He arrived with a fanfare but left with just a terse goodbye
● Win at Tynecastle a rare bright spot for Heckingbottom, who failed to bond with fans
Paul Heckingbottom’s time at Hibs was short, but, other than a memorable win at Tynecastle, it was rarely sweet.
Even though his reign began the day before Valentine’s Day last year, he never really succeeded in forming a relationship or even bond with the Easter Road club’s supporters.
Plenty was promised and some hope was even glimpsed. The idea of a relatively young, upcoming manager with extensive contacts in English football sounded better than the reality proved. A very mediocre Hibs fell 5-2 to Celtic in the Betfred Cup semifinal on Saturday night and the die was cast. Short bursts of spirit as the underdogs fought back to 2-1 and then 4-2 were not enough to save a manager already in peril.
Hibs fans looked grimly on through the drizzle at what these extensive English contacts had provided. They did not like what they saw and have not all season. Players like Christian Doidge, Tom James and Josh Vela are a long way from the diamonds they thought might have been lured north by Heckingbottom, who had already tested their patience when dismissing a disgruntled outburst following the substitution of Scott Allan during a 2-2 draw with St Johnstone in August.
The manager risked giving the perception he was looking down his nose at the supporters when asked to explain the substitution decision that had prompted such an angry response. “I didn’t realise there was a rule against it,” he said.
It is now November and little has happened between then and now to help mend a fraying relationship. Hibs have only one Premiership win to their name this season – and that was on the opening day v St Mirren.
A recent fivegame unbeaten run in the league is a misleading statistic – all were draws and the last two secured after a collapse from 2-0 up against Ross County and a recovery from 2-0 down against Livingston. There was little honour in either, even if Martin Boyle’s late goal in the most recent of these outings managed to delay the inevitable for another five days.
The terse nature of the statement – just three paragraphs long – confirming Heckingbottom’s sacking was in direct contrast to the fulsome one announcing his arrival, when words such as “bright”, “driven” and “hungry” were employed.
“His work at Barnsley speaks for itself, where he was able to combine the kind of dynamic, attacking football our own fans appreciate with the development of some talented young players,” said chief executive Leeann Dempster, pictured left, in February, when Hibs finally resolved the curious situation where a bright, driven and hungry manager called Neil Lennon, now preparing for a Betfred Cup final with Celtic after sealing Heckingbottom’s fate on Saturday, was removed as Hibs manager.
“With the structure we already have in place, Paul is the right person to embrace that support and take it to a new level,” stressed Dempster.
Sadly this hasn’t proved the case. Bad news for Heckingbottom, who at least leaves with what is presumed is a hefty compensation package with over two-and-a-half years of his contract still to run. And potentially very bad news for Dempster, whose latest appointment has not lived up to the billing, despite early signs of progress last season.
A televised 4-2 win over Dundee at Dens Park was hailed as thrilling evi
“Ron Gordon bought the club from Sir Tom Farmer. He did not buy Paul Heckingbottom and his assistant Robbie Stockdale, whose services have also been dispensed with. He certainly did not purchase a team on a downwards slide – or at least had not intended to. But this is the current situation, prompting Gordon to act. The atmosphere at Easter Road risked becoming toxic”
dence of a new Hibs, even if the hosts – who went on a ten-game losing run – had given Heckingbottom’s side a run for their money. That aforementioned derby victory, Hibs’ first at Tynecastle since 2013, showed guts as well as skill, with the visitors required to comeback from a goal down. Hibs won 2-1 with a double from Daryl Horgan. All seemed well.
Heckingbottom was unbeaten in the league until three successive postsplit reversals. There was no disgrace in a 2-0 Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat by Celtic either.
Saturday’s loss to the same team in the same Saturday evening time-slot was only by a one goal greater margin. But it was the last straw for owner Ron Gordon, who – we must remember – is the significant change in the nine short months since Heckingbottom took charge. It underlines how a manager is always vulnerable in such circumstances, no matter how many assurances there are otherwise.
Gordon bought the club from Sir Tom Farmer. He did not buy Heckingbottom and his assistant Robbie Stockdale, whose services have also been dispensed with. He certainly did not purchase a team on a downwards slide – or at least had not intended to.
But this is the current situation, prompting Gordon to act. The atmosphere at Easter Road risked becoming toxic. It was already becoming hard to envisage the team Heckingbottom had moulded as anything other than a bottom-six side. A run of very winnable games to come before Hibs entertain Aberdeen in December will be a source of frustration for the Yorkshireman, who will feel there was both time and the possibility to turn things around.
That is also a reason why Hibs have acted when they have. There’s still time to salvage the campaign. But then it’s also true that a change in manager at the same juncture in the 2013-14 season helped precipitate a slide towards relegation, rather than halt it.
Pat Fenlon’s exit paved the way for Terry Butcher’s ill-fated appointment. While this recollection might merit some concern for Hibs supporters, there were few in mourning at the news of the latest managerial departure in Edinburgh.