ROBBO RATES HEARTS KIDS.

Byline: Colin Duncan

HEARTS legend John Robertson insists Hearts can still thrive in the SPL despite a summer player cull of their Scottish Cup-winning side.

The Tynecastle outfit will promote players from their youth academy next season as they embark on a period of down-sizing.

Ian Black, Rudi Skacel, and Stephen Elliott have already moved on while Craig Beattie and Suso Santana are unlikely to get new contracts.

Eggert Jonsson and Ryan Stevenson were offloaded in January with Marian Kello, Calum Elliot, Kevin Kyle, David Obua, Adrian Mrowiec and Gary Glen also shown the exit door.

Robertson said: "It will be difficult to replace these players but Hearts do have a crop of exciting young lads.

"Ryan McGowan has already broken through and his brother Dylan will be back from loan in Australia. Jason Holt and Jamie Walker are other highly-regarded youngsters."