Hibs edging closer to finding successor as manager to Paul Heckingbottom

Jack Ross is currently the bookmakers' favourite for the job. Pic: SNS

Hibs are edging closer to naming a successor to Paul Heckingbottom, with Jack Ross considered to be the leading candidate to become their new head coach.

Chief Executive Leeann Dempster has been leading the search since Yorkshireman Heckingbottom was sacked at the beginning of last week.

Eddie May was put in temporary charge of the team for the second time this year - he did so following Neil Lennon’s shock departure in January - and, assisted by Grant Murray and Steven Whittaker, he oversaw an emphatic 4-1 victory over St Johnstone.

As expected, a host of candidates have been mentioned including former Sunderland and St Mirren boss Ross along with Celtic coach John Kennedy - who is no longer in the running - and ex-Barnsley boss Daniel Stendel, while former Australian striker Harry Kewell was an interested spectator at McDiarmid Park.

Dempster, however, has insisted Hibs will remain open-minded and determined to find the right person with the club, as always, resolutely refusing to divulge any hint as to how they might, or might not be, speaking to.

But while they maintain a wall of silence, Dempster - along with newly appointed sports director Graeme Mathie - have been hard at work, sifting through the initial flood of applicants to draw up a list of potential candidates before narrowing it down again to those of greatest interest.

Dempster indicated Hibs hope to have someone in by the end of the month, although she claimed that was “a loose target,” the emphasis being on ensuring that the man they see as being capable of taking the club forward rather than meeting any deadline.

Nevertheless, Ross’ name has been in the frame from the off and he remains the bookies' favourite at a time when Capital rivals Hearts are also on the hunt for Craig Levein’s successor, with Ross a target for them as well.