The 2007–08 season was the 127th season of competitive football by Heart of Midlothian, and their 25th consecutive season in the top level of Scottish football, competing in the Scottish Premier League. Hearts also competed in the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.
| 2007–08 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Roman Romanov |
| Manager | Anatoliy Korobochka (until 31 December) Stephen Frail (from 29 January) |
| Stadium | Tynecastle Stadium |
| Scottish Premier League | 8th |
| Scottish Cup | Fourth round |
| League Cup | Semi-finals |
| Top goalscorer | League: Andrius Velicka (11) All: Andrius Velicka (14) |
| Highest home attendance | 17,131 vs. Hibernian, SPL, 19 January 2008 |
| Lowest home attendance | 10,500 vs. Dunfermline Athletic, League Cup, 25 September 2007 |
Overview
editHearts began the season in a disappointing manner being defeated 1-0 in the Edinburgh Derby with Hibernian.
On 31 December 2007, Romanov announced that, following five successive defeats which saw the club fall to 10th (third bottom) place in the league, the club would be looking to appoint a 'British-style' manager who would have complete control over team affairs.[1] Since then, Stephen Frail has been the caretaker manager, although it was not made clear at the time that Frail would be manager until the end of the season.
Hearts were defeated 1–0 in the 4th round replay of the Scottish Cup by Motherwell after a 2–2 draw on 21 January 2008. Rangers defeated them 2–0 in the semi-final of the CIS Cup on 30 January at Hampden Park. Hearts then sold their top scorer, Andrius Velička, to Norwegian side Viking Stavanger on 26 February 2008. A 0–0 draw with Kilmarnock on 5 April 2008 meant that Hearts failed to make the "Top Six" of the SPL, for the first time since the split league format was introduced in 2001.
Managers
editJust prior to the season's commencement Anatoly Korobochka and Stephen Frail were confirmed as the club's permanent coaching team.[2]
After several other discouraging results, the Scottish media began to scrutinise why the team was not matching supporters expectations, with one particular area of interest being the coaching structure. As neither Korobochka or Bulgarian assistant coach Angel Chervenkov spoke fluent English, a translator was required to aid management and team communication, a situation Frail admitted was "frustrating" and "not ideal" after a 1–1 draw with Gretna.[3]
Stephen Frail was appointed manager on 31 December following a difficult start to the season, although it was not made clear at the time that Frail would be manager until the end of the season.
On 22 May 2008 reports came out that caretaker manager Stephen Frail was on his way out of Tynecastle as he was not part of the new managerial structure at Hearts.
Matches
editPre season
editFor the second consecutive pre-season Hearts visited Austria, although on this occasion the side also played four tour matches in Germany. Only one pre-season match was played in Edinburgh, a "glamour friendly" against FC Barcelona at Murrayfield Stadium, which attracted Hearts' largest ever attendance for a "home" match.
| 30 June 2007 Friendly | FC Tavriya | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | |
Zborovsky  38' (57), pen.' |
Karipidis 40' |
Attendance: 200 |
| 7 July 2007 Friendly | Austria Wien | 1–2 | Heart of Midlothian | FRANZ HORR STADION |
| Metz 64' |
Schiemer 18' (og.) Troyansky 55' (og.) |
Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Fritz Stuchlik |
| 13 July 2007 Friendly | BV Cloppenburg | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Stadion an der Friesoyther Strasse |
| Breiremeiter 16' Balke 75' |
Kostadinov 85' |
Attendance: 1,500 Referee: Jochen Zdebel |
| 14 July 2007 Friendly | Rot-Weiss Essen | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Georg-Melches-Stadion |
| Klinger 51' |
Pospisil 44' |
Attendance: 2,800 Referee: Guido Winkmann |
| 20 July 2007 Friendly | Heracles Almelo | 1–5 | Heart of Midlothian | Coesfeld |
| Marnix Smit 63' |
Ivascevicius 6' Makela 10' (22)Stewart 52'Jonsson 90' (pen.) |
Attendance: 200 Referee: Detlef Scheppe |
| 21 July 2007 Friendly | Moroka Swallows | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | |
| Tsutsulupa 34' |
Attendance: 500 |
| 24 July 2007 Friendly | Heart of Midlothian | 1–3 | Barcelona | Murrayfield Stadium |
| Makela 24' |
Ronaldinho 22 pen.', 40' Santos 50' |
Attendance: 57,857 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
Scottish Premier League
edit| 6 August 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | Hibs | Tynecastle Park |
| Kerr 2' |
Attendance: 16,436 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 12 August 2007 SPL | Aberdeen | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Pittodrie Stadium |
| Nicholson 19' |
BBC SPORT | Stewart 45' |
Attendance: 13,134 Referee: Brines |
| 18 August 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Gretna | Tynecastle Park |
| Driver 73' |
Barr 80' |
Attendance: 16,407 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 25 August 2007 SPL | Celtic | 5–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic Park |
| Berra 9' (O.g.) Donati 22'Brown 61'Hesselink 63' (pen.)Nakamura 79' |
Attendance: 57,300 Referee: Brines |
| 3 September 2007 SPL | Motherwell | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Kingston 24' Velicka 92' |
Attendance: 5,081 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 15 September 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–2 | Rangers | Tynecastle Park |
| Driver 13' Tall 27'Stewart 66' (pen.)Ivaskevicius 70' |
Cousin 48' (pen.) Beasley 75' |
Attendance: 15,948 Referee: Mike McCurry |
| 22 September 2007 SPL | Inverness CT | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Caledonian Stadium |
| Wyness 64' Brewster 92' |
Black 34' (o.g.) |
Attendance: 4,918 Referee: Mike Tumilty |
| 30 September 2007 SPL | St Mirren | 1–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Love Street |
| Driver 78' |
Driver 40' Stewart 56' (pen.)Velicka 82' |
Attendance: 4,233 Referee: John Underhill |
| 6 October 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–2 | Falkirk | Tynecastle Park |
| Ksanavicius 5' Zaliukas 27'Velicka 58'Nade 68' |
Barrett 87' Moutinho 89' |
Attendance: 15,855 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 20 October 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–3 | Dundee United | Tynecastle Park |
| Kingston 92' |
Robertson 14' (28) Robson 89' (pen.) |
Attendance: 16,436 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 27 October 2007 SPL | Kilmarnock | 3–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Rugby Park |
| Wales 52' Nish 72'Gibson 77' |
Tall 92' |
Attendance: 6,373 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 4 November 2007 SPL | Hibernian | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Easter Road |
| Berra 18' (Og.) |
Nade 46' |
Attendance: 17,015 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 11 November 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 4–1 | Aberdeen | Tynecastle Park |
| Driver 3' Velicka 13' Tall 57' Nade 62' |
Visscher 38' |
Attendance: 17,122 Referee: Iain Brines |
| 24 November 2007 SPL | Gretna | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Kingston 49' (o.g.) |
Kingston 27' |
Attendance: 1,544 Referee: Mike Tumilty |
| 1 December 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Celtic | Tynecastle Park |
| Velicka 91' (pen.) |
Mcdonald 73' |
Attendance: 16,454 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 8 December 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–2 | Motherwell | Tynecastle Park |
| Driver 12' |
Porter 53' Zaliukas 67' (o.g.) |
Attendance: 16,633 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 15 December 2007 SPL | Rangers | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Ibrox Stadium |
| Mcculloch 18', 87' |
Velicka 56' |
Attendance: 48,392 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 22 December 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 2–3 | Inverness | Tynecastle Park |
| Berra 62' Velicka 90' (pen.) |
Duncan 22' Rankin 53' (pen.)Bayne 93' |
Attendance: 16,202 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 26 December 2007 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–1 | St Mirren | Tynecastle Park |
| Mcginn 17' |
Attendance: 16,476 Referee: Iain Brines |
| 29 December 2007 SPL | Falkirk | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Falkirk Stadium |
| Finnigan 77' Higdon 81' |
Palazuelos 28' |
Attendance: 6,614 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 2 January 2008 SPL | Dundee United | 4–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Tannadice Park |
| Robson 22', 70' (pen.), 87' Hunt 84' |
Berra 38' |
Attendance: 7,507 Referee: Alan Freeland |
| 5 January 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–1 | Kilmarnock | Tynecastle Park |
| Velicka 63' |
Di Giacomo 45' |
Attendance: 14,346 Referee: John Underhill |
| 19 January 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Hibernian | Tynecastle Park |
| Velicka 20' |
Attendance: 17,131 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 26 January 2008 SPL | Aberdeen | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Pittodrie Stadium |
| Nade 55' |
Attendance: 14,000 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 9 February 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 2–0 | Gretna | Tynecastle Park |
| Velicka 4', 41' (pen.) |
Attendance: 16,139 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 16 February 2008 SPL | Celtic | 3–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic Park |
| Hesselink 14' Mcdonald 51'Hinkel 76' |
Attendance: 56,738 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 23 February 2008 SPL | Motherwell | 0–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Craigan 12' (o.g.) |
Attendance: 5,925 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 27 February 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–4 | Rangers | Tynecastle Park |
| Darchecille 25', 44' Novo 53', 70' |
Attendance: 16,173 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 1 March 2008 SPL | Inverness CT | 0–3 | Heart of Midlothian | Caledonian Stadium |
| Karipidis 22' Elliot 33' (47) |
Attendance: 4,489 Referee: Alan Freeland |
| 15 March 2008 SPL | St Mirren | 1–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Love Street |
| Hamilton 59' |
Mikoliunas 87' |
Attendance: 4,557 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 22 March 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–0 | Falkirk | Tynecastle Park |
| Attendance: 16,682 Referee: Charlie Richmond |
| 29 March 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Dundee United | Tynecastle Park |
| Kingston 27' |
Attendance: 16,871 Referee: Eddie Smith |
| 5 April 2008 SPL | Kilmarnock | 0–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Rugby Park |
| Attendance: 5,901 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 19 April 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 3–2 | St Mirren | Tynecastle Park |
| Johnson 28' Glen 42'Kingston 81' |
McCay 20' Mason 78' |
Attendance: 15,259 Referee: Mike McCurry |
| 26 April 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 1–0 | Inverness CT | Tynecastle Park |
| Glen 80' |
Attendance: 15,423 Referee: Dougie McDonald |
| 5 May 2008 SPL | Falkirk | 2–1 | Heart of Midlothian | Falkirk Stadium |
| Scobbie 45' Finnigan 52' |
Cesnauskis 78' |
Attendance: 4,638 Referee: Craig Thomson |
| 10 May 2008 SPL | Heart of Midlothian | 0–2 | Kilmarnock | Tynecastle Park |
| Murray 74' Giacomo 83' |
Attendance: 10,512 Referee: Mike Tumilty |
| 13 May 2008 SPL | Gretna | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| Skelton 93' |
Attendance: 1,090 Referee: John Underhill |
Scottish League Cup
edit| 28 August 2007 Second round | Stirling Albion | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Forthbank Stadium |
| BBC SPORT | Ellis 39 o.g.' Kingston 53' |
Attendance: 2,059 Referee: J Underhill |
| 25 September 2007 Third round | Heart of Midlothian | 4–1 | Dunfermline Athletic | Tynecastle Park |
| Nade 34' (pen.) Berra 97'Elliot 100' (102) |
BBC SPORT | Simmons 84' |
Attendance: 10,500 Referee: Brian Winter |
| 31 October 2007 Quarter-finals | Celtic | 0–2 | Heart of Midlothian | Celtic Park |
| BBC SPORT | Velička 77' (86) |
Attendance: 21,492 Referee: Kenny Clark |
| 30 January 2008 Semi-finals | Rangers | 2–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Hampden Park |
| Ferguson 50' Darcheville 69' |
BBC SPORT | Attendance: 31,989 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
Scottish Cup
edit| 12 January 2008 Fourth round | Heart of Midlothian | 2–2 | Motherwell | Tynecastle Park |
| Česnauskis 10' Velička 52' |
BBC Sport | Porter 64' (78) |
Attendance: 13,651 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
| 22 January 2008 Fourth round replay | Motherwell | 1–0 | Heart of Midlothian | Fir Park |
| McCormack 23' (pen.) |
Attendance: 8,300 Referee: Stuart Dougal |
League table
edit| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Hibernian | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 49 | 45 | +4 | 52 | Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round[b] |
| 7 | Falkirk | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 49 | |
| 8 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 47 | 55 | −8 | 48 | |
| 9 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 38 | 13 | 4 | 21 | 51 | 62 | −11 | 43 | |
| 10 | St Mirren | 38 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 26 | 54 | −28 | 41 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
- ^ Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
- ^ Hibernian qualified for the Intertoto Cup as the highest ranked club to apply for a place in the competition.
Transfers & loans
editSeveral Lithuanian players left the club during the close-season, while two more Audrius Ksanavičius and Ričardas Beniušis arrived on loan from FBK Kaunas. Other summer signings included Rubén Palazuelos from Gimnástica de Torrelavega and Michael Stewart, who returned to the club after two seasons with rivals Hibernian. Scottish international goalkeeper Craig Gordon moved to Sunderland for £9 million in early August. This fee meant that Gordon was the most expensive Hearts and Scottish player ever, and the most expensive goalkeeper in British football history.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Hearts launch formal search for traditional manager". The Scotsman. 18 August 2007.
- ^ "Korobochka and Frail are Hearts coaching duo". Edinburgh Evening News. 30 July 2007.
- ^ "Frail slams communication issues". BBC Sport. 18 August 2007. Retrieved 5 January 2010.