2007–08 Heart of Midlothian F.C. season

The 2007–08 season is the 111th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian. It is the tenth consecutive season of play in the Scottish Premier League in which Hearts have competed since its inauguration in 1998–99. Hearts will also compete in the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.

Heart of Midlothian
2007–08 season
Chairman Roman Romanov
Manager Anatoliy Korobochka
Stephen Frail (from 29 January 2010)
StadiumTynecastle Stadium
Scottish Premier League8th
Scottish CupRound 4 Replay
League CupSemi Final
Top goalscorerLeague:
Andrius Velicka (11)
All:
Andrius Velicka (14)
Highest home attendance17,131 v Hibs SPL 19 January 2008
Lowest home attendance10,500 v Dunfermline League Cup 25 September 2007

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
6 Hibernian 38 14 10 14 49 45 +4 52 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round[lower-alpha 2]
7 Falkirk 38 13 10 15 45 49 −4 49
8 Heart of Midlothian 38 13 9 16 47 55 −8 48
9 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 38 13 4 21 51 62 −11 43
10 St Mirren 38 10 11 17 26 54 −28 41
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
  2. Hibernian qualified for the Intertoto Cup as the highest ranked club to apply for a place in the competition.

Matches

Pre season

For the second consecutive pre-season Hearts visited Austria, although on this occasion the side also played four tour matches in Germany. Only one pre-season match was played in Edinburgh, a "glamour friendly" against FC Barcelona at Murrayfield Stadium, which attracted Hearts' largest ever attendance for a "home" match.

30 June 2007 FriendlyFC Tavriya2–1Hearts
Zborovsky  38' (57), pen.' Karipidis  40' Attendance: 200
7 July 2007 FriendlyAustria Wien1–2HeartsFRANZ HORR STADION
Metz  64' Schiemer  18' (og.)
Troyansky  55' (og.)		 Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Fritz Stuchlik
13 July 2007 FriendlyBV Cloppenburg2–1HeartsStadion an der Friesoyther Strasse
Breiremeiter  16'
Balke  75'		 Kostadinov  85' Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Jochen Zdebel
14 July 2007 FriendlyRot-Weiss Essen1–1HeartsGeorg-Melches-Stadion
Klinger  51' Pospisil  44' Attendance: 2,800
Referee: Guido Winkmann
20 July 2007 FriendlyHeracles Almelo1–5HeartsCoesfeld
Marnix Smit  63' Ivascevicius  6'
Makela  10' (22)
Stewart  52'
Jonsson  90' (pen.)		 Attendance: 200
Referee: Detlef Scheppe
21 July 2007 FriendlyMoroka Swallows F.C.1–0Hearts
Tsutsulupa  34' Attendance: 500
24 July 2007 FriendlyHearts1–3BarcelonaMurrayfield Stadium
Makela  24' Ronaldinho  22' (pen.), 40'
Santos  50'		 Attendance: 57,857
Referee: Dougie McDonald

Scottish Premier League
Main article: 2007–08 Scottish Premier League
6 August 2007 SPLHearts0–1HibsTynecastle
Kerr  2' Attendance: 16,436
Referee: Stuart Dougal
12 August 2007 SPLAberdeen1–1HeartsPittodrie Stadium
Nicholson  19' BBC SPORT Stewart  45' Attendance: 13,134
Referee: Brines
18 August 2007 SPLHearts1–1GretnaTynecastle
Driver  73' Barr  80' Attendance: 16,407
Referee: Dougie McDonald
25 August 2007 SPLCeltic5–0HeartsCeltic Park
Berra  9' (O.g.)
Donati  22'
Brown  61'
Hesselink  63' (pen.)
Nakamura  79'		 Attendance: 57,300
Referee: Brines
3 September 2007 SPLMotherwell0–2HeartsFir Park
Kingston  24'
Velicka  92'		 Attendance: 5,081
Referee: Charlie Richmond
15 September 2007 SPLHearts4–2RangersTynecastle
Driver  13'
Tall  27'
Stewart  66' (pen.)
Ivaskevicius  70'		 Cousin  48' (pen.)
Beasley  75'		 Attendance: 15,948
Referee: Mike McCurry
22 September 2007 SPLInverness2–1HeartsCaledonian Stadium
Wyness  64'
Brewster  92'		 Black  34' (o.g.) Attendance: 4,918
Referee: Mike Tumilty
30 September 2007 SPLSt Mirren1–3HeartsLove Street
Driver  78' Driver  40'
Stewart  56' (pen.)
Velicka  82'		 Attendance: 4,233
Referee: John Underhill
6 October 2007 SPLHearts4–2FalkirkTynecastle Stadium
Ksanavicius  5'
Zaliukas  27'
Velicka  58'
Nade  68'		 Barrett  87'
Moutinho  89'		 Attendance: 15,855
Referee: Stuart Dougal
20 October 2007 SPLHearts1–3Dundee UnitedTynecastle Stadium
Kingston  92' Robertson  14' (28)
Robson  89' (pen.)		 Attendance: 16,436
Referee: Craig Thomson
27 October 2007 SPLKilmarnock3–1HeartsRugby Park
Wales  52'
Nish  72'
Gibson  77'		 Tall  92' Attendance: 6,373
Referee: Willie Collum
4 November 2007 SPLHibs1–1HeartsEaster Road
Berra  18' (Og.) Nade  46' Attendance: 17,015
Referee: Charlie Richmond
11 November 2007 SPLHearts4–1AberdeenTynecastle Stadium
Driver  3'
Velicka  13'
Tall  57'
Nade  62'		 Visscher  38' Attendance: 17,122
Referee: Iain Brines
24 November 2007 SPLGretna1–1HeartsRaydale Park
kingston  49' (o.g.) kingston  27' Attendance: 1,544
Referee: Mike Tumilty
1 December 2007 SPLHearts1–1CelticTynecastle Stadium
Velicka  91' (pen.) Mcdonald  73' Attendance: 16,454
Referee: Kenny Clark
8 December 2007 SPLHearts1–2MotherwellTynecastle Stadium
Driver  12' Porter  53'
Zaliukas  67' (o.g.)		 Attendance: 16,633
Referee: Craig Thomson
15 December 2007 SPLRangers2–1HeartsIbrox
Mcculloch  18', 87' Velicka  56' Attendance: 48,392
Referee: Dougie McDonald
22 December 2007 SPLHearts2–3InvernessTynecastle Stadium
Berra  62'
Velicka  90' (pen.)		 Duncan  22'
Rankin  53' (pen.)
Bayne  93'		 Attendance: 16,202
Referee: Willie Collum
26 December 2007 SPLHearts0–1St MirrenTynecastle Stadium
Mcginn  17' Attendance: 16,476
Referee: Iain Brines
29 December 2007 SPLFalkirk2–1HeartsFalkirk Stadium
Finnigan  77'
Higdon  81'		 Palazuelos  28' Attendance: 6,614
Referee: Kenny Clark
2 January 2008 SPLDundee United4–1HeartsTannadice
Robson  22', 70' (pen.), 87'
Hunt  84'		 Berra  38' Attendance: 7,507
Referee: Alan Freeland
5 January 2008 SPLHearts1–1KilmarnockTynecastle Stadium
Velicka  63' Giacomo  45' Attendance: 14,346
Referee: John Underhill
19 January 2008 SPLHearts1–0HibsTynecastle Stadium
Velicka  20' Attendance: 17,131
Referee: Kenny Clark
26 January 2008 SPLAberdeen0–1HeartsPittodrie
Nade  55' Attendance: 14,000
Referee: Willie Collum
9 February 2008 SPLHearts2–0GretnaTynecastle Stadium
Velicka  4', 41' (pen.) Attendance: 16,139
Referee: Charlie Richmond
16 February 2008 SPLCeltic3–0HeartsCeltic Park
Hesselink  14'
Mcdonald  51'
Hinkel  76'		 Attendance: 56,738
Referee: Dougie McDonald
23 February 2008 SPLMotherwell0–1HeartsFir Park
Craigan  12' (o.g.) Attendance: 5,925
Referee: Craig Thomson
27 February 2008 SPLHearts0–4RangersTynecastle Stadium
Darchecille  25', 44'
Novo  53', 70'		 Attendance: 16,173
Referee: Stuart Dougal
1 March 2008 SPLInverness0–3HeartsCaledonian Stadium
Karipidis  22'
Elliot  33' (47)		 Attendance: 4,489
Referee: Alan Freeland
15 March 2008 SPLSt Mirren1–1HeartsLove Street
Hamilton  59' Mikoliunas  87' Attendance: 4,557
Referee: Willie Collum
22 March 2008 SPLHearts0–0FalkirkTynecastle Stadium
Attendance: 16,682
Referee: Charlie Richmond
29 March 2008 SPLHearts1–0Dundee UnitedTynecastle Stadium
Kingston  27' Attendance: 16,871
Referee: Eddie Smith
5 April 2008 SPLKilmarnock0–0HeartsRugby Park
Attendance: 5,901
Referee: Craig Thomson
19 April 2008 SPLHearts3–2St MirrenTynecastle Stadium
Johnson  28'
Glen  42'
Kingston  81'		 McCay  20'
Mason  78'		 Attendance: 15,259
Referee: Mike McCurry
26 April 2008 SPLHearts1–0InvernessTynecastle Stadium
Glen  80' Attendance: 15,423
Referee: Dougie McDonald
5 May 2008 SPLFalkirk2–1HeartsFalkirk Stadium
Scobbie  45'
Finnigan  52'		 Cesnauskis  78' Attendance: 4,638
Referee: Craig Thomson
10 May 2008 SPLHearts0–2KilmarnockTynecastle Stadium
Murray  74'
Giacomo  83'		 Attendance: 10,512
Referee: Mike Tumilty
13 May 2008 SPLGretna1–0HeartsRaydale Park
Skelton  93' Attendance: 1,090
Referee: John Underhill

Scottish Cup
Main article: 2007–08 Scottish Cup
12 January 2008 Scottish Cup Round 4Hearts2–2MotherwellTynecastle
Česnauskis  10'
Velička  52'		 BBC Sport Porter  64' (78) Attendance: 13,651
Referee: Stuart Dougal
22 January 2008 Scottish Cup Round 4 ReplayMotherwell1–0HeartsFir Park
McCormack  23' (pen.) Attendance: 8,300
Referee: Stuart Dougal

Scottish League Cup
28 August 2007 League Cup Round 2Stirling0–2HeartsForthbank Stadium
BBC SPORT Laurie Ellis  39' (og.)
Kingston  53'		 Attendance: 2,059
Referee: J Underhill
25 September 2007 League Cup Round 3Hearts4–1DunfermlineTynecastle Stadium
Nade  34' (pen.)
Berra  97'
Elliot  100' (102)		 BBC SPORT Simmons  84' Attendance: 10,500
Referee: Brian Winter
31 October 2007 League Cup QFCeltic0–2HeartsCeltic Park
BBC SPORT Velička  77' (86) Attendance: 21,492
Referee: Kenny Clark
30 January 2008 League Cup SFRangers2–0HeartsHampden Park
BBC SPORT Ferguson  50'
Darcheville  69'		 Attendance: 31,989
Referee: Stuart Dougal

Transfers & loans

Several Lithuanian players left the club during the close-season, while two more Audrius Ksanavičius and Ričardas Beniušis arrived on loan from FBK Kaunas. Other summer signings included Rubén Palazuelos from Gimnástica de Torrelavega and Michael Stewart, who returned to the club after two seasons with rivals Hibernian. Scottish international goalkeeper Craig Gordon moved to Sunderland for £9 million in early August. This fee meant that Gordon was the most expensive Hearts and Scottish player ever, and the most expensive goalkeeper in British football history.

Managers

Just prior to the season's commencement Anatoly Korobochka and Stephen Frail were confirmed as the club's permanent coaching team.[1]

After several other discouraging results, the Scottish media began to scrutinise why the team was not matching supporters expectations, with one particular area of interest being the coaching structure. As neither Korobochka or Bulgarian assistant coach Angel Chervenkov spoke fluent English, a translator was required to aid management and team communication, a situation Frail admitted was "frustrating" and "not ideal" after a 1–1 draw with Gretna.[2]

Stephen Frail was appointed manager on 31 December following a difficult start to the season, although it was not made clear at the time that Frail would be manager until the end of the season.

On 22 May 2008 reports came out that caretaker manager Stephen Frail was on his way out of Tynecastle as he was not part of the new managerial structure at Hearts.

Season

Hearts began the season in a disappointing manner being defeated 1 -0 in the Edinburgh Derby with Hibernian.

On 31 December 2007, Romanov announced that, following five successive defeats which saw the club fall to 10th (third bottom) place in the league, the club would be looking to appoint a 'British-style' manager who would have complete control over team affairs.[3] Since then, Stephen Frail has been the caretaker manager, although it was not made clear at the time that Frail would be manager until the end of the season.

Hearts were defeated 1–0 in the 4th round replay of the Scottish Cup by Motherwell after a 2–2 draw on 21 January 2008. Rangers defeated them 2–0 in the semi-final of the CIS Cup on 30 January at Hampden Park. Hearts then sold their top scorer, Andrius Velička, to Norwegian side Viking Stavanger on 26 February 2008. A 0–0 draw with Kilmarnock on 5 April 2008 meant that Hearts failed to make the "Top Six" of the SPL, for the first time since the split league format was introduced in 2001.

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gollark: It's an extension of the signed disk thing, really.
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gollark: For RSA, though.
gollark: Er, 32 bytes.

See also

References
  1. "Korobochka and Frail are Hearts coaching duo". Edinburgh Evening News. 30 July 2007.
  2. "Frail slams communication issues". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  3. "Hearts launch formal search for traditional manager". Scotsman. 18 August 2007.
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