The tale of two Hearts AGMs: No doubt over fan feeling

The 117th Heart of Midlothian Annual General Meeting, which started at 11am, had been going for nearly 140 minutes when it took an unusual turn as one shareholder posed a question to the club's board which wasn't about head coach Steven Naismith or the club's on-field performances, the recruitment or the "preponderance of referees from the west coast".

No. This question revolved around what the shareholder called "climate communism", expressing the difficulty in getting parked near Tynecastle Park and with further restrictions set to be introduced in Edinburgh.

It took the well-attended crowd a moment before the incongruity of the question landed. There were sighs and murmurings. To be fair to the club's chairwoman Ann Budge, she gave a detailed answer at a point where the majority in the room had likely switched off.

READ MORE: Hearts AGM: Instant reaction as shareholders ask questions of the club's board

It was a long day at Tynecastle Park in the Gorgie Suite. Not only was there the club's AGM, which had a running time similar to Ridley Scott's Napoleon, but in the evening the Foundation of Hearts held its own AGM, a much more sedate affair in front of a much, much smaller crowd than had assembled to question Budge, Andrew McKinlay and co.

There was no doubt there were going to be some tough questions of the Hearts board and they didn't look to dodge or shirk the ones asked, including some forthright views expressed via email before those in attendance got their own moment to shine.

The Hearts hierarchy are keen to point out how they are well aware of fan feeling, whether that be at games or online. When one shareholder took the mic that fan feeling was made clear in emphatic fashion.

"I am completely underwhelmed with what I see at 3 o'clock on a Saturday."

Before he could continue with his point there was a loud applause. 

"I look at the investment that has been made in the playing staff and quite frankly that investment has not been matched by what we're getting out there."

More applause.

"How confident are you that it can be kicked on from because it hasn't been good enough in the last 18 months?"

Further applause.

It was like there were plants in the crowd as a presidential candidate laid out how he is going to save the country if elected. Only the fans didn't need to be briefed or told. This was organic. A natural feeling, echoed beyond the confines of the Gorgie Suite early on a Thursday afternoon. The fanbase, by and large, has not been happy with the direction of the team on the field and improvement is required. 

Little of what the hierarchy offered up was likely going to appease, especially those keen for their pound of flesh. At one point a McKinlay comment about Naismith being the current manager of the month was met with laughter. The chief executive noted he was simply stating a fact. 

Listening to the board, there is no doubt that they felt they were making the right choice by appointing Naismith, not the easy one. Budge spoke of her preference of giving people time, while board member and benefactor James Anderson has been on record that sacking the manager is not always the best solution.

Although McKinlay's comment about the possible candidates they spoke to and discussions with Aberdeen have, judging by social media, not gone down that well.

"We fully understood the risks this presented and we were of the opinion that there was not another immediately available option which was definitely less risky and more attractive," he said of Naismith's appointment.

McKinlay also reminded fans that Hearts "don't have a history of bringing in winning managers". That followed a question from a shareholder regarding comments made by the club's chief executive in April, after Robbie Neilson was removed from his position as head coach, about how the club would target a manager with "a proven track record as a winner.”

READ MORE: Hearts explain Lawrence Shankland contract plans and when talks could take place

The AGM was far from McKinlay fielding questions on Naismith and the first-team performance. It will be interesting to see if the club's recruitment is altered with sporting director Joe Savage vowing to listen to fans and take on board criticism of the club's signings recently.

Another interesting aspect of the event was the presentation delivered by Jacqui Duncan, the club's finance director. It was a calculated, fascinating and detailed takedown of the view held by some fans that the club are not interested in investing in the football team.

McKinlay had said: "Despite suggestions that as a board we don't give enough importance to football outcomes there is no doubt results of the men's first-team are fundamentally important to this club."

Duncan displayed the disparity between football costs and income from success on the field in terms of prize money, while expressing the importance of non-football activity in helping generate revenue to be spent on the football side.

It should be noted. Of the record £20.8million turnover, over £15milllion is spent on staff costs. The club's coffers are, of course, boosted by benefactors, namely James Anderson and the Foundation of Hearts.

But it is projects like the hotel which will ensure the club are continuing to make money seven days a week. It is projected that in the first few months of trading the hotel will generate £1million in revenue. A figure that will grow substantially across a full year.

"We do need other revenue streams to support the football side," Duncan said. "We are a football club and we are investing in football."

The club AGM was long but it was also fascinating with so many different strands to it, from the continued discussions with the Oriam to talks with the Lowland League over a permanent place for the B team. When it finally wrapped up as things were beginning to heat up as one shareholder accused McKinlay of shaking his head over a question, there were a little over four hours until the Foundation of Hearts would hold their own AGM.

There was always the sense of it being after the Lord Mayor's show. It was done and dusted in just over 90 minutes but during it the FOH board were able to detail the organisation's ambitious plans to increase the number of pledgers significantly and how they will do that.

The Foundation has strengthened their marketing group, brought on board a key volunteer in helping push the message on social media, while there are plans for co-owners forums and surveys. Attendees were able to get a first look at the slick new website to be launched early next year. It will be much more user friendly and interactive, allowing pledgers to do more and also the Foundation to do more with the information they will be able to gather.

But the biggest driver of pledgers will be the Family Pledge led by Louise Strutt. It was revealed Hearts have 3,500 season ticket holders under the age of 16. FOH has been tapping into the different age categories during their research, finding out what is important to the younger fans.

READ MORE: Andrew McKinlay Q&A: James Anderson's Hearts commitment, manager's job, new sponsor

That was hammered home as you looked around what was unfortunately a sparsely attended meeting. The number of members attending under the age of 35 was very small. It is clear there are a generation or two of fans waiting to be engaged with the Foundation, the oranisation aware it needs to push the benefits of pledging beyond simply being a co-owner of Heart of Midlothian Football Club.

When it got to questions, chairman Gerry Mallon strayed away from discussing first-team matters, pointing to the earlier AGM. But he admitted there would be discussions around what could be a significant move with regards to ownership in Scottish football following interest in Hibs from US billionaire Bill Foley.

The Easter Road club held talks with the Scottish FA over minority investment from the Bournemouth owner, who also has a stake in French side Lorient. 

Multi-club ownership has not been discussed by Mallon with the Hearts board. He said talks would likely take place and at the start of the meeting confirmed there would be a review and consultation of the articles of the Foundation of Hearts in 2024.

But by 7.33pm, following a question about how information was stored, the day of AGMs at Tynecastle Park had been brought to an end. The above was a mere sample of what occured. Heart of Midlothian, never boring. 

Now, about that parking...