Scot Gardiner, the former Dundee chief executive, has joined the management team at Tynecastle.

Gardiner, who stepped down from his post at Dens Park at the end of last month, arrives as the Hearts managing director David Southern prepares to switch to Dundee United as general manager.

Rangers reportedly failed in a bid to lure Gardiner, who has previously been a commercial manager at Tottenham Hotspur, to Ibrox last November.

Robbie Neilson, the head coach, says the door remains open for Rudi Skacel to return to the club in a coaching capacity. Neilson believes the 34-year-old, who won two Scottish Cups in two spells with Hearts, is the ideal candidate to help develop the technical ability of players in the club's youth structure.