Former Scottish Rugby Union chief executive Gordon McKie admits he is heading up a consortium that is looking to buy stricken Hearts.
McKie, who was also involved in Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy’s unsuccessfully attempt to take over at Rangers last summer, met with the Tynecastle club’s administrator Bryan Jackson on Thursday.
The group, said to be consisting of five or six investors, are mostly Hearts supporters based in both Edinburgh and London, and McKie insists they are ‘not doing it to make money’.
While reportedly lending his support, Kennedy is not thought to be financially involved with McKie’s consortium.
Hearts fans are also preparing their own takeover bid for the club, whose £25 million debts are lodged with former owner Vladimir Romanov’s collapsed Lithuanian companies Ukio Bankas and UBIG, through the Foundation of Hearts.
But McKie insists the consortium is willing to work alongside the FOH and he also met with the group’s chairman Ian Murray MP on Thursday.
McKie, who notified departed Hearts director Sergejus Fedotovas of the consortium’s interest during a meeting in February, said: “We’ve been on this for some time. We’ve done a lot of due diligence.
“Given my background in rugby and sport I know what I’m doing.
“The people around me are reputable, credible and wealthy and have Hearts’ best interests at heart because most of them are Hearts supporters. Not all, but most.
“Hearts have been part of their life and they are dismayed at what they hear and what they read.
“These guys keep good company. They are like-minded souls who haven’t enjoyed reading and hearing about what has happened at Tynecastle in recent times.”
McKie, who is credited with guiding SRU back to financial stability during his six years in charge until summer 2011 before taking on a similar role at the Hong Kong Football Association for eight months, added: “The guys behind me are not doing it to make money, that’s the truth. Football clubs don’t make money.
“I know that sounds twee, but they are genuinely doing it because they want to save Hearts. It’s unlikely the club will ever make money.
“If you sell a player there is pressure on you to spend on strengthening the squad, so I don’t see profit happening in professional football in Scotland.”
The FOH are preparing a bid based on a model of monthly financial contributions from supporters and McKie insists the consortium would be willing to embrace the fans’ group.
Administrator Jackson of BDO has indicated it could take as long as three months to secure a Company Voluntary Arrangement but McKie hopes the picture at Tynecastle will become clearer within weeks.