Hibernian

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Kit Gordon insists the family are totally committed to Hibs for the long haul despite the investment from Bill Foley.

Ms Gordon said they have no plans to further reduce their shareholding, which now stands at just over 60%, at Tuesday's AGM.

The family have been involved with rhe Easter Road club since Ron, who died last year, purchased the club from Tom Farmer back in 2019.

His widow Kit added that retaining overall control of the club was a key part in negotiations.

“I think this is why this deal is the right one for us in so many ways," she said. "We haven’t lost control. From the beginning when Ron passed away people came knocking. This was something that Ron would have gone after.

“We have followed his lead along the way. Even though he is not here he believed in and we know what he wanted for Hibs and this is going to be a very strong partnership.

“We still have control and that is the most important thing. As you know for Ron, control was very important and we haven’t lost that. We still have control.”

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Chief Executive Ben Kensell says the investment by American billionaire Billy Foley into Hibs is game-changing for the club.

Shareholders voted through the proposal at Tuesday night's Annual General Meeting.

The £6m from Foley will make the Easter Road club "effectively" debt free, according to Kensell.

“It’s game changing for Hibs and I think it’s quite ground-breaking for Scottish gootball for the nature of a deal of this type," he said. "I’m delighted after months and months of hard work to get it over the line.

“I think being part of a multi-club network gives us loads of opportunities around best practise sharing, player trading within the network. It obviously gives us equity and cash we can use along with the investment from the Gordon family.

“It allows to have a strategy moving forward that gives us an edge in Scottish football.

“There is no reason to doubt the integrity of this partnership, this deal, certainly not this ownership.

Turning debt into equity and effectively having a club that is debt-free other than its obligations around Covid loans and such shows a fantastic kind of unity within the football club at board level and all the way down.”

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The Times' Michael Grant says Hibs' fans reaction to Bill Foley's proposed investment should serve as a "warning shot" to the American.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Grant also shared his admiration for the Edinburgh side's supporters and their reaction to the takeover plans.

"I think they're anxious that their stake in the club is going to diminish," he said.

"Obviously any holding you have is diluted if a major new investor comes in and takes the stake that Bill Foley is proposing to take over.

"I find it quite refreshing and quite reassuring that the Hibs fans have taken this stance. It shows that they're not just going to roll over and say any investment is great and think short term about the kind of money and the signings that it could bring to the club.

"They're thinking beyond that and I think they feel a little bit disrespected because they feel like they haven't had a great deal of communication and detail about what this investment will mean for the club and really how it's come around. So I can understand why their noses are out of joint a little bit.

"I kind of admire them for taking this stand because the easy thing to do would just be to say, this is six million coming into the club, we need it, this is great. But no, I think they're thinking harder than that.

"I would imagine that the investment will still happen, it'll still come in, but it's maybe just a little warning shot to Bill Foley that Hibs and their fanbase deserve to be taken seriously."

Hearts are again without Yutaro Oda due to a minor calf issue, while Liam Boyce, Craig Halkett, Peter Haring and Barrie McKay remain out.

Hibernian welcome back Dylan Levitt following illness, while Chris Cadden could be in the squad as he continues to build fitness following a lengthy lay-off. Josh Campbell and Jake Doyle-Hayes are out.

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• Heart of Midlothian are unbeaten in their last five home games in the Scottish Premiership against Hibernian, last going longer without defeat at Tynecastle in the Edinburgh derby in the top-flight between November 2009 and January 2013 (P6 W4 D2).

• Hibernian have won just one of their last 10 meetings with Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership (W4 D5), a 1-0 home win in April 2023 thanks to a Kevin Nisbet goal.

• Heart of Midlothian have won four of their last five home league games (D1), scoring 2+ goals in all five. Hearts last netted multiple goals in six successive top-flight home matches within a single season from January to April 2003 under Craig Levein.

• Hibernian have only won three of their last 17 away games in the Scottish Premiership (D8 L6), while both of their two away league games in 2024 have been 2-2 draws (v Kilmarnock and Aberdeen).

• Lawrence Shankland has scored four of Hearts’ last eight league goals against Hibernian, including a brace at Tynecastle in January 2023.

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Hibs have the chance to create some "great memories" for their support when they travel to Tynecastle in the Edinburgh derby, says manager Nick Montgomery.

Both sides bucked their differing runs of form at the weekend, as Hibs picked up a first league win since December, while Hearts were thrashed 5-0 by Rangers.

The Easter Road boss insists his players - including the many winter recruits - are fully aware of the importance of this fixture, but adds that one game will not define their campaign.

“You can’t get away from a derby," he said. "It’s really important for the fans. The new boys coming in know how important it is as well. I know how important derbies are and it’s a good opportunity for us coming off the back of not one but a run of good performances.

“They come off the back of a tough result but it’s a derby. Anything can happen on the night but we will go in full of confidence and look to get a good result in the night.

“I keep saying the next game is the most important. We have moved on (from Saturdays win it was was an important win and a comfortable win but now we move on to the next game is the derby. Full focus has been on that.

“These are games you can make some great memories and give the fans a great week after a good result in a derby. No single game defines a season. We have a run if games where we can finish the season strong and push ourselves up the table as high as possible.

“Whatever happens tomorrow night all I can say is we will give everything we can for the fans to try and get a result tomorrow and then we will move on.”

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Hibs manager Nick Montgomery has been speaking to the media ahead of the small matter of the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle on Wednesday.

Here are the key points:

• Fully aware of the importance of the Edinburgh derby: "you can't get away from the derby, it's really important for the fans".

• Challenges his players to create "great memories" but no single game "defines a season" and his team "will give their all" for the support.

• Admits Hearts have been on a "really good run of form" despite a "tough result" at Ibrox on Saturday.

• Insists his full focus is on the derby with the club's AGM lingering on Tuesday night. He will be in attendance, but it is "way above my head". Adds that this is an "interesting" period for the club's future.

• Calls Lawrence Shankland "one of the best strikers in the league", acknowledging that he can be the difference between sides - as his team learned in the last Edinburgh derby.

• Dylan Levitt returns from illness to add to the sense of "healthy competition" in the Hibs ranks.

Hibs won the ‘must win’ game against Dundee on Saturday in a manner that was far more convincing than the 2-1 scoreline would have you believe. It was a huge test for both the team and Nick Montgomery, and they passed with flying colours.

Had the result gone the other way, Hibs would have woken up this morning to an eight-point gap to Dundee, and would have little justification to argue that either team were in a false position. As it is, though, that gap is just two points and Montgomery should be using this result to give his side belief that they belong in a top-six position.

Hibs controlled the game from the outset and once they started creating chances, they didn’t stop. Dylan Vente opened the scoring from the spot after Dundee keeper Trevor Carson rather comically wiped out Emiliano Marcondes, and Hibs went into the break with a well deserved lead.

In the second half, Vente looked to have got his and Hibs’ second goal of the game, only to be denied by one of these head-scratching VAR offside calls.

That reprieve gave Dundee the lift they needed, and they found a way back into the game when Luke McCowan’s strike from the edge of the box travelled through a crowded box and into the back of the net.

Hibs have collapsed under such adversity on occasion this season, but they proved their strength of character by regaining the lead almost immediately with a brilliant goal from Myziane Maolida. The forward deservedly picked up the Player of the Match award and his performances recently will give Hibs fans much cause for optimism for the rest of the season.

Final word for Montgomery. This game was crucial for him and the performance he drew from his side was excellent. He looks to have steadied the ship after bringing in players in January, and he can now look forward to Wednesday’s derby with a little less pressure on his shoulders.

Matty Fairnie can be found on the Longbangers podcast, external.

Hibernian's 2-1 win over Dundee narrowed the gap with the sixth-placed visitors to two points on Saturday and Nick Montgomery's side, now unbeaten in three games, will look to build on that in Wednesday's Edinburgh derby.

Hosts Hearts had their 12-match unbeaten run abruptly halted with a 5-0 thumping away to Rangers but have not lost in three derbies - and five at home.

Who would you like to see in Hibs' starting line-up? Pick your side here.

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Nick Montgomery is still finding out how his January recruits are adapting to his style of play, says former Scotland international Jackie McNamara.

Speaking on BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, he added that Hibs remain "under a bit of pressure" despite their win over Dundee at the weekend.

"They've had a lot of players come in into the club in January as well and it does take time with a new manager to work with him and show the way he wants to play," he said.

"With his formation, it'll be interesting to see if he sticks to what he'd been doing. I've seen him against Rangers last month in a 4-2-4. It'll be interesting to see if he sticks to that and I know he'd changed it a week after or a couple of weeks after that.

"But again, he's maybe just finding out about these players that have come in, how they're going to adapt to the way he wants to play.

"It wasn't a massive surprise that they got a result there. But this will be an interesting game against Hearts because Hibs will be under a bit of pressure."

Jonathan Sutherland, Sportscene presenter

As Hibs arrested their worrying run of league form, it was a familiar face who spurred them on to victory.

Martin Boyle is consistently the difference maker for the Easter Road side, no matter how many offensive options arrive to challenge his place in the team.

Once again, he was the one to offer real threat against Dundee, while Dylan Vente and Myziane Maolida grabbed the headlines for their goals.

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Hibernian are confident that opposition from Hibernian Supporters Limited, which owns 15.4% of the Scottish Premiership club, will have no impact on billionaire Bournemouth owner Bill Foley's bid for a minority stake when it is voted on at Tuesday's annual meeting. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Dundee goalkeeper Trevor Carson's botched attempt at collecting a corner results in him conceding a penalty for Hibernian's opener at Easter Road. (Available to UK users only)

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Brian McLauchlin, BBC Scotland at Easter Road

Dylan Vente says he hopes his Hibs side can carry the confidence gained from the weekend win over Dundee into Wednesday's Edinburgh derby.

The Dutchman scored the opener from the spot at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon as Nick Montgomery's side picked up their first win in nine games.

“Of course the last few games have not gone our way," he told BBC Scotland. "Today was a huge victory for us. We got some confidence for the next game also. I think for the team it feels good to win this game.”

“I think we made it hard for ourselves because we could have scored one or two more goals and go two or three-zero ahead. Then they equalised. There was a great run by Myziane [Maolida], a great action and a great goal. It was good for us.

"Everybody was really saying to each other we really need to win this game so I’m happy we won this game and move on to the next.”

Hibs head into the derby two points outside the top six, with a trip to Tynecastle in the offing as they search for the their first win over Hearts this term.

Vente added: “It’s a great game for us to get the form back. We have to just trust our own abilities to ourselves. We have good players now in our squad and we have to trust them and hopefully get a result there.”

We asked for your thoughts after Hibs defeated sixth-placed Dundee to boost their hopes of winding up in the top half.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Colin: Hibs played very well and dominated the game. Missed chances and great goalkeeping kept the score down. Then we switch off and let a goal in. If we could be more clinical and tighten up at the back, a top six place would be guaranteed.

Kenny: It’s a win. I would like to be more positive but it was a poor game. We play some good stuff at times but our defending simply isn’t good enough. The manager needs to change the style of play as watching Hibs these days is grim. We have no chance making Europe. I still can’t work out what Montgomery is trying to do with the team.

William: Made hard work of it however got there in the end. Three points which were badly needed. Derby next going to be tough. We are so fragile at the back and need to score at least two to win a game.

Ian: I thought I saw the beginnings of a great team today. Looking good for the future.

John: Decent performance and signs of new players starting to adapt to Scottish football. VAR still a cause for concern. Good to see Bushiri back and putting in a solid performance.

Sandy: The most necessary win in the remaining fixtures before the split was today. We have a shout now for top six . And it starts with beating Hearts on Wednesday. The team played well and looked a real threat today. If we make the top six we can pick off the teams above us to clinch a European slot . I'm the eternal optimist.

Darren: At last we’ve really started to see something from the players that we can build on. There were some really good individual performances yesterday but as a whole we’re starting to look like a side that can really start motoring up the league. Delighted for the manager.

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• Dylan Vente has scored four goals this season (one in this game), no Hibs player has more in the Scottish Premiership.

• Luke McCowan has scored six goals this season (one in this game), more than any other Dundee player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Hibs have a record of W6, D3, L0 when leading at half-time in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Dundee have a record of W1, D2, L5 when trailing at half-time in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Hibs have avoided defeat in their last 13 matches when scoring the opening goal in the Scottish Premiership dating back to 18 March 2023 against Celtic (L1-3).

• Dundee have conceded 10 penalties in the Scottish Premiership this season, more than any other team.

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Hibernian manager Nick Montgomery tells BBC Scotland: "We more than deserved the three points. The stats and performance tell you that. Too many times this season we've been the better team, but haven't always come out with the rewards.

"Today you saw real professional, real team performance. The new boys who've come in are gelling now. We're getting fit. There's competition for places, and everybody today played a part.

"We could have made it easier for ourselves by putting our chances away, but all credit to Carson - he pulled off some great saves and he was outstanding for them.

"I'm just disappointed to concede, we deserved a clean sheet, but we have to better and more clinical.

"[Maolida] is a top class player who we worked hard to bring in during the window. When he gets one-v-one, he's very hard to stop. I don't think anyone else puts that chance away as calmly as he did. We saw a top performance from not just him, but everybody.

"The fans were brilliant today. It's been a difficult couple of months for many reasons. It should be hard for teams to come to Easter Road, and there was a period where we were really strong here. Today is a great foundation for us."