Too little, too late?

Can it be that the worms are finally beginning to turn at Tynecastle? After literally years of inexplicably 'believing' in owner Vladimir Romanov's false promises and failed masterplans, the crowd at the game against Inverness on Saturday were finally heard to be singing 'are you watching, Romanov?' as we sunk to yet another unnecessary defeat.

Although it seems insane to me that it's taken this long for the blinkers to come off, I'm happy that they have, although I'm still concerned that a win next week will paper over the cracks and the fans will shut up again. It's disappointing but true that - compared, say, to the Hibs' support during the 'Hands off Hibs' days - Hearts' fans are indolent to the point of coma and prefer to hope for the best (or bleat that there's no choice) than stand up for their team.

Of course I could be accused of hypocrisy since I no longer go to Tynecastle and haven't been to a game we beat Livingston 4-1 away during George Burley's glorious reign. But I honestly believe that continuing to go along gives tacit approval to Romanov killing our club, and I said I wouldn't go again after it became clear Romanov was at best an idiot and at worst a liar and a conman.

Sadly, this is even though Cameron is now at an age when he wants to go to games (we're thinking about getting a Livingston season ticket for next season, which is a sentence I never expected to use). I do still support the team financially - even though it becomes increasingly harder to genuinely care with each contemptuous decision Romanov and his lackies make - and I've bought the boys Hearts' tops and books and the like.

There's talk on jamboskickback of a boycott of the Gretna game in the New Year but the decision to wait six weeks instead of boycotting the game on Saturday (where incidentally we ended up with a left-back in goals after the useless and incompetent Lithuanian goalie who has been foist upon us for the last two games got himself sent off) is symptomatic of the 'can't really be bothered' attitude of much of the support. A delay provides more for an excuse to present itself - "well we won a game so things are looking up'.

Or Romanov or one of his performing monkeys will leak some spurious load of old tat to the press, suggesting good times are just round the corner if only the fans give them more time. World class manager, perhaps? Two world cup players? A new stand?

Or come out with a heap of nonsense about betrayal and cheating?

Failing that, perhaps the believers can fall back on 'if we protest then Romanov will be driven away and we'll go bust'. To which all I can say is 'good' (and also 'that's what he wants to do anyway'). Let him close us and let us go out of business. We can then reform as a new club - Hearts FC, for instance - and I'm certain that the SFA would find space in the lower leagues for one of the great names of Scottish football. I confidently expect gates would remain high for a foundling Hearts and within three years we'd be back in the top league, but debt-free, conman-free and at least watching semi-decent players giving their all for a team they want to play for - not a collection of Lithuanian third-raters, kids who cost precious little but who the owner can pretend is a guaranteed star of the future, and UK players not good enough to get a move elsewhere.

Thinking that your team getting relegated to the bottom of the senior leagues and playing away from Tynecastle - I wouldn't have thought it possible but I 'believe' that's the most positive possible outcome of Romanov's inept ownership of our club.

ADDENDUM: And the previously silent Anatoly Korobochka makes the first move in the latest conning of the fans

ADDENDUM 2: I hear rumours this morning that Romanov may be about to be investigated over allegations of match fixing, with particular emphasis on this game