Listen to your Hearts
Hearts legend Gary Locke has begged Tynecastle stars to see sense and accept a pay cut.
Jambos owner Ann Budge has asked all staff to accept 50 per cent reductions to their salaries by March 31 or request their release.
Academy staff who work fewer than 20 hours per week have also been placed on unpaid leave.
Former Hearts captain, coach and manager Locke now works for the club as an ambassador and is one of those facing the wage cut.
He said: “Ann Budge has said that if we don’t agree to the cuts then we’ll need to look at something else, which isn’t ideal. But every club is going to be in the same position over the next couple of weeks.
“There’s barely a club in Scotland that will be able to pay full salary while we are in lockdown.
“Fortunately for us, Ann has had the sense to do it f irst so that we all know what’s happening.
“The boys will need to accept it or move on.
“We were offered the 50 per cent cut and you are better getting something than nothing.
“I think it would be a sensible decision for most players at the minute to accept it because we don’t know when football will get back again.
“It could be another two or three months.”
Locke also wants the game’s rulers to see sense, insisting it would be an injustice if Hearts were relegated without the season finishing.
The 44-year-old said: “The SPFL are SFA are going to need to get together and decide what is happening with the 2019/20 season.
“When we do eventually get back, there’s a big decision to be made.
“If we were to be relegated then we wouldn’t be happy with it.
“If we were 24 points adrift with eight games left then fine, you’re relegated.
“But we are only four points behind with 24 still to play for.
“It would be a bit of an injustice if they were to relegate us based on that.”