No Old Firm dominance 'from now on' - Bloom

Tony Bloom has put his hand in his pocket to invest in Hearts

Scottish football will no longer be viewed as a two-horse between Celtic and Rangers "from now on", Heart of Midlothian investor Tony Bloom has again insisted.

The Brighton and Hove Albion owner is relishing attending his first Scottish Premiership game since taking a 29% stake in Hearts as they start the season at home to Aberdeen on Monday.

And he thinks it is good for Scottish football - and its European coefficient - if the Old Firm dominance is challenged.

"I don't like the fact that the last 35 years has been completely dominated by the Old Firm," he said at an event organised by fan ownership group the Foundation of Hearts.

"Probably the last 15 years, apart from the one season when Rangers won the league, it's dominated by one club. It's not good at all and I believe I can make a difference.

"I think it's really important overall for Scottish football that it is not a one or two club show and it's not going to be from now on, I assure you."

Bloom said that, when he first started talking to Hearts, the view was that the target was to finish third, but now he says "the very minimum should be to finish third".

He said the situation was similar to his investment in Union Saint-Gilloise, who he has helped reignite to an extent that they won the Belgian title for the first time in 90 years last season.

"Every game Heart of Midlothian play in, we will play to win," Bloom said. "Every tournament that Hearts are in, we think we can win it, we are aiming to win it.

"I accept the fact that, when we get into the Champions League, that may be a little bit difficult. But we have to have belief - we have to have big belief in who we are, what we are, our players, our head coach, and everyone at the football club.

"With the squad of players that sporting director Graeme Jones has helped put together under Derek McInnes, I think we will continue to get stronger year on year."

Bloom revealed that his interest in Hearts goes as far back as 1986, when they needed only a draw away to Dundee to seal their first league title for 26 years only to lose out to two late goals.

"When I was growing up, it wasn't always an Old Firm show," he said. "I'm sure a few of you here will remember 1986. I'm sorry to have mentioned it – maybe that wasn't such a good idea!"