Hibs saviour Sir Tom Farmer given heroic Easter Road send off by emotional fans

Daily Record

5 days ago

Hundreds gathered outside Easter Road as Sir Tom journeyed past the ground and club he saved in the 90s. He held a majority stake in Hibs for 28 years.
Former Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer was given a heroic send off today as fans lined the streets to pay their respects and share stories of the legendary tycoon.
Hundreds gathered outside Easter Road as Sir Tom journeyed past the ground and club he saved in the 90s. He held a majority stake in Hibs for 28 years.
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As Edinburgh Live reports, the successful businessman was born in Leith in July 1940. He founded the Kwik Fit chain of garages back in 1971.
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Some emotional fans shared their stories outside the stadium as paid tribute to Sir Tom.
Speaking outside Easter Road Lorraine Meedham, 62, said: "We are here for everything he did for the fans.
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"Back in the 90s, Tom really stepped in and saved Hibs. We are also here because of everything he has done for charity. He is a really good man and we wanted to show our respects."
Alan and William Budge are lifelong Hibs fans and were also in attendance on Wednesday afternoon.
Alan, 60, said: "He saved the club. We needed to be here just for the fact he is an incredible man who rescued Hibs."
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Stuart Graham, 55, who said he will "die a Hibs fan" added: "It's all because of Tom that Hibs are still alive. If it wasn't for him coming in when he did, the club wouldn't be where it is today.
"I have been a Hibs supporter all my life - born a Hibs fan and I will die a Hibs fan - it was extremely important for me to be there for him today."
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Theresa Ferguson, 67, teared up as she described the Edinburgh icon. She said: "Tommy was a hero. My uncle worked for him when he had Kwik Fit - he was a family man and a true gentleman.
"We are so sad to have lost him and it was devastating to find out he had passed."
Nicky Ferguson, 37, added: "I have been a Hibs fan for 37 years.
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"The turnout shows how much he was loved and the difference he made for the fans. He did so much for the club, if it wasn't for him, the club would not be here."
His hearse was driven past Hibernian FC's Stadium and it's understood a memorial service will be held for Sir Tom later in the year to commemorate his contribution to civic and public life throughout the country and beyond. Details are yet to be confirmed.
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Sir Tom, a former director of MyTravel Group and ScottishPower, was hailed by Scotland's First Minister John Swinney as a "generous individual to so many causes in Scotland".
According to the Sunday Times Rich List from 2020, he was worth an estimated £126million. He grew Kwik Fit to become an international chain before selling it to Ford for £1 billion in 1999.
A touching statement from his family reads: "Sir Tom's long and extensive career touched many aspects of Scottish and UK life. His business career is well documented, as was his commitment to philanthropy, his many public roles and his unwavering support and appreciation for the communities and people that he lived his life within.
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"More than anything Sir Tom was a family man. Born in Leith, Edinburgh, in 1940 he was the youngest of seven children. He frequently spoke of the love, care and attention that was bestowed upon him by being the youngest in such a large family.
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"Leith provided a wonderfully supportive environment for him growing up as a child and he retained a lifelong affection and connection to the area. Along with his three sisters and three brothers, the siblings formed strong bonds from a young age that they continued to enjoy and cherish throughout their lives.
"Sir Tom had many nieces and nephews to whom he was proud to be an Uncle to them and their families. In 1966 Sir Tom married his dearly beloved wife, Anne.
"They met at their local church, St Mary, Star of the Sea, and were married for 57 years up until her death in 2023. In later years, when asked about the secret to his success he would often say it was because he 'married a girl like Anne'.
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"They lived their whole married life in Edinburgh and are survived by their two children and four grandchildren. Sir Tom's Roman Catholic faith was present throughout all areas of his life.
"He attended mass weekly in Edinburgh and enjoyed the friendship and company of many people with the Catholic community both here in Scotland and further afield. Sir Tom will be remembered by many for his deep commitment to his family, his work and his faith and for being at all times a proud Scotsman."
Hibs previously paid tribute in a post on X, saying:"Hibernian FC a re devastated to hear of the passing of former owner Sir Tom Farmer, aged 84.
"Thank you for everything, Tom. Rest in peace."