Hibs turn up the heat on Montgomery after ‘unacceptable’ season

HIBS have issued a blunt warning to Nick Montgomery that results must improve after an ‘unacceptable’ season.

Appointed Lee Johnson’s successor last September, the ex-Central Coast Mariners manager failed to take the Easter Road side into the top six of the Premiership.

That was a regression from the fifth-place finish of the previous season, and some supporters have called for Montgomery to be sacked.

Addressing those concerns in a boldly-worded statement last night, the board left the 42-yearold in no doubt about the need to start winning matches.

Promising to undertake root and branch review of the ‘entire football operation’ together with Bill Foley’s Black Knight Football Club, it read: ‘Like all Hibs supporters, we believe that a club with our stature should, as an absolute minimum, finish in the top six. Ending the season in the bottom six is simply unacceptable.

‘In the aftermath of Saturday’s draw with Motherwell, we came together to understand what happened this season and what are the necessary steps to move the club forward.

‘With that in mind, we will conduct a full review of the club’s football structure in conjunction with Black Knight Football Club. The review will be a comprehensive evaluation of the entire football operation to ensure we perform at the highest level.

‘We have also held detailed discussions with Nick Montgomery to understand what has gone wrong during the current campaign and mutually agreed that results this season have been disappointing. There’s an understanding that results need to improve.

‘Considerable progress has been made at the club off the pitch over the last 12 months.

‘That being said, we want to assure supporters that on-pitch progress and performance are at the forefront of our minds. We understand this needs to be addressed urgently and the experience provided by our new partner, Black Knight Football Club, will help us improve in all areas.

‘Lastly, we would like to thank every single one of you for your support through this incredibly challenging campaign. Your backing has been unwavering, and the club is extremely grateful. We will continue to work tirelessly to deliver results our supporters can be proud of.’

Montgomery did not attempt to downplay the scale of the disappointment last Saturday.

‘It’s not good enough for Hibs,’ he said. ‘You have to earn the right to get into the top six.’