Hearts v Partick Thistle: Tynecastle deemed safe to host game on Sunday

Hearts owner Ann Budge (right) was on site to monitor the final stages of the work on Saturday

Hearts' belated return to Tynecastle has been given the go-ahead following a final safety check on Sunday morning.

The club were granted a temporary occupation certificate ahead of the match against Partick Thistle, with an inspection held at 08:00 on Sunday.

While pleased the game is on, Thistle are "deeply unhappy".

"It is not right to treat players, staff and, most importantly, the supporters of both clubs in this way," read a statement.

"It is unacceptable that there was uncertainty about whether a top-flight game would go ahead less than 18 hours before kick-off.

"On Monday, we will be asking the SPFL for an extensive review into the circumstances that allowed this situation to arise."

Once the final checks at Tynecastle were carried out successfully the club tweeted "Safety checks done....game on!"

Work to get everything in order at Tynecastle had continued on Saturday night.

Hearts have played nine of their first 13 Premiership games away from home, with the other four at Murrayfield.

Work on the redevelopment of the main stand was originally scheduled to have been completed by September.

But the delay forced the club to move home games against Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Rangers and Kilmarnock to nearby Murrayfield.

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'Please be assured that everything is perfectly safe'

Hearts owner Anne Budge had said on Friday that "every indication points to the game going ahead".

In a statement to supporters, she stressed that "not all concourse areas have been decorated to the finished standard, particularly in the North section. However, we will have everything fully completed and decorated to a high standard over the coming weeks."

She added: "Our principal objective has been to get back to playing our games at Tynecastle as soon as possible and, as such, our main focus has been related to safety issues, not décor.

"In particular, I would mention that we still have to complete some ceiling sections (especially in the North section), but please be assured that everything is perfectly safe."

Hearts lost two of their four games at Murrayfield