Eddie May Leaves Hibernian After 12 Years of Coaching

Eddie May will walk away from Easter Road at the end of June, bringing down the curtain on a 12-year coaching stint that has quietly underpinned Hibernian’s modern era.

For Hibs supporters of a certain age, May’s name first belongs to the pitch. Between 1985 and 1989 he pulled on the green and white more than 100 times, a dependable presence in a side that rarely lacked character. Nearly three decades later, he came back through the doors in 2014, this time to shape others rather than take centre stage himself.

Since then, May has worked across almost every layer of the club’s football structure: academy, player development, first-team coaching. When Hibs needed a steady hand in the dugout, they turned to him. Twice in 2019 he stepped in as caretaker manager and steadied a listing ship, winning three of the five games he oversaw. It was typical May – low profile, high impact.

The club’s coaching picture shifted again this summer. In June 2024, as David Gray formally moved into the head coach role, May was named as one of his assistant coaches alongside Liam Craig. It looked like a continuation of a long partnership between Gray and the man he openly calls a mentor.

Gray’s tribute underlined that bond. “I would like to personally thank Eddie for everything he has done for the club and for the support he has given me over the years, both as a player and a coach,” he said. “He has been a fantastic mentor, colleague and friend to me over the years and I am extremely grateful for all his support, advice and commitment.”

Behind the scenes, though, the coaching deck has been reshuffled. Last week, Hibs confirmed the return of John Potter, who previously served as assistant to Jack Ross from 2019 to 2021. His arrival signalled another evolution in the structure around Gray as the club tries to plot a more stable path forward.

May departs with experience that stretches beyond Leith. He managed Falkirk from 2009 to 2010, and that perspective fed into his work at Hibs, where he became a go-to figure for young players and staff trying to navigate the demands of professional football.

Reflecting on his time at the club, May described it as “an incredible privilege to work alongside so many dedicated players, coaches, supporters and friends who have made this journey so special”.

Twelve years after returning, the former midfielder leaves behind more than a job title. He leaves a coaching legacy woven into the development of a generation of Hibernian players – and a vacancy in the background fabric of a club still trying to define its next era.