Foundation of Hearts slam anti-Robbie Neilson graffiti as shocking insult

The Foundation of Hearts have branded the vandalism of the club crest at Tynecastle “utterly shameful” and said the act was “a gross insult to the badge”.

An abusive message about Hearts manager Robbie Neilson was spray-painted across the club badge which is the centrepiece of the ‘Foundation Plaza’ outside Tynecastle Stadium.

The graffiti, which read ‘F*** Off Neilson’ appeared after Hearts’ defeat to Kilmarnock on Saturday, the team’s fourth successive Premiership loss.

The fans group, which holds the majority shareholding in the club, slammed the perpetrator in a message on social media.

It read: “An utterly shameful, pathetic act of vandalism at Tynecastle yesterday. If this was really the act of a Hearts ‘supporter’, it’s a gross insult to the badge and, perpetrated on the plaza named for the fans who did so much to save the club, it’s a shocking insult to all of them.”

Hearts had looked on course to seal third place in the Premiership with ease, and bank guaranteed group stage football in Europe for the second season running, but have struggled for form since January.

Neilson’s side have lost six of their last nine games, and following four successive defeats the focus is firmly on the leadership at Tynecastle. They now sit just one point ahead of fourth-placed Aberdeen with eight games to play.

After the defeat at Rugby Park on Saturday, the manager admitted there were problems to fix and urged his players to keep things simple.

“It’s up to us to get back to winning ways, football is all about the basics and doing them properly,” Neilson said.

“You can talk the talk and say we are going to do this, talk about that and analyse all this stuff – but it’s all a lot of nonsense to be honest with you, it’s all about turning up on a Saturday and winning football matches.

“We have to make sure we are ready for next week’s game and for me that comes from everyone individually looking at the Kilmarnock game and looking at our training knowing we need to be on it every day.”