Latest news with #Hibs'
Scotsman
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibernian FC Host Festival play about the dark side of football
The groundbreaking collaboration highlights the harsh realities of youth football and the physical and mental abuse they are subjected to. The hour long show will be staged at Hibs' brand new Behind the Goals venue during the Edinburgh Festival and launches on Saturday 2nd August at 7pm. The play is written and performed by Alfie Cain, who himself was a trainee at Chelsea FC for many years before eventually being dropped at age 18. The production marks the first time a professional football club in Scotland has hosted a theatrical performance about the mental health challenges faced by young players who don't make the professional grade, and it's also the first time that Hibs has hosted a show at the Edinburgh Fringe. A Hibernian FC spokesperson said: "Hosting 'Dropped' at Easter Road is a statement of our continued commitment to player welfare beyond the pitch. We recognise the different challenges that academy players face and during their educational programmes with us, we attempt to prepare them for life outside the game, in case their sporting ambitions don't come true. It's vital youngsters are prepared for that reality and professional life. Alfie's play offers powerful insights that we believe can benefit our young players and the wider football community." At this time of year (end of July/early August) thousands of trainees will be told they are no longer needed at their clubs. There are no published numbers of trainee footballers at professional Scottish clubs, but figures range from over 2,000 (Source BBC) to around 10,000 but research by the SFA last year stated that Scottish Football is "significantly underachieving its potential" and that only 1% of apprentices will get to play top-flight football. (Source BBC). The chances of success for trainees are equally poor south of the border. Many trainees suffer from serious mental health issues after being dropped by their clubs and in 2020 there was the tragic case of a suicide by 18-year-old Manchester City trainee Jeremy Wisten. His family felt he was "let down" by the club and that they did not provide adequate support. That is certainly an extreme case but many other trainees struggle with mental health issues, as was certainly the case with Alfie Cain, after being dropped at age 18. Alfie said: "From the age of nine to 18 everything in my life revolved around football. Everyone expected me to turn pro, and I had the prestige of being an elite footballer. Then after nine years of commitment, I was invited into the coach's office and in nine minutes was told that the dream was over and to clear out my locker. My whole world fell apart in those few minutes, I lost everything, my purpose and confidence were shattered. It took years to get over it, and if I'd not had the support of my family I could easily have taken a wrong turn." Alfie retrained as an actor at LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) in London and wrote the play Dropped which was first performed in 2022 at the Arts Cafe Theatre in Little Venice. The play sold out and he received press in the Evening Standard, BBC and ITV. As a result he was signed up by a top talent agency and recently appeared in EastEnders. Alfie added: "This opportunity to perform at Hibernian's Easter Road is a dream come true, I've always wanted to take Dropped to the Edinburgh Festival but simply couldn't afford to do so, but thanks to Hibs' amazing support I'm able to do it. Having a professional club embrace this message is groundbreaking. The 'Behind the Goals' venue creates the perfect atmosphere for telling this story, literally in the shadow of where dreams are made and broken every week. Back when I was a trainee I'd have loved the chance to play at Easter Road, and now it's going to happen, maybe not quite the way I'd envisaged back then, but it's still fantastic." PERFORMANCE DETAILS VENUE - Behind the Goals, Easter Road Stadium (Hibernian FC), 12 Albion Pl, Edinburgh EH7 5QG DATES - 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9 August - with option to extend TIME - 7:00 PM (approx running time 50 mins) TICKETS - £15, available at ENTRY - Through the North Stand door 1 . Contributed Alfie Cain performing his one-man play Dropped on stage Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 2 . Contributed Alfie Cain as a trainee at Chelsea FC aged 11. He is second row from top and in the centre. Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 3 . Contributed Alfie Cain as a young trainee before he was Dropped Photo: Submitted Photo Sales 4 . Contributed Alfie Cain on the pitch at Easter Road, prior to the launch of his play Dropped. Photo: Submitted Photo Sales Related topics: BBCScotland
Daily Record
23-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
David Gray sees Hibs history bid delayed but destination remains the same as gaffer targets club first
The Easter Road squad's flight from Edinburgh was help up as they made their way to Denmark for Midtjylland clash David Gray wants to make more Hibs history by leading them into the European group stages for the first time., writes Scott Burns in Denmark. As a player, he scored the winner in 2016 that took the Scottish Cup back to Easter Road for the first time in 114 years. Now as a manager, he and his squad have their sights set on getting Hibs into the group stages of Europe for the first time. Gray, who will lead his side out against Midtjylland in Thursday's Europa League opening qualifier, acknowledged: 'Well that is the challenge, that's the challenge to the players. 'It's never been done so can we do it. 'Last season we spoke a lot about recreating history in a positive way, we've done a lot of that and I think this is just the next stage for that. 'As I've just touched on, that is one of the genuine goals and ambitions of this group of players in a club and the staff is to try and be the first team to do that. "I think if we can do that, again, it's just something else we can add to the list and then we can keep moving forward. 'We believe we can do it, we believe we've got a squad that's good enough to do it. 'It's going to be tough, we know that, but we've got a fan base, we've got an ownership and we've got the players all pulling in the one direction, all desperate to be successful.' Hibs' journey nearly didn't get off the ground. They had a problem with their plane and had a long delay before it was fixed and they were able to fly to Denmark on Wednesday. Gray stated: 'That is the benefit of coming the night before. Our flight was delayed, everybody knows that. "It changed our scheduling and our arrival time. That is why we put plans in place, so if anything does come up then we have time to react. The boys have prepared, they are ready and Thursday night takes care of itself.' Midtjylland go in as heavy favourites but Gray is confident his team can upset the odds and certainly to keep things alive, going back to Easter Road next week. There will be more than 1,000 Hibs fans in the MCH Arena to cheer on their side. The Hibs head coach added: 'That's the challenge to the players, it's a real tough draw, we know that. 'I think in terms of how well Midtyjlland have done in Europe, you think about the Champions League team, last season they were runner-up in the league narrowly right at the very end of the season so we know they're a very good side. 'They've got Champions League players experienced at the level but we also demonstrated that if we can play to the best of our ability, we're a very good side and that has to be the mindset of the players. 'The game tomorrow night is over two legs so it's not as if we go a goal up in the game early or a goal down for that matter, there's a lot of football to be played over the two games for the complete tie so it's about making sure that the players remember that, they stay calm in the chaos and the enjoy it because this is something that they've all worked hard for, the rewards from last season. 'I keep saying it, these are the rewards from last season, it's a tough tie but one that every player should be looking forward to and certainly come off the pitch with no regrets and if we can do that I'm sure we'll be in a good place.'
Scotsman
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scottish Premiership 25/26: All 12 home kits ranked from best to worst, including Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs
4 . 9th: Hibs I know that this lowly position is going to upset people because it's a 'classic' design, but this kit is just not for me. Last season's Hibs away shirt was perhaps the best the Scottish Premiership kit for a number of years, but Joma haven't been able to replicate their magic with this one. It's made with recycled polyester material and it does pay homage to Hibs' traditional kits, which is nice I guess. But it's just a bit boring. | SNS Group
Scotsman
14-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Scottish football has a new ecosystem - it won't threaten Celtic and Rangers but others are in trouble
Hibs' breaking of their transfer record is further evidence of 'middle' three breaking away Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, 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... Sleepy summer Sundays are not usually when Scottish football clubs break their record transfer fee. So Hibs' announcement at 10am on July 13 that they had completed the signing of Thibault Klidje, in the process spending their first-ever seven-figure sum on a footballer, caught pretty much everyone off-guard. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Not one media outlet in Scotland had been on the scent of Klidje, who has spent the past three years playing for Luzern in Switzerland. He's a 24-year-old forward who is speedy and tricky. He netted 12 times in the Super League last term and posted his best figures in his professional career. Hibs and Aberdeen have already spent big this summer. | SNS Group Hibs say they had been monitoring the Togolese internationalist for some time. A new striker was a necessity for the Easter Road side, given they only have Martin Boyle, Kieron Bowie and Elie Youan on their books. Klidje's arrival boosts Hibs ahead of their Europa League Conference League qualifier against FC Midtjylland next week. Hibs' spent close to £700,000 on Dylan Vente two seasons ago and had the Dutch striker hit his add-on targets, then the total fee to Roda JC would have outstripped the full £700k paid to LCU Quito way back in 2001 for Ecuadorian Ulises de la Cruz. It has taken the capital outfit 24 years to surpass that amount. Hibs' financial figures earlier this year made for grim reading, posting a £7.2million loss that has been underwritten by the club's wealthy American owner Ian Gordon. The next set of accounts won't likely be a whole lot better, as the work undergone by sporting director Malky Mackay to correct years of erroneous spending and lengthy, costly contracts is still ongoing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hibs have to keep pace with their peers But Hibs cannot stand still. Finishing third in the Premiership last season, when back in December relegation looked entirely possible, has given them a huge shot in the arm. They will be cursing Aberdeen - and probably Celtic too - for how the Dons won the Scottish Cup to pinch guaranteed league-phase European football this term, although they can still reach that promised land should they navigate qualifiers. Hearts and Aberdeen have now had two bites at the Conference League proper and the relative riches it brings. While Hibs might not get there this season, they are among a trio of clubs that is threatening to create its own ecosystem within the jungle that is Scottish football. It is becoming increasingly common for Scottish football's 'middle three' to splash the cash - be it on transfer fees or wages. In addition to Klidje, Hibs paid money to Hartberg for Austrian keeper Raphael Sallinger this summer and Josh Mulligan from Dundee may not come cheap depending on the outcome of a development tribunal. Throw in the wage afforded to key defender Rocky Bushiri to keep him in Leith and a pretty penny has already been spent. Tony Bloom has invested in Hearts. | Getty Images Across the city, Hearts are embarking on their new spending adventure too. With Tony Bloom ploughing in £9.86m last month and becoming a shareholder, there is fresh investment and a new player database in Jamestown Analytics to use. Already forwards Claudio Braga and Elton Kabangu have been bought for not insignificant six-figure fees, while star striker Lawrence Shankland finally penned a new contract. Bluntly, that won't have come cheap. Hearts still want an array of wingers to help new head coach Derek McInnes hit the ground running. The spending is unlikely to stop there. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Up at Pittodrie, Aberdeen are more than content to keep pace with the Edinburgh duo. Owner Dave Cormack and his associates announced an £8m investment into the Dons last month, part of it to upgrade the training facilities, and manager Jimmy Thelin has also been backed significantly in his first 12 months in charge. This summer, the Dons have paid six-figure sums for winger Nicolas Milanovic and left-back Emmanuel Gyamfi, while last season it is understood more than £2m combined was shelled out on defenders Kristers Tobers and Alexander Jensen, midfielder Sivert Nilsen and winger Topi Keskinen. Winning the Scottish Cup and the rewards that follow is no doubt vindication of the outlay, even if the Dons ended up finishing fifth in the league. Is the Premiership's top-five already set in stone? What will the Premiership's top five look like in May next year, though? While the spending of Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs at this stage seems unlikely to get them a great deal closer to Celtic and Rangers, it is surely creating a larger gap between them and the rest of the league. Dundee United finished fourth last season and under Jim Goodwin, did very well upon their return to the top flight. They've spent money on goalkeeper Yevgeniy Kucherenko and defender Iurie Iovu in this window - but not as much as Hibs, Hearts or the Dons. Their top wage will also get nowhere near that trio. Spending money is no guarantee in Scotland - it has been rare for the top five to follow the natural SPFL foodchain. But it feels like Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs are fishing not just in a different pond, but an ocean to the seven other sides in the division. In theory, it should allow them to cope better with the juggling act of European and domestic football. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Recently, United, St Mirren and Kilmarnock have capitalised on a poor season from one of the bigger clubs to jump into the top five and grab a slice of the European pie. The chances of such profligacy from them now are slimmer as the financial gulf becomes bigger. Are they, plus Motherwell, Dundee, Livingston and Falkirk mere also-rans in this race, fighting for one final berth in the top six and survival from relegation?
Scotsman
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
David Gray issues Hibs transfer update, latest on Sunderland's Nectar Triantis and status of injured duo
Head coach wants 'right types' to enhance squad Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, 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... Hibs head coach David Gray says the club is hunting 'the right type of player' - and admits there is no further update on the future of last season's loanee Nectar Triantis. Gray has already brought in goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger, midfielder Josh Mulligan and playmaker Jamie McGrath in this summer and is keen to swell his ranks, particularly in the final third. There is also a desire for Triantis to return from Sunderland after an excellent 2024/25 campaign. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sallinger, Mulligan and McGrath all started Hibs' 3-2 pre-season win over Rot-Weiss Essen on Wednesday night, with Sallinger saving a penalty late on and McGrath opening the scoring. However, with Hibs' Europa Conference League qualifier against FC Midtjylland a fortnight away, transfer activity is likely to be cranked up. Hibs' Lewis Miller was taken off with an injury. | SNS Group 'We're always looking,' Gray said on potential transfer business. 'We know the areas we still need to look at and we're trying to improve so when the window closes we're in a stronger position. We want to make sure we bring the right type, it's not a case of just bringing in numbers.' Probed specifically on Triantis, Gray continued: 'No immediate update. We made it clear how well he did here that we'd be interested. His parent club have been promoted, he'll be looking at options and what's there and trying to impress there. Why would you not want to do that after doing so well out on loan. But we're making sure we're not singling one player for one position and we have got our targets. Things can change and that's the difficult job of the recruitment department.' Gray felt the run-out against German third-tier opposition Rot-Weiss Essen was valuable. 'It's always nice to win games, especially at home,' he said. 'It was a good exercise for both teams. The fans added to the occasion, it didn't feel like a friendly which was good. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hibs head coach David Gray watches his player during the win over Rot-Weiss Essen. | SNS Group 'It's about minutes in the legs at this stage and we started with good intent. We started the second half very slow but we made changes and reacted and credit to the players. I know it's only pre-season but it's a good habit. There's loads of improvement, the goals we lost and we need to make sure we're improving all the time.'
