Hearts fitness coach, Tom Ritchie is responsible for the general conditioning of the players and making sure that on a match day, they are properly prepared for the kick-off. The whole area of physical fitness is now a science and it is a part of the game in which Tom has excellence, having been in fine shape all of his adult life.

Brought up in Kirkcaldy, Tom won the Scottish Junior Championship at 800m and he went on to represent Scotland in major athletics meetings at schoolboy, junior and senior levels. He eventually turned professional and held the Scottish 400m title and also the British mile title.

Tom was, until recently, a senior lecturer on construction crafts at the Adam Smith College in Kirkcaldy. In 1998, when he ended his running career he also wanted to remain involved in sport. Accordingly, former Hibernian goalkeeper, Jim McArthur, asked Tom to help in coaching his Kirkcaldy-based youth team. Being a player's agent, Jim McArthur is still closely involved in senior football and he then recommended Tom's services to Craig Levein who had become manager of Cowdenbeath in November 1997.

In December 2000, when Craig replaced Jim Jefferies as manager of Heart of Midlothian, Tom also came to Edinburgh to work with the players. This was an opportunity that he was not going to miss because Tom has always been a Hearts supporter. The video of the recent Tennent's Scottish Cup Final celebration makes this obvious.

Tom's expertise has been particularly appreciated by all of Hearts' recent managers and coaches, because no matter what their views are on tactics and other football matters, they all want the players in first class condition.

As a result of this Tom became a full time member of the football team in September 2006. He is now developing the use of new advanced technology to ensure that Hearts players are at their ultimate peak throughout the season.