FOUNDATION OF HEARTS TRIBUTE JERSEY LAUNCHED

The Hearts fans created history by playing a vital role in the club’s survival. Now their names are etched on a fantastic third jersey that pays tribute to their unstinting support.

In association with the club, the Foundation of Hearts is delighted to launch the new third kit featuring the names of some 8,000 pledgers. Those that reached the required FoH fan reward threshold in February have their name displayed on the unique top.

Pledgers and fellow supporters will be able to get a close up of the jersey for themselves in the club shop from today (Friday 18 September) and the Hearts players will literally carry the hopes of thousands of fans when they wear the strip for matches during the second half of the campaign.

The shirt will be available for pre-order from 9.00am this morning and is expected to be in high demand, with supporters urged to get their orders in early in order to avoid disappointment. The shirts will be in-store from 15 November 2015.

Chairwoman Ann Budge said: “Everyone here at the club, who has been involved in producing this amazing shirt, is thrilled with the final product. This has been another real team effort between the club and FoH and we were delighted to work together to produce something which truly recognises the contribution made by the pledgers. This is a real win, win, win!”

Despite increased production costs, the shirts are priced at £45 – the same price as the club’s home and away jerseys.

The first ten fans to place their order will be presented with their strips in front of the Tynecastle crowd at a home fixture in November. Fans who order on or before 15 October 2015 will be issued with a signed certificate and be entered into a competition to play for the Hearts Legends team. Three lucky winners will be given the chance to line up next to some Hearts heroes from yesteryear.

Foundation of Hearts chairman Brian Cormack said: “This is an immensely proud and emotional moment for everyone associated with the Foundation of Hearts, and we are absolutely delighted to see this project come to fruition.

“The shirt does not just feature a list of fans’ names; it pays fitting tribute to the 8,000 and more supporters who have together saved this great club.

“Their extraordinary achievement – and the legacy that they are passing on – is to have kept the Hearts beating, and the jersey is a very appropriate way to mark their accomplishment.

“We would like to make special mention of Dougie Masterton, a former director of the Foundation, whose idea this was. Above all, we’d like to thank the club for turning this idea into reality and for making this the official third strip for the team. Players and fans can now wear this very special jersey with real pride.”