The Edinburgh side, third in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, had until midnight last night to make the payment to their players.

Press Association Sport understands the transactions were made from Lithuanian bank UBIG, controlled by Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov, yesterday afternoon.

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Provided the international banking system delivered, funds were therefore set to arrive in the players' bank accounts on time for the first time since September.

By paying the first-team squad on schedule, Hearts have adhered to all the orders issued by the SPL sub-committee on January 4 and should therefore avoid the prospect of disciplinary proceedings and unlimited sanctions.

A large fine, docked points and a transfer embargo with untold consequences for the capital club were all possible sanctions if Hearts had again been unable to deliver the players' salaries on yesterday's due date.

Should Hearts make delayed salary payments in future months, a fresh complaint would need to be made by the players, opening a new process of adjudication.

After overdue wages in October and November, a further delay in December prompted 14 members of Hearts' first-team squad to submit a complaint to the SPL via players' union PFA Scotland.

Their December pay, which had been due on December 16, was received on January 4, the day an SPL sub-committee adjudicated over the dispute between the players and Hearts, ordering the club to comply to a number of orders - including timely delivery of January's salaries.

The delayed salaries coincided with Romanov's declaration he has grown disillusioned with football and wishes to sell the club, which is more than £30million in debt.

Hearts' recent turmoil off the field has not been replicated on it.

Since the first-team squad instructed PFA Scotland to make the formal complaint on December 16, Hearts have won five games in a recent six-match unbeaten run.