New Hibs assistant manager Stewart Hall opens up about his first month into the role and his ambitions

Now a month into the job, Hibs assistant manager Stewart Hall is loving life around the club insisting he is speaking to Dean Gibson more than his girlfriend at the moment.

Hall left Partick Thistle last month to join the Edinburgh club as they moved into the season's final stage. His appointment ended a two-month search for the role as Hibs looked to expand their backroom staff. When Hall was made aware of the job vacancy, the temptation to join up with Gibson was too great to ignore.

“I’ve known Dean [Gibson] for a good number of years,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News. “I want to say it’s five or six years I’ve known him now. He’s been good to chat with and speak about everything we have done inside the women’s game. When the opportunity came up I spoke to him before it was even there. He was talking about how he wants to make it better and bigger for himself and everything he told me about the club has been great.

“I loved my time at Thistle but the ambition Hibs have got to progress the women’s side and make it better was just too much of a good idea not to put myself forward and see what could have come of it.”

Stewart Hall (right) alongside Dean Gibson (left). Credit: Hibernian FC – Michael Hulf

Hall could have not asked for a harder run of fixtures for his first month in Leith as his side has taken on all the top three. However, this has not dampened spirits around the camp as he has already established many great working relationships.

“The first month has literally been great,” Hall added. “I have talked to Gibson more than I have talked to my girlfriend and we have talked about nothing but football, it has been great. Even when we are not talking about football it's been great. I have a great working relationship.

“Another member of staff joined roughly the same time, the sports scientist. The three of us have got on really well with the jokes will tell and how we work with each other. It’s been great so far and long may that continue.”

Now that the club is entering the final eight games of the season, Hibs are still hoping that they can catch fourth-placed Hearts in the table. Beyond that, Hall remains ambitious that Hibs can become one of the biggest teams in Scotland again.

“First and foremost for the rest of the season it’s about putting more points on the table and seeing if we can climb up the table,” Hall explained “We know we are too far from the top three this year. As a short-term goal, it is seeing if we can catch Hearts and finish above them this season.

“From next season, we can make sure we have put everything in place and can we add to the squad and make it even better so that we are even better and closer to the top three and if possible challenging them on a weekly basis. This season has shown that we can compete with anyone on one occasion, but can we do it consistently. That’s next season’s plan and from there it’s just making it better and stronger and seeing if we can make Hibs one of the bigger teams in Scotland again.”