A podcast series has caught up with Vladimir Romanov who rose from Soviet submarine cook to millionaire owner of Heart of Midlothian for a rare interview.
The ninth episode of the Romanov: Czar of Hearts which was released on Saturday 15 March on BBC Sounds concludes with a brief clip of the former Hearts owner, teasing a full interview which will be the focus of next Saturday’s final bonus episode.
At the end of this week’s episode presenter Martin Geissler talks about Vladimir Romanov’s last reported whereabouts in the UK press – “the most successful owner of the club in decades, is now penniless and living aboard the scrapped hull of the very vessel he served on all those years ago…or is he?”.
The episode then concludes with the Hearts’ former owner saying: “My name is Vladimir Romanov, I want to tell you my story”.
The incredible interview is his first for the UK media for more than ten years and will cover the firing of George Burley, the Riccarton Three and what happened at the end of his time at Hearts.
Romanov: Czar of Hearts has been chronicling the roller-coaster story of the Russian-born former owner and his stewardship of the Edinburgh club.
It has been covering the ups and downs of a remarkable character and an incredible chapter in the club’s illustrious history, hearing from many of the key figures who were inside Hearts at the time.
Former managers Graham Rix, Paulo Sergio and Anatoliy Korobochka have already been interviewed along with several ex-players including – Edgaras Jankauskas, Saulius Mikoliunus, Roman Bednar, Andy Webster, Michael Stewart, Ryan McGowan, and Paul Hartley.
Sergejus Fedotovas and Liutaurus Varanavicious – who both worked very closely with the former Hearts owner – and Charlie Mann, who was his UK spokesperson, have also been giving the inside track on the Romanov era.
All previous episodes are available on BBC Sounds
