Hibs boss talks Ian Gordon, board backing - and why the family 'deserve' success

Hibs owner Ian Gordon has backed Gray in the transfer market.Hibs owner Ian Gordon has backed Gray in the transfer market.
Hibs owner Ian Gordon has backed Gray in the transfer market. | Lisa Ferguson
Gaffer Gray determined to repay transfer market investment by controlling clan

Being backed to budget-bending levels in the transfer market helps, of course. A ready smile and firm handshake go further, in the field of winning friends and influencing people, when you’re handing over cheques and approving expenditure.

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It’s no great surprise, then, that David Gray speaks with warmth about Ian Gordon, whose recent public statements – part mea culpa, part bold vision for the future – sought to allay concerns about his exact role at Hibs. Yet Gray’s relationship with the one-time Head of Recruitment isn’t entirely dependent on mercenary matters.

The gaffer, whose presence at the club since day one of Ron Gordon’s 2019 takeover gives him real behind-the-scenes insight, clearly likes a 34-year-old forced to take on new responsibilities following the death of his father in 2023. Pilloried by punters for his previous involvement in signing players of dubious provenance, effectively forced to withdraw from an active recruitment role as part of reorganisation, stepping into Ron’s shoes can’t have been easy.

“It must have been an extremely difficult situation anyway, for obvious reason,” explained Gray. “But even just the role he was in previously, working around the club and forming relationships with everybody, because he is such a nice guy, he had great relationships with everybody, that helped.

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“Off the back of that, to then maybe have to take a little step back on certain things, because you can’t be seen to be as involved in certain areas, he’s been through that. He’s now got people in place, there’s a structure there. And he’s always supportive to everybody.

“He’s so positive about everything he does. And it’s because he truly believes in what we can do going forward.

“It’s up to us now to try to get that, to bring the success back. We need to give him and his family the success they deserve.”

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Gordon openly admits that he was wrong to get so heavily involved in recruitment in the early days of his father’s chairmanship. He also concedes that the club needed to be far more transparent about how things work.

Gray approves of the new approach. Because he feels the Gordons deserve more credit for continually digging deep in search of success – including sanctioning an overspend in order to revamp the first team squad during this summer’s transfer window.

 “Absolutely, 100 per cent, it’s good that people are seeing that other side of Ian,” he said, adding: “I’ve said it a number of times, but I’ve been at this club since the Gordon family took over – and they’ve shown nothing but a determination to improve the club every single day.

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“Every single decision they’ve made, whether you agree with it or not, has been about trying to take the club forward. The ambition is there. They love the club.

“I think that’s been demonstrated. And I know it has, speaking from sitting in the manager’s seat right now.

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“Look at how much they’ve pushed the boundaries this season. They went over and above this season, beyond what we’d set out to do, to try to give me a chance to be successful.

“With such a bloated squad, there were times when we potentially couldn’t afford to do any more business. So the support they’ve given me has been incredible. I’ve mentioned that three or four times now, the generosity from the whole Gordon family. Because everyone involved has been incredible, really.

“It’s now my job to make sure that they get the success they deserve. Because they’ve put enough into it. They’re so invested in the club because they’re desperate for it to be successful.” 

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