since he was involved in the interview stage when we were looking for a new manager.

I just hope somebody capable and qualified is looking at what players are going to be available for wherever Hearts are going to be playing.

You need to be on your toes at this time of year. When things do get settled and it's decided for definite what league Hearts are in, it will be a bunfight for players who are out of contract. You need to be there ready to pounce.

Our squad has lost a few players who were released at the end of their contracts and I wouldn't want us to be signing vast numbers like we have done in the last couple of seasons.

However, I think most people would agree the squad will need strengthened in certain areas. We have some good young players and should be utilising them, but I hope there are a couple of new recruits being looked at as well.

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