Football administration expert Bryan Jackson believes Hearts won't be the last club to face financial struggles as a result of coronavirus.
The Jambos announced on Wednesday that all staff are being asked to take a 50 per cent wage cut or face leaving the club, while those working under 20 hours a week have been let go.
The move comes after all Scottish football was halted on Friday as the pandemic gripped the sporting world.
But Jackson, who helped save the Edinburgh club after they went into administration in 2013, believes owner Ann Budge will not be alone in having to take such drastic action.
He said: “Depending on the time scales of the whole situation, I could see other clubs going down the same route because they will eventually end up in the same position as Hearts.
“Each club is different and has its own levels of reserves.
“Some have enough that will mean they can manage through two or three months.
“But for most clubs that will be extremely difficult.
“Any club that is struggling by on a tight budget, this coronavirus panic could be enough to put them over the edge.
“So it wouldn’t surprise me to see other clubs saying, ‘As brutal as it is to enforce pay cuts, if it helps us survive we have to do it’.”
Jackson helped resurrect Hearts after the ruinous Vladimir Romanov era along with other Scottish clubs such as Dundee and Motherwell.
He even swapped crisis talks for comedy when he helped write the stage show 'The Pieman Cometh' based on his experiences with collapsing clubs.
Now in the twilight of his career, he will still step in to help any struggling clubs if asked.
He added: “If there is anything I could do to help I would of course try to help. But most clubs are better run nowadays than they ever have been.
“They tend to have good financial people working in them who can manage these situations.
“But if I was ever asked to help then of course I would.”
