SPORT: Waldo V Salmond

Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
March 20, 2009

THE family of Wallace Mercer have hit out at First Minister Alex Salmond for his criticism of the late ex-Hearts chairman.

Mr Salmond, a lifelong Hearts fan, resurrected his dislike of "The Great Waldo", who died of cancer in 2006, during an impassioned criticism of current Hearts chairman Vladimir Romanov yesterday.

But the family have hit back, telling the Evening News it was particularly hurtful to read Mr Salmond's statement that Mr Romanov was a "Baltic states Wallace Mercer", drawing parallels between Mr Romanov's current debt-ridden administration and implying the club was in equally "unsafe hands" under Mr Mercer.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Mercer's surviving family, his son Iain said: "In reality, when Wallace Mercer was chairman, Hearts FC were in very safe hands indeed, having rescued the club from the brink of bankruptcy in 1980. When he left the club in 1994 Hearts had a debt that was miniscule in comparison to the present one."

Mr Salmond also criticised the "dead and gone" Mercer for his "attitude", his "politics" and his "attempt to take over Hibernian". The First Minister was making reference to Mr Mercer's ill-fated attempt in 1990 to merge the two clubs and create an Edinburgh side to rival Glasgow's Old Firm.

Mercer preferred the term "merger" but to Hibs fans it was regarded as a takeover, while many Hearts fans also found the idea of joining forces with their oldest rivals to be distasteful.

Mr Mercer's office windows were smashed, and he even received death threats through the post. Son Iain continued: "That story is so old it is almost ancient history. The takeover was proposed for sound economic reasons but it ultimately failed. What possible purpose does Mr Salmond have in trying to resurrect it?

"We have no wish to comment on the reasons why Mr Salmond takes a personal liking or dislike to individuals, but his negative reference to Wallace Mercer's politics is ludicrous and not a little sinister.

"Among the many thousands of Hearts supporters will be people of all shades of political opinion and none at all. Is Mr Salmond perhaps implying that he also dislikes fans who vote for a political party other than his own?

"We must also emphasise that Wallace Mercer never, at any time, introduced party politics to the boardroom at Tynecastle."

As reported in yesterday's Evening News, the First Minister condemned the set-up at Hearts - describing its deal with Vladimir Romanov as a "devil's bargain".

He said the Gorgie side were in "unsafe hands" under the management of the Russian majority shareholder, and that community ownership would be his preferred option for the club.

Defending his comments, Mr Salmond said today: "The question asked was if Vladimir Romanov is a safe pair of hands, and the point I was making is that football chairmen and owners often have a difficult relationship with the fans, for a variety of reasons. I meant absolutely no disrespect to the late Wallace Mercer, and am very happy to apologise for any offence taken by his family."