Hearts have incurred a record £50,000 fine from the Scottish Football Association for their bad disciplinary record in last season’s campaign.

The Edinburgh club must pay £40,000, with £10,000 suspended until January pending good behaviour, for their 11 dismissals last year – including four for vice captain Marius Zaliukas.

This is the fifth consecutive year the club has been fined for their ill-discipline, having been fined £40,000 in the 07/08 season for nine red cards.

The relatively lenient punishment may come as a pleasant surprise for the Tynecastle officials, who have seen their fines double in each of the four prior seasons.

The ruling comes in the wake of new captain Michael Stewart’s dismissal in Monday’s friendly against Dundee, but the SFA will wait to see if the club’s behaviour improves before issuing further sanctions.