Senior squad members at the Clydesdale Bank Premier League club today received their monthly income which had been due on October 16.

The news comes 24 hours after the squad were persuaded not to make a formal complaint to the Scottish Premier League by manager Paulo Sergio.

It is understood the players were ready to sign a letter of complaint addressed to SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster, asking him to intervene in the matter and with the possibility of invoking FIFA Article 14 for breach of contract with just cause.

Sergio asked them to bide their time and now the players, who play St Mirren in Paisley tomorrow, have been paid for the first time since mid-September.

The players' union, PFA Scotland, worked with Hearts' players and made the squad aware of all the implications of the issue, but now the payment has been made.

It was not the first time Hearts had delayed payment of their staff, but the near three-week duration was believed to have been causing some alarm, particularly after owner Vladimir Romanov this week expressed his reluctance to continue to plough money into the club.

Hearts remain in a financial predicament, though, with more than £30million worth of debt, and players could yet depart when the January transfer window opens.

It has been a torrid period for Hearts, but manager Sergio is set to be in the St Mirren Park dugout tomorrow after yesterday avoiding a touchline ban for his comments about official Iain Brines last month.

The Portuguese boss is set to answer further charges on November 17 following last weekend's loss to Kilmarnock, when he was sent to the stand by referee Alan Muir.

Hearts instigated a media ban ahead of Sergio's first Hampden appearance and it remains in place, with the official website the only channel of communication.

Midfielder Ian Black was sent off last week and is set to serve the first of a three-match ban tomorrow, while left-back Danny Grainger is also banned after receiving a two-match suspension for stamping on Killie goalscorer Dean Shiels.

The bans will force changes to Sergio's side as Hearts seek to end a run of two straight losses and climb from fifth place in the SPL table.

Darren Barr is out with a groin injury, while fit-again striker Calum Elliot has joined Dundee on a month-long loan deal.

Should Elliot play for the Dark Blues against Raith Rovers in the Irn-Bru First Division tomorrow, he could face Hearts team-mate Denis Prychynenko, who yesterday joined the Kirkcaldy club on loan until January.

Elliot has returned to fitness following knee surgery and last played for Hearts eight months ago.

First-team coach Gary Locke believes the move to Dundee will be beneficial.

Locke told Hearts' official website, www.hearts.fc.co.uk: "I think it's going to be a great move for him.

"He has been looking really sharp in training over the past few weeks but is needing games.

"Hopefully if he can get a few with Dundee then he'll be ready to come straight back into the team when he returns from the loan."