Hearts hit with registration embargo

The Scottish Premier League has hit Hearts with a 60-day ban on registering new players because of late payments to players and staff.

The Edinburgh outfit were warned by the SPL this week for late payments in September, and now they have been slapped with an embargo on registering new players until December 23, ruling them out of signing any free agents outside the transfer window.

“A sub-committee of the Scottish Premier League Board today considered a charge against Heart of Midlothian Football Club under SPL Rule A6.21, which concerned the club’s failure to pay coaching staff and players on time in October,” an SPL statement read.

“The club satisfied the sub-committee that all outstanding wages from October had now been paid and, accordingly, the player registration embargo, which arose from that failure, has now been lifted.

“The charge under SPL Rule A6.21 was admitted by the club. The decision of the sub-committee was to make Heart of Midlothian Football Club immediately subject to a further player registration embargo of 60 days.

“The club will be embargoed from registering any professional players up to, and including, 23 December 2012.”

Hearts sit in eighth spot in the SPL table after taking 12 points from their 10 matches so far this season.