‘My time is up, but I’m happy to go out on a win’
Eddie May guided Hibs into the Scottish Cup quarter finals – then revealed his time as caretaker manager is up. May’s Hibees cruised into the last 16 with a comfortable 3-1 win over Raith Rovers at Easter Road.
The stand-in gaffer was then told he will not be required to lead the Easter Road side into their next match.
It is understood Neil Lennon’s successor as permanent Hibs boss will be unveiled in the next 48 hours – and while May insisted he was in the dark over the new man’s identity, former Oxford United manager Michael Appleton remains the firm front-runner.
“That will be my last game and I am delighted to go out on a win,” said May.
“The new man is coming in and at least we are in the quarter-final. “The club has a great record in terms of being at Hampden over the past few years and I hope that continues.
“I have been told this was my last game and that the new man will come in this week.
“I won’t be in charge for the Hamilton game.” On the incoming boss’s identity and plans for the coming days, he said: “I don’t have a clue who they’ve got.
“They just thanked me and coach Grant Murray for what we’ve done and the new man should be announced sometime this week.
“I know Grant and I will take training on Monday as normal. “Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday, the new man will be announced.
“It will be exciting and challenging because the new man will maybe put a different stamp on what he wants.
“But we are all here to work together and I am sure Hibernian Football Club will be successful in the future if we do that.”
May will return to his job as Hibs’ head of academy coaching – and will do so with a sense of relief after being thrust into the limelight. However, he insisted he had enjoyed the firstteam experience, and hailed his players for seeing off Rovers.
He said: “We probably could have scored a couple more, but they were decent and the boys worked extremely hard. “After a hard game against Celtic during the week, it is not easy playing in a cup tie, but the boys played to a good standard and I am delighted for them.” Rovers gaffer John Mcglynn, meanwhile, admitted the better team won, but insisted his players can take positives from their experience. “We had to try and unsettle Hibs and get the fans to turn on them but with the two-goal cushion that didn’t really materialise.”