'Sensible but worrying', 'the wage bill is, by all accounts, huge', - Hearts fans react to 'deeply concerning' 50% salary cut announcement

@lauriedunsire: “There's a time & a place for football rivalry. This is not it. Anyone who takes any pleasure from this, or uses it for point scoring, is the lowest of the low. Many clubs & companies will be in this boat right now, affecting "real" people with bills to pay & families to feed.”

@therichardcobb: “The first and definitely not the last club to do this. Sensible measures but a worrying sign of the situation businesses around the world find themselves in.”

@NJJarvie: “Literally every club in Scotland (bar Celtic) will be effected and likely take similar measures. We are just the first as ever to announce something.”

@AndyM1874: “We are living in unprecedented times, a drastic situation requires drastic measures. Better to take a short term cut for all as opposed to redundancy for a large % of staff. A CEO’s job is to protect the business for the long term. Tough times require tough solutions. If season ticket vouchers were made available to be traded against season tickets for whenever the season was going to start I’m sure many of us would buy them. Although I appreciate it only solves the issue short term.”

@HeartsRant: “Putting our heads on the block here, but it is deeply concerning that our football club is having to resort to such drastic measures. The pandemic has exposed a wider financial problem due to the mindless way we’ve p***ed away £ on awful players and a ludicrously expensive stand. Take the comments around reliance on £500K cup money to get by. We had Rangers at home, which we were expected to lose. To suggest we’d baked in half a million on the assumption we’d beat Rangers feels a little reckless to say the least. The wage bill is, by all accounts, huge.”

@rossd1987: “Asking players to take a temporary cut seems fair enough. Telling staff to take a 50% cut or find new jobs is frankly a disgrace”

@JamboDes: “Decent pre-emptive move rather than a head in the sand. Going to be tough for all teams and supporters. We've been through adversity before an sure we'll find a way to get through this.”

@bchappy1874: “I feel sorry for those who run the club shop and hospitality e.t.c!! The players after this season and most of the performances they've given us....I couldn't give a flying toss about them! The boardroom are to blame for this mess. I take it Levein will be on a wage cut too????”

@Emms_kt: “This is so gutting :( especially for all the staff who aren’t earning the big wages. Hang in there guys and girls”

@GiantJambo: “Tonight I increased my @The_FOH payment by a wee bit to help @JamTarts. If you can, please do the same but NOT if you’re on zero hours etc. Every club will need some help but if you can please help too. The team may be struggling but #IstandwithHearts”

@piltonjambo: “The first club to open up on this. Sensible but very worrying. No doubt unfortunately we'll be hearing similar from all the other clubs shortly. Well perhaps not all ... as we know some of them do have a huge self interest wish to keep lots of terrible news behind closed doors.”

@ohjawbone: “Most clubs (and most businesses) will probably eventually do this.”

@jambodaveyk: “Not nice for anyone, but I have got to be honest, feel worse for the staff on low wages than the players.”

@srwallace1: “Even on the darkest of nights they say, the sun will come up in the morning. Today @The_FOH we have seen 18 @JamTarts join or increase their pledge. I never cease to be humbled by our #Heartsfamily We WILL support you ever more. Keep well”

@perthtopaisley: “Where’s mad Vlad when we need him?”

@Amoruso1998: “A good, pro-active albeit concerning statement for all those it will affect. A reminder of what Ann Budge does well for some of us (myself included) who have criticised her these past 12-18 months #ThenNowForeverHMFC”

@maroonspecs: “Fans of other clubs leaping into the comments would do well to keep their counsel. Hearts will not be the only club that has to resort to these measures.”

@PantsShaton: “The brass-neck of any Hearts player who refuses the 50% offer! If their pay was performance related it would be far less than that.”

Kevin Duffy: “Some haven’t earned their wages this season”

Alan Brien: “Can’t wait to see the players response to this”

John Wilkins: “Good job Anne Budge. These things have to be done for the good of the club and hopefully in the future the staff will be rewarded for their loyalty.”