Football: MADNESS; 3RD RD REPLAY: HEARTS v PARTICK DUNFERMLINE x EAST FIFE x KICK OFF: TONIGHT, 7.45PM Playing games in gale force winds is crazy says Jambos boss.

Byline: ROBERT MARTIN 

JOHN Robertson wants to see games called off if wind speeds go above a certain level - rather than see fans blown away by the lack of quality on offer.

And the Hearts boss, inset, also called on the government to help clubs weather the storms - even though his club have their own facility to beat the big freeze.

Tynecastle's undersoil heating means tonight's Scottish Cup replay with Partick will go ahead despite blizzards in Edinburgh yesterday.

But Robbo revealed he was more concerned at the effect of gales and called on the SFA to give serious thought to a limit that would see games called off.

He said: "We've spoken to players, other managers and referees about this. We've got to find a wind speed where we say enough is enough.

"Donald Park (his assistant) was at Gretna on Monday and he said that, though it was a good tie, once the ball was in the air the players had no idea where it was going.

"You could have an Old Firm game played in a gale and guys on thousands of pounds a week will look horrendous - because they can't control the elements."

Hearts trained yesterday in the warmth of their football academy at Riccarton, part of Heriot Watt University and Rangers have their own training ground at Murray Park, but the rest of the top flight clubs, including Celtic, have nothing.

"We've heard for years through Andy Roxburgh and Craig Brown that Norway have 10 or 12 full-size indoor pitches.

"It's time given the weather, and not just over the last 24 hours but over the last three weeks, that more football clubs use these kinds of facilities.

"You hope that the likes of SportScotland, the Lottery, the SPL and the SFA can get together.

Hearts will be looking to book their fourth round place tonight and secure a home tie with Kilmarnock.

Scotland defender Andy Webster was happy to leave Firhill with a goalless draw 10 days ago.

He said: "The first game wasn't a classic but that happens in the Scottish Cup when you play a lower league team with a point to prove. But we're at home now."

Hearts will be without loan signing Lee Miller, who is ineligible, as well as the injured Michael Stewart and Patrick Kisnorbo.

Meanwhile trials have been given to ex-PSV Eindhoven striker Edson Silva and Ireland under-21 inter- national Brian Cash as Robbo looks to strengthen his squad following the departures of Alan Maybury and Mark de Vries.

But his chances of landing Livi pair David McNamee and Burton O'Brien before the transfer window closes decreased yesterday when it emerged that Blackburn have a 60 per cent sell-on clause for both players.

That's likely to see Robertson wait to try to land them when their contracts expire in the summer.

CAPTION(S):

SNOW JOKE: New boy Lee Miller gets pelted by his team-mates