Unruly Hearts hit with record fine

Hearts have been fined 100,000 pounds by the Scottish Football Association’s disciplinary committee for their poor on-field behaviour last season.

The sum is the highest ever fine imposed on a Scottish club for indiscipline and makes it a seventh successive season that Hearts have received an official sanction.

Of the 100,000 fine, 60,000 pounds must be paid immediately.

However, Hearts intend to contest the penalty, saying their disciplinary record has improved significantly.

Hearts picked up six red cards and 91 yellow cards in the 2010/11 campaign.

The season before had seen 10 red cards and 89 cautions dished out to the club.

A statement on the Hearts website said the fine “grossly misrepresents the improvements made, with Hearts’ final season disciplinary co-efficient of 7.54 well below the previous season’s co-efficient of 8.33.”

Of the remaining 40,000 pounds fine, half has been suspended until January and will be payable if there is no noticeable improvement in the club’s discipline.

The other 20,000 pounds is suspended until the end of next season, with the same circumstances applying.

The Tynecastle outfit were fined 60,000 pounds for indiscipline at the end of last season, which was a record at the time.