10 years on from great escape and Hearts are beating faster than ever

The next decade should be exciting as Jambos progress

IT'S 10 years ago this week but I remember it like it was yesterday. The players were called into a meeting with the Foundation of Hearts and Ann Budge was there.

They delivered the news that the club was coming out of administration and from then on we were looking forward once more.

It was brilliant news but, at the same time, it was hard to be positive at that moment.

We'd been hit with a 15-point penalty, were dealing with the prospect of relegation and were facing major cuts despite already seeing players leave and our wages slashed. The place was a mess.

That was the fresh start the club needed but there was still a heck of a lot of work to do.

But just look at where they are now.

It's incredible to think about all those turbulent times and yet see where they are, firmly established as the third-best side in Scotland with European group stage football to look forward to next season. Listen, it has been a bumpy ride at times and some mistakes have been made along the way.

Yet everyone involved in Hearts, from Budge and the Foundation to the supporters who stump up their cash to keep the club in fan ownership, deserves great credit.

You can't argue with the way Hearts have been runand the great thing is, there's even more to come.