Hibs 'FIZZING' after club's Celtic fixture change rejection is overturned by SPFL

Leeann Dempster says Hibernian turned down Celtic’s request to re-schedule their SPFL Premiership fixture in January – but the league authorities have moved the match anyway.

Angry - Leeann Dempster

That has left the Easter Road club ‘fizzing’ with rage – according to the outgoing chief executive, who claims the club has not even been contacted by league officials yet.

Drama has unfolded since the SPFL announced Hibs’ first away trip in 2021 was being moved by 48 hours after a ‘club request’. It later transpired Celtic had made the application on ‘player welfare grounds’ with a packed domestic and European schedule including the 2019-20 Scottish Cup final, Europa League group stage and SPFL Premiership next month.

However following the announcement, moving the game from Saturday afternoon on January 9 to Monday evening with a 7.45pm kick off at Celtic Park, the Hibs CEO took to Twitter to apologise to fans and the club staff at Easter Road – and blast Hampden chiefs who sanctioned the move.

She wrote: “Apologies to our supporters and our head coach. This was done without my knowledge - we said no to the original request from Celtic because the request didn’t work for our club. The SPFL appears to have agreed this without a call to the decision makers at our club.

"We are fizzing about this. SPFL know I am leaving soon (ish) but they still have my mobile number so a call should have been easy to do - or [sporting director Graeme Mathie] or even to our Chairman. Not good enough. Move to Monday without asking us?”

The sides met earlier this month in a 2-2 draw at Easter Road.

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