HIBERNIAN'S fortunes under manager David Gray have improved spectacularly on the pitch of late and Hibs fans are smiling again. The team is currently on an 11-match unbeaten run, which when compared to the shambles that was Hibernian FC earlier in the season is quite remarkable.
Off the field, the club has posted substantial financial losses—losses which the Gordon family have promised to make good. The club’s poor recruitment policy since 2021—particularly when it comes to hiring managers—played a big part in the £7 million loss, as did the collapse of a sponsorship deal with now defunct crypto-scammers, Sportemongo.
Bungling CEO, Ben Kensell, resigned from his post at the club just before those dreadful financial losses were announced, a decision which overjoyed the Hibs support as the team had been largely dreadful since his arrival at the club back in 2021.
For years Hibs fans endured watching woeful Hibs teams under useless managers while Kensell was at the helm, while much of the print media focussed on Hibernian’s supposed off-field commercial success during that same period.
Some of my colleagues in the fourth estate who write about Hibs really should hang their heads in shame over this entire episode. They wrote puff piece after puff piece, while Hibs were turned into a bad joke and fans became demoralised. Nonetheless, those dark days appear to be behind us now.
The Hibees ended 2024 with three consecutive victories. Aberdeen were beaten 3-1 up at Pittodrie back on December 21st, Élie Youan, Martin Boyle and Nicky Cadden getting the goals. December 29 brought a 1-0 home win over Kilmarnock, with the ever impressive Nectar Triantis getting the winner in that encounter.
Sandwiched between those two matches, on Boxing Day, was the festive Edinburgh Derby, which the Hibs won far more easily then the 2-1 winning scoreline suggests. A Kye Rowles OG gave Hibs and early lead which was cancelled out just before half-time by another OG, this time from Rocky Bushiri. Veteran hitman, Dwight Gayle, got the Hibees’ well deserved second-half winner, consigning the Hearts fans to their beds once more.
Gayle scored again a week later as the Cabbage drew 1-1 away to St Johnstone, then Gray’s men drew 3-3 with Rangers at Easter Road in a thrilling match—a Boyle double and a late strike by Bushiri almost helping the Hibees to end their miserable 25 match winless run against the Govan side in the league.
Triantis and Boyle (2) were on target a week later as the Hibs smashed up Motherwell at Easter Road, and a week after that the Hibees cruised past Clydebank at Easter Road in the Scottish Cup, thanks to a Boyle brace and a strike by the very talented Rudi Molotnikov.
Dylan Levitt was on target in Hibernian’s next match, a 1-1 draw away to Ross County and a week later the green jerseys once again bested Aberdeen, winning 2-0 at Easter Road (above) thanks to strikes by Triantis and the wonderful Nicky Cadden.
A potential banana-skin tie in the Scottish Cup against Ayr United at Somerset Park was avoided on February 7, the Hibees edging out the Honest Men 1-0 thanks to a late strike by Bushiri. Whoever Hibs draw in the quarter-finals, they can be confident against all comers.
Eleven matches, 23 goals scored, just nine conceded and just three draws. Had Hibs played like this all season they’d be sitting second by now, but that matters not. Hibs are back in the top half of the table, are difficult to beat and are scoring goals. It looks like this will be a good season for Hibernian, after all.
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