Hearts were hit with a triple-whammy today with the news that three regular first-team players will miss the rest of the season.
Goalkeeper Neil Alexander has suffered a broken finger and it has been revealed the former Scotland keeper has been getting painkilling injections in recent weeks as Hearts clinched the SPFL Championship title. Alexander has now undergone an operation to get a bone reset and will take the rest of the season to recover.
Winger Billy King, so impressive this season, has had an ankle problem for some time and he has also undergone an operation in order to alleviate the problem. Both Alexander and King are expected to report for pre-season training in the summer.
The third absentee is full-back Adam Eckersley. Hearts were offered a two-game ban from the SFA’s Compliance Officer following an allegation the former Manchester United player head-butted Hibernian’s Scott Allan during Sunday’s Edinburgh derby. Eckersley will miss this Saturday’s visit of Raith Rovers and Hearts trip to Cowdenbeath the following week and while he will be available for the final game of the season at home to Rangers it remains doubtful if he will feature given he has not been offered a deal at Tynecastle for next season.
The game against Rangers has been switched to Sunday 3 May with a 12.30pm kick-off and will be broadcast by Sky Sports.
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
