Gray sacked by Hibs after six league games

WHAT HAPPENED
Hibernian have dismissed head coach David Gray after a run of poor results early in the Scottish Premiership season. The club announced the decision following Tuesday’s 1-0 home defeat to bottom-placed Kilmarnock, leaving Hibernian ninth in the table on six points.

Assistants Liam Craig and Craig Samson will also depart, with John Potter appointed to take charge for Saturday’s home fixture against Aberdeen. Club executive chairman Ian Gordon said the board reached the decision because of a recent decline in both results and performances.

KEY CONTEXT
Gray is a long-serving figure at Easter Road, ending a 12-year association with the club as player and coach. As a player he scored the stoppage-time winner in the 2016 Scottish Cup final against Rangers — a goal that ended a 114-year wait for that trophy — and finished his playing career with 177 appearances before joining the coaching staff. He had three brief spells as interim manager and was appointed head coach in May 2024, succeeding Nick Montgomery.

Under Gray’s stewardship the club recovered from a very poor start on one occasion — he had won just one of his first 15 league matches before the team rallied to finish third — and Hibernian finished fifth last season. Both of the past two campaigns produced European qualification, but Hibs were eliminated in last-gasp defeats in the Conference League play-off rounds. The recent run includes six consecutive home league defeats dating back to last season.

WHY IT MATTERS
The sacking ends a notable 12-year connection between a club and a former captain who delivered one of its most celebrated moments in recent history. From a sporting perspective, the decision comes amid sustained home struggles and a sluggish start to the current league campaign, which the board judged unacceptable. Changes in the coaching staff ahead of an important domestic fixture create immediate pressures on squad preparation and short-term results.

For the club’s longer-term planning, the removal of a high-profile internal appointment — a former player turned head coach — raises questions about recruitment strategy and whether the board will seek an external appointment or continue to look within the existing staff structure.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- John Potter’s stewardship for the Aberdeen game on Saturday will be the first test of the interim arrangement.
- The board’s timeline and process for appointing a permanent replacement has not been announced; monitoring club statements for updates will show whether Hibernian pursue an internal or external candidate.
- How the squad responds on the pitch, particularly at home where the club have endured a run of defeats, will influence the club’s next steps.

FANS’ REACTIONS (from published comments)
- Some supporters described the decision as inevitable and called for a manager with fresh ideas, possibly from outside Scotland.
- Others paid tribute to Gray’s service and achievements while blaming inconsistent player performances or wider management structures for recent results.
- A small number of comments urged wider changes beyond the head coach, including criticism directed at the sporting director.

KEY FACTS
- David Gray has been sacked six league games into the season and leaves after a 12-year association with Hibernian.
- The latest defeat was a 1-0 loss at home to Kilmarnock; Hibs sit ninth on six points.