Latest news with #Hibs
BBC News
3 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Leishman to leave Hibs after decade at club
Shannon Leishman will leave SWPL champions Hibs after over a decade with the Leith defender only made two starts this campaign before joining Motherwell on loan in January, helping cement their historic top-six made her debut back in 2014, aged just 16, and went on to make over 150 appearances for her childhood club, winning four domestic Cups in the follows fellow Hibs' stalwart Leah Tweedie out the door after her departure was announced earlier in the Leishman's exit, head coach Grant Scott said: "Shannon has been a dedicated servant to Hibernian over the past 11 years."Coming through our Academy, Shannon has from a young age always set an example for others to follow and her commitment to being the ultimate professional has helped us to many successes over the years."More than all of that, she's a great person whose presence will be missed. We thank her for her contributions and wish her all the best for the future."
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Ex-Celtic and Scotland boss Strachan will always be a Hibee at heart
Former Man United, Leeds and Aberdeen great on bus journeys and schoolboy sing-alongs Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... For a man who never wore the jersey, save for a couple of guest appearances in testimonials to honour time-served veterans, Gordon Strachan's Hibernian heart remains an important element of his character. The things he's done in football and in life can, according to the man himself, be traced back to schoolboy days riding on the upper deck of the No.16 bus, belting out Hibs songs with his pals as they made the journey from Muirhouse to Easter Road. First taken to one of Scottish football's most iconic old grounds by dad Jim, the son was able to repay the favour more than once over next few decades. Including, in a tale familiar to anyone who understands the game's ability to unite generations, a final visit just four weeks before his father's death. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How deep is his affection for the club? Well, even when following his dream as an aspiring professional, Strachan made time to visit Tynecastle for one very special derby win back in 1973. And he still considers David Gray's Scottish Cup-winning goal at Hampden in 2016 as one of his most enjoyable moments in football. When you consider the domestic and European glories he enjoyed in a playing career that took him from Dundee to Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds, not to mention the triumphs he masterminded as Celtic manager, that's quite the distinction. 'I owe a lot of who I am to the people of Leith,' said the former Scotland boss, adding without hesitation: 'When I was getting brought up, whether I be younger, whether I be older, I owe where I am right now to these people. 'My first memories of Easter Road? Going with my dad. I went to see Aberdeen, Hibs against Aberdeen. I think it was a tournament, it wasn't actually a league, it was a kind of, I don't know what it was. I remember Charlie Cooke playing for Aberdeen, I think. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'So that was it. My gran used to live just round the corner from Easter Road. But I used to go there, when I was younger. 'On a Saturday, I'd make it for the end of the second half really, or just the end of the second half, where the gates would open. I used to be at Leith Links a couple of times. 'I'd play there and just run up with me and my mates and get in, because the gates would open and you'd get in for nothing. Or you'd get a lift over with some fella. 'In those days, you'd get a lift over and that was it, you'd go in for nothing. So that was my introduction.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Easter Road 'Cow Shed' antics and Tynecastle derby glory Recalling his afternoons in a covered area of the north terracing familiar to fans of a certain generation, Strachan – speaking in partnership with Esports Insider - added: 'So when I used to go there, we went to a bit called the Cow Shed. I was in the middle of it at first, opposite the main stand there. I kind of upgraded myself to the Cow Shed, doing a bit of singing. 'Not got a clue what I was singing about, no understanding what I was singing about. And you look back and go: 'What were you thinking about?' But I didn't know at the time. 'I used to get number 8 or the 16 bus to the game. That was the bus from Muirhouse. 'Did what boys did. Got on the top deck, sat at the front, started singing songs again. And made your way to the game.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad David Gray's 'emotional' Scottish Cup winner a special favourite Signed by Dundee as a schoolboy, Strachan moved from supporter to player. With the rare exception of the lucky few who get to sign for 'their' team, this usually means a severing of allegiances. Up to a point. 'When I started professional football, I kept the link,' he insisted. 'But it was more a link with Leith. I probably speak more about Leith much more than I speak about Hibs. 'But f you ask me about the history of any of the Hibs players between 1965 and 1972, I've got a great knowledge of it. But after that, when I was playing professional football, I still went to the 7-0 win at Tynecastle with my mates! 'When I got into the first team at Dundee, that was it. I took it professionally. I always hoped the Hibs did well, but the club I was working for at the time, that was the main thing. So that was it really. I kind of downed tools as Hibs fan. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But I still look back at 2016 and one of the best occasions I've ever been involved in. When they won the Cup, I was there as a pundit and it was emotional, to say the least. 'My father had passed away recently, and I thought: 'What a time to go dad, you could have seen a cup win at last!' So it was quite emotional. 'I took my father to his last game four weeks before he died, a Hibs and Hearts game just before he died. So he took me to my first game, and I took him to his last game. It was quite ironic that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I think of myself as from Leith. I'm proud of Edinburgh, but I think of myself from Leith. So anything that's happened in Leith, I still go to the community centre there with my cousin, Pauline, who runs the Leith community centre. 'I still go there. Me and my wife kind of help out now and then. My mum still helps out with stuff. 'I still go to Silverknowes Golf Club, I was there last week talking to the old guys and having a chat. So it's still a big part of my life, really.'
Scotsman
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs boss on former Barcelona prospect's chances after 'stop-start' introduction
January signing off sent off on debut and made just one start - in final game of season Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Former Barca prospect Alasana Manneh has been backed to hit the ground running after a 'stop-start' introduction to the chaos of the Scottish Premiership. The midfielder, Hibs boss David Gray's only signing of the January window, has struggled to adjust to the pace of the game in Scotland since being sent off on his debut for two bookable offences. Since that nightmare substitute appearance away to St Mirren back in February, when two bookings in a little over 10 minutes saw the Gambia international suffer an ignominious first appearance in a Hibernian jersey, Manneh has made two substitute appearances and one start. The former Odense star, who had been on the Danish league's winter shutdown when he secured his move to the SPFL, played just under an hour in the final game of the season, a 2-2 draw with Rangers at Easter Road. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Gray is adamant that the 27-year-old, who made it as far as Barca B during his time in Spain, has already been a 'brilliant addition' to the squad. And he's sure that Manneh will only improve once he gets a proper pre-season programme under his belt. The former skipper, admitting he was reluctant to make wholesale changes as his team recovered from a horror start to put together a 17-game unbeaten run in the league, eventually finish third with a game to spare, said: 'He's not had the game time he wants but he's been a brilliant addition in terms of how he is, how he trains. A really hard-working professional as well. SPFL boasts 'completely different intensity' to Scandinavian leagues 'So that's been really beneficial for us, and it's really kept the group together. I think he's a very good footballer, can really handle the ball and I think we've seen glimpses of it in the games. 'He'll massively benefit from a pre-season. He joined us at a time where the team was flying as well, so when we're doing really well it's difficult for him to get minutes as a result of that. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Also his league had just finished over in Scandinavia, they were on that sort of winter break when they were on the shutdown. So he wasn't up to speed. 'And it's a completely different intensity, Scottish football. We know that, especially in the middle of the pitch. 'Every week's completely different. Sometimes you go into Celtic Park where it's all about the discipline without the ball, knowing you're not going to have it. 'And then the other times it's about the blood and thunder of the Premiership, which is 90% of the time. And you need to be ready for that.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Training intensity a 'shock' for Gambia international With Hibs still working hard to secure an Easter Road return for Nectar Triantis, their options including a potential permanent transfer for a Sunderland prospect who has already enjoyed two loan spells with the Edinburgh club, competition for places in central midfield next season could be intense. Especially with club captain Joe Newell expected back for pre-season. Admitting that the way Hibs work on the training ground, driven by that competition, may have been a factor in Manneh's slow start, Gray said: 'He's adapting to training all the time and the intensity that we train at, which has been probably a bit of a shock to him initially. So he's benefiting from this all the time 'I still believe - not still believe because I never ever doubted - that he's going to be a really good addition and will benefit from a real strong pre-season.'
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Collum admits 'good chance' ball over line in Rangers goal incident
The Scottish FA referee chief conceded that Nico Raskin's effort at Easter Road may have crossed the line before being cleared by Rocky Bushiri. This incident was followed by a lengthy VAR check after Hibs had raced up the park and equalised. However, Collum supported the decision not to award the goal due to the lack of a definitive camera angle proving the ball was over the line. In a candid discussion on the VAR Review show, Collum suggested the ball was likely in but defended the VAR and AVAR for adhering to protocol amidst criticism for their handling of similar situations in the past. Collum said: "Let's go back to two incidents this season first—Hibs vs Celtic, possible ball over the line, and Dundee United vs Hibs, possible handball before it goes into the goal. "We were criticised for both of those decisions, and rightly so, because ultimately, there was no conclusive evidence. "I know people who would look at this decision and say 'that camera angle, for me, is conclusive.' "But the reality is, that camera angle is at an angle looking in the way, there's nothing directly in line there." He referenced a similar incident from a World Cup match, where an angled camera shot suggested the ball was over the line, but a direct view proved otherwise. He continued: "Can the VAR and the AVAR there categorically, 100 per cent, say the ball was over the line? "Not for us. "Do I think it crossed the line? "I think there's a good chance it did. "But can I be absolutely certain of that? "No." Collum acknowledged the challenging nature of the situation, noting the difficulty in making a definitive call as the ball was off the ground in the final frame before being cleared. He said: "What doesn't help in this scenario is that the ball is not on the ground. "I think you could make a call here if the ball was on the ground, well over, there was loads of grass between it. "In terms of that camera angle, in terms of the ball being mid-air, can we be 100 per cent? "We don't think we can be."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Willie Collum responds to Rangers 'ghost goal' as ref chief emphatic on VAR but makes key admission over incident
Rangers were apoplectic over the incident but Collum has offered a rebuttal from the governing body Insistent Willie Collum reckons VAR were right to deny raging Rangers their 'ghost goal' against Hibs on the final day of the Premiership season. Nico Raskin was left aghast after his apparent opener at Easter Road wasn't given by referee Nick Walsh and his assistant referee then the on-field decision was held up by his VAR officials seconds before Hibs duly scored. The Ibrox side released an angry statement in which they claimed they would back Rangers TV commentator John Brown to the hilt if a charge followed after he described the call made by the match officials as "corrupt". And now Collum has waded into the furore. The former grade one admits the ball may well have crossed the line, however, he has robustly defended the SFA process by citing two flashpoints from earlier in the season which led to public condemnation of the governing body. Host Gordon Duncan was also on hand to deliver the follow-up Collum as he offered the case for no goal. Speaking on The VAR Review, Collum said: "Let's go back to two incidents this season first - Hibs vs Celtic, possible ball over the line, and Dundee United vs Hibs, possible handball before it goes into the goal. "We were criticised for both of those decisions, and rightly so, because ultimately, there was no conclusive evidence. "I know people who would look at this decision and say 'that camera angle, for me, is conclusive.' "But the reality is, that camera angle is at an angle looking in the way, there's nothing directly in line there. "I've quoted before, in a World Cup match, there was a similar angle shown in a Japan game [against Spain in 2022] where, if you'd used that angle, you would say the ball was over the line. "Then when you line it up directly in line, it only needs a slight part of the ball to be touching that line. "Can the VAR and the AVAR there categorically, 100 per cent, say the ball was over the line? Not for us. "Do I think it crossed the line? I think there's a good chance it did. "But can I be absolutely certain of that? No. "What doesn't help in this scenario is that the ball isn't on the ground. "I think you could make a call here if the ball was on the ground, well over, there was loads of grass between it. "In terms of that camera angle, in terms of the ball being mid-air, can we be 100%? We don't think we can be. "We've been criticised previously, we've now moved to say we'll only give a decision like that if we've got 100% conclusive evidence, so the VAR and AVAR are correct to say there that they don't have that evidence." Host Duncan jumped in: "I think a lot of people will say 'if that's not conclusive, then will you ever truly get conclusive evidence?' "I feel like everyone thinks that's over the line. "So if that isn't conclusive then I'm looking for something that's very unlikely to ever be there." Collum admitted: "If you have a goal-line camera, you've got a very good chance of catching it. "I think we could have come to a decision clearly if it's looking right down the barrel of the goal-line. "One thing that would make this clear is goal-line technology, it takes the human element away because the watch reacts or doesn't react and then it's absolutely categorical." Duncan, following on, asked: "On goal-line technology, I assume it goes without saying that you would welcome that if clubs were willing to pay and make your life easier?" Collum said: "No question, because what would happen is it would remove any doubt. "It would be categorical, but where it won't help you is for a ball in and out of play on the goal-line. "We discussed it, and I think the clubs and everybody in Scottish football would welcome it, it is in play in the semi-finals and the final of the League Cup and Scottish Cup as we use it at the national stadium. "I don't think anybody wouldn't welcome it, but it's a cost implication, you balance the cost with how many times in a competition in a season do you need it. "Maybe even just one decision could be crucial in deciding which way the championship goes, who gets into a European place, who's relegated, who ends up in a play-off. "So maybe even for the cost implication, when the stakes are so high, it would be better to have it than not to have it. "We would definitely welcome it, and we would certainly welcome it if it was possible in each match to have goal-line cameras."
