Hearts of Midlothian Football Club recently came close to making history, missing out on winning the Scottish Premiership by just two points on the final day of the season. But did you know that, thirteen years ago, the club was up for sale right here on BusinessesForSale.com?
As reported by The Guardian’s legendary football newsletter The Fiver, Hearts FC went up for sale on BusinessesForSale.com back in 2013. The club had entered administration amid severe financial problems, throwing the future of one of Scotland’s oldest and most recognisable football clubs into doubt.
The administration was managed by BDO, who put an advertisement in the Financial Times and received a free listing on BusinessesForSale.com as a result. It highlighted several of the club’s key assets: a loyal support base with thousands of season-ticket holders, ownership of the historic Tynecastle Stadium, an experienced workforce, and the wider commercial value of the Hearts brand itself.
A BDO spokesperson, talking to The Guardian, said that they had "three or four parties" who were "seriously interested" in buying the club, including a fans consortium willing to link up with other investors. Administrators hoped the publicity surrounding the sale would help accelerate serious negotiations and ultimately secure the club’s future.
For many football fans, seeing such a famous institution marketed online felt surreal. The story quickly became symbolic of the financial instability that had gripped parts of Scottish football during that era, particularly following the collapse of Rangers the previous year.
Thankfully for Hearts supporters, their future was eventually secured. In 2014, the club was rescued by a fan-backed takeover led by Edinburgh entrepreneur Ann Budge, who purchased the club and its stadium through her company Bidco 1874. The deal was heavily supported by the Foundation of Hearts supporters group, whose members pledged monthly contributions to help stabilise the club financially and eventually transfer majority ownership into fan hands.
Hearts officially exited administration later that year after creditors approved a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), bringing an end to one of the most turbulent chapters in the club’s history. The recovery that followed became one of the standout turnaround stories in British football, with the club rebuilding sustainably both on and off the pitch.
More than a decade later, Hearts have recovered from one of their darkest periods to re-establish themselves near the top of the Scottish game. What once looked like a story about financial collapse has become one about survival, rebuilding, and resilience - with a BusinessesForSale.com listing now serving as an unlikely footnote in the club’s history.