New Hibs boss Disney mind interrupting family holiday to take dream call

Gray at East Mains today. | SNS Group

On a long-awaited family holiday in Florida, David Gray took the call that would change his life. It was, he admits, an emotional moment for the extended clan gathered around the phone, looking for a reaction from the man about to become Hibs manager.

Holding his first official press conference as gaffer out at East Mains today, the Scottish Cup-winning captain, four-time interim head coach and all-round Easter Road legend revealed details of a process that saw him “nail” a two-and-a-half interview, according to sporting director Malky Mackay. And then spend far too long checking his phone for that magic number to pop up.

“I got a phone call when I was in Florida,” said Gray, who had joined wife Hayley, kids Ada, Ivy and Archie, as well as parents Elaine and Peter, and mother-in-law Mary, on the trip of a lifetime. “My missus was a very happy and unhappy person for the last month! We had pre-planned to take the kids because it was the last chance really to do the Magic Kingdom and all that stuff.

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“My youngest is at the perfect age where she is Princess and Barbie daft. For the last two years we’d planned to go to Florida. My mum and dad were coming and so was my mother-in-law because they’d retired this year.

“I ended up not going with them at the start. I stayed behind for obvious reasons.

“I went two or three days late and was probably the most uninterested man the whole time I was there because I was too busy thinking about other things, which my missus was not delighted about. I was six hours behind all the time. I was constantly looking at my phone looking to see if it was going to ring and go about my business.”

The call, when it came, was obviously a dream moment for Gray. Even if technical failings meant he didn’t quite enjoy the moment in full.

“I was up for breakfast in the morning and the phone went; it was Ian (Gordon), Malky (Mackay) and Ben (Kensell) on one call. The signal wasn’t great. So when I got asked the question, I maybe didn’t sound over-enthusiastic! But I was delighted.

“More importantly, everyone that was there with me at the time was delighted. I was nice and calm - but my missus and my mum were crying.”

Despite Mackay saying that Gray had “nailed” the interview, a final two-and-a-half hour grilling where the managerial candidate could lay out not merely his vision for the club, but explain how he could make it all happen, the man himself was uncertain of how he’d performed. But sure he’d given it his all.

“I’ve got nothing to compare it to,” said Gray, the former skipper adding: “My first ever interview. I didn’t come out thinking: ‘I really wish I’d said that.’ I never got everything out. But if I reflect on it, my wife was asking how I thought I did, I had done all I could do.

“The club was fantastic and made me aware I was in a process and wasn’t going to hear anything for a week or 10 days. If I didn’t have that I’d have been sitting thinking I’d made a mess of it. I had no regrets which is great.”

Being appointed Hibs boss was obviously a proud moment for the entire family. Especially dad Peter. Even if he hadn’t always seen the wisdom in his boy pursuing a quick leap into coaching.

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“I go back to when I retired at 33 with time on my playing contract and with opportunities, I think if the manager is asking you to be his first team coach, then it’s pretty clear I’m not going to play for him,” recalled Gray. “The ability to keep playing retire or make the transition to coaching, my dad was always asking if I’d made the right direction and saying you want to play as long as you can.

“But I firmly believe everything was geared up towards this moment. Everything I have been doing in the past three years has been about learning as much as I can. The people, I have worked under, the qualities they’ve got, the way they saw the game, selfishly it was fantastic to pick up all that knowledge and hopefully I can put that together to make a successful Hibs team.”