Budge will stay for two more years

ANN BUDGE will remain as Hearts’ chair for at least another two years — with philanthropist James Anderson also set to remain on the board. The businesswoman yesterday signed the documents which handed her 75.1-per-cent stake to the Foundation of Hearts, making the Tynecastle institution the largest fan-owned

club in Britain. The historic handover, the culmination of £12million in supporters’ pledges over seven years, sees Budge refunded the £2.5m she put in to help take the club out of administration in 2014. But with the day-to-day running of Hearts remaining the same, Budge intends to stay in her role until at least 2023 in the hope she sees the club return to the point when it regularly competes in Europe. ‘That’s what I’ve committed to and beyond that I think I can still add value and if the fans still want me,’ she said. ‘I’ll take it from there. ‘But we all know how old I am, so maybe in two years’ time it will be time for me to back out. ‘You can’t stand still. I need to finish the main stand because it’s not quite finished. I also want to do our best to get to where we almost got to two years ago, repeatedly at the top of the Premiership and playing in Europe. ‘In my tenure, we’ve only been in Europe once and we were not particularly successful. I would like to have another bash at doing that and make it even more successful next time.’ Although the initial ambition of the 8,000 FoH pledgers has now been realised, their ongoing donations means the club will have up to £1.5m in additional revenue each year — with its use as yet undetermined. Budge also believes Anderson, who joined the board in July after ploughing £8m into the club, is in for the long haul. ‘Oh yes, that will continue,’ she added of the man who has given £3m to the men’s senior game and £250,000 to women’s football during the pandemic. ‘I can say that with 100-per-cent confidence. That’s all sorted.’ Ahead of tonight’s transfer deadline, Budge expects to add one or two new players to a squad that’s currently sitting joint top of the Premiership. ‘I’m certainly hoping so,’ she said. ‘There will definitely be one but there might be two.’