Hibs management and players have say on Leeann Dempster departure

Hibs manager Jack Ross and captain David Gray have both expressed disappointment at the impending departure of chief executive Leeann Dempster. Photo by Ross Parker/SNS Group

But that did not stop him expressing disappointment at the news that Leeann Dempster will leave the Edinburgh club in the coming weeks.

Explaining that Dempster was one of the reason’s he accepted the Hibs position, Ross described her and an easy person to deal with but added that the way the club had been structured should insulate the football department from any shockwaves the departure may trigger.

Learning from Sunderland

“I think through experience, as a manager you learn to be focused on things you can affect and control and not any changes to senior management at the club,” Ross said.

“Certainly when I went through that in my previous job, where there were potential changes on more than one occasion, I probably got emotionally tied up in all that. So, that learning experience was good for me and now I just focus on what I can affect, on preparing the players and what I do with them, and everything else that goes on around here is outwith that.

“[Sunderland] was a new experience for me, to be in charge when a potential change of ownership was happening. There were a lot of things I was involved in, and I knew about and had insight into. I wouldn’t say I allowed myself to be caught up in it all but probably I had to be caught up in it but then they never really came to pass, so I ended up spending a lot of time and energy and work on things that, ultimately, didn’t happen.

“I think the main learning experience from it is to pick the right times to get involved with things.

“This may have an impact on me at some point in the future. But, for the moment, it’s for other people at the club to decide the next step forward.”

Respect even before arrival

Hailing Dempster as someone who lived up to her reputation as “straight-forward and grounded” and praised her approachability and ability to communicate with those above and below her, he said that there was evidence to back up how good she has been in her role.

“That’s the one thing. People can come into new roles and believe they can do the job but the proof is always in the pudding – and the fact is she’s had six-and-a-half very successful years here and obviously previous success at another club [Motherwell] as well.

“Undoubtedly, though, for all that Leeann has achieved, she will have had to work incredibly hard to do that and, I imagine, overcome some barriers along the way. She had earned enormous respect from me before I came to the club and there has been nothing to change my opinion during my time here.”

Ross is the fourth manager to be recruited by Dempster since her arrival in May 2014. Back then, just days after the club had been relegated to the Championship, one of her first tasks was to sack Terry Butcher.

She replaced him with Alan Stubbs, who delivered an elusive Scottish Cup triumph and a shot at European football, and when he moved on Neil Lennon was brought in. He took the club back to the Premiership and the following season guided them back into Europe. The only minor glitch was a difficult but short spell under Paul Heckingbottom before he was dumped in favour of Ross.

If the current manager has arrived at the tail-end of Dempster’s Hibs’ stay, captain David Gray has shared almost the entire journey. And, while he was informally knighted by fans for his Scottish Cup winner, he says that the chief executive’s role in that success was just as important.

Rebuilding job

“You just need to look around,” said the defender and club ambassador. “When I first joined the club we barely had enough players to fill a five-a-side team, let alone a full first team. The club had just been relegated. It was a complete rebuilding job.

“You see the players who got added, the structure that’s now in place and that has been reflected in the success we have had, winning the Scottish Cup, getting the club back to where we should be in the Premiership. And we have had a few good nights in Europe as well.

“So it has been a steady progression going forward, and the fans have been a massive part of that, you can see the ticket sales we have had, the support we have had.

“Leeann has a great relationship with the fans and everyone at the club, she has done brilliantly to create that culture. It’s a compliment to her when you see the fans are disappointed at her moving on.”

‘Leaves us in a good place’

Keen to fix the massive disconnect between the board, the fans and the team that existed when she first arrived, Gray says the mood change and burgeoning season ticket sales since then can be traced back to the woman who signed him in July 2014.

“That starts right at the very top. That was her vision, her direction and it also comes from success on the pitch as well, but I think there is a real togetherness around the whole place.

“She leaves the club in a very good place and that’s credit to the work she has done.

“We’re all disappointed to see her go but hopefully we can push on as a club. She has said it’s an exciting time going forward and hopefully that will be the case.”

In the game long enough, Gray said nothing in football truly surprises him any longer but he admits he had not seen Thursday’s announcement coming.

“This happened out of the blue. She’s made this decision for her own personal reasons but the lads are all disappointed to see her go. I’m gutted. But I’m sure she’ll be successful whatever she does next.”

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