Hibs fans WANT Scottish Cup hero Gray to succeed - but Aberdeen, Rangers already well clear in race for Europe

The usual caveats apply. Too early to make a judgement. It’s been a tough run of fixtures, including ‘unwinnable’ games against both Celtic AND Rangers – enough to test the mettle of any Scottish Premiership side.

Even allowing for the fact that Hibs are only seven games into this league season, however, supporters have every reason to feel not merely frustrated but genuinely worried by what their team’s location in the early pecking order. One look at the table is enough to give the most faithful of true believers reason to doubt.

Ignore the position. And look at the gap between David Gray’s men and the teams currently occupying their nominal rivals for those European places.

Ten points adrift of third place, currently occupied by Rangers, eight points behind fourth-placed Motherwell and even trailing fifth-placed Dundee United by seven points, Hibs are already at risk of becoming irrelevant in the battle for UEFA spots. Especially when you factor in Aberdeen’s blistering start to the season, with their 100 per cent league record putting them in a very strong position to finish clear in third, at the very least. The Dons are 16 – that’s SIXTEEN – points clear of Hibs at present.

There is no way to dress this up for a club with ambitions to become the undisputed third force in Scottish football. That was the stated aim of billionaire investor Bill Foley when he bought a minority stake in Hibs for £6 million.

Even if that was more of a long-term goal, the fact that Gray’s men are so far off the pace must be a concern to everyone involved. Saturday’s 2-1 loss at home to Motherwell, just before a long international break, gives everyone plenty of time to stew over the current predicament.

Motherwell’s Aston Oxborough denied Myko Kuharevich twice with point-blank stops. | SNS Group

So far, supporter unrest has been restricted to the odd bit of booing and some furious fan comment. In part, according to one former Hibee, because former Scottish Cup-winning captain Gray is held in such high regard by punters.

Ex-Scotland winger Jamie Murphy, speaking on BBC Scotland’s Scottish Football Podcast earlier today, said: “I think Hibs fans expect more. That’s the big thing.

“But I think it’s probably saving them that David Gray is the manager. He’s a fan favourite, so they’re WANTING him to do really well.

“They’ve just got to find that little bit extra. I mean, Easter Road has to be a fortress for them. And so far, it hasn’t been.

“They’ll be disappointed with that. They were playing against a good Motherwell side, to be fair, who have started the season well.

“But Hibs are wanting to win those games and push higher up the table. If they want to do that, they have to put in better performances.

“With Hibs and Hearts being so far down, they’re big clubs. You expect them to be pushing for the top six.”

Top six should be the very minimum expectation placed on any Hibs manager. Failure to achieve that goal last season cost Nick Montgomery his job. Even in these early days of November, then, there is pressure on Gray to turn things around.

The rookie head coach is aware that only results will ease the pressure on everyone at Easter Road. And he makes a more than fair point when arguing that, but for Nectar Triantis getting himself red-carded in a moment of sheer folly on Saturday, the home side might well have gone on to beat Motherwell – instead of succumbing to an agonising 2-1 loss.

“When you lose the goal but then back into it at 1-1, you’re at home and the momentum starts to build,” said Gray, the former fullback adding: “You are beginning to think, right, can we go on and win the game now?

“Then you lose the goal straight off the back of that. Three minutes after that. You’ve then got a mountain to climb after that. So, I think on reflection, we'll look at it and we'll look at where we can improve.“But it's clear, the results need to improve. That's the ultimate that comes out of that game, regardless of performance and individuals. It's all about the results in the end.”

The good news? Hibs have a run of six games that should be considered eminently winnable. Half a dozen fixtures that should – SHOULD – present brilliant opportunities to climb the table.

Starting with a visit to Tannadice right after the international break, an ideal chance to close the gap on United, Gray’s men will at least be able see a clear path back to the business end of the Scottish Premiership. By the time they host the high-flying Dons at the end of November, the table could look very different for a team whose current record of one win, two draws and four losses may not reflect their performances – but certainly tells a story.

The next chapter just waiting to be written goes something like this:

Dundee United (A) – Saturday, October 19

We’re already in ‘must win’ territory for Hibs. Looking at the positives, victory here will cut the gap between the sides to a more manageable four points.

Hearts (H) – Sunday, October 27

Two bald men fighting over a comb? Not quite that bad. But a pair of teams desperately in need of a victory. Could be one of the more interesting Edinburgh derby clashes.

Ross County (A) – Wednesday, October 30

Bad things happen on dark midweek nights in Dingwall. As any Hibs fan knows. But any team with ambitions of competing for European places has to win this sort of fixture.

Dundee United (H) – Sunday, November 3

Brought forward from a midweek in December, this meeting with the newly promoted United ought to give Hibs a chance to build some momentum.

St Mirren (H) – Saturday, November 9

Revenge for that 3-0 thumping in Paisley on the opening weekend of league action is the least Hibs fans should expect here.

Dundee (A) – Saturday, November 23

Hibs will be looking to round of this six-game series with a morale-boosting win before hosting Aberdeen on the Tuesday night. By which point Gray’s MUST have put themselves in amongst the teams scrapping for European places.