Hibs chief says ‘action will speak louder than words’

Colin CALDERWOOD has been told it will be deeds and not words which will lift Hibs off the foot of the SPL table – and silence the growing unease among supporters.

Calderwood’s side have won just one of their opening five matches and fans attending Ian Murray’s testimonial match at the weekend didn’t hold back in telling the club’s directors exactly what they thought about the situation.

However, today executive director Scott Lindsay insisted none of the board will shy away from meeting the criticism head-on. He said: “It’s never pleasant when people have such forthright views that they want to express and sometimes they express them very directly.

“But you have to accept that’s the passion that comes with being a football supporter. No words are going to make any difference to how any of us feel. You have to respect the right of supporters to tell you what they feel about their club, that’s never going to change.

“We will never hide away from that or from providing supporters with the opportunity to ask us the questions they want to ask and to give us their opinions.” Despite the miserable start to the season, though, Lindsay insisted everyone within Easter Road remained convinced Hibs will soon haul themselves out of trouble, pointing to the eight new players brought in over the transfer window.

He told Hibs TV: “There is no feeling of panic, but a professionalism, a doggedness, a determined attitude, a feeling we will get ourselves away from the bottom of the League.

“But words are not going to make any difference to how we feel, how the suppporters feel. It’s now about performances and results and forcing our way back up the table.”

Meanwhile, there was disappointment for Hibs youngsters Richie Towell, David Stephens and Victor Palsson as the Republic of Ireland, Wales and Iceland Under-21 sides lost to Turkey, Montenegro and Norway respectively last night.