Hibernian Sack Coach David Gray Amidst Poor Performance
Hibernian have sacked head coach David Gray, cutting short the reign of a modern club icon with the team languishing ninth in the Scottish Premiership.
The decision came in the wake of Tuesday night’s 1-0 defeat at home to bottom side Kilmarnock, Hibs’ fourth league loss in six games this season and another bruising chapter in a grim run at Easter Road.
Club legend shown the door
Gray’s dismissal carries a sting that goes beyond league position. This is the man who wrote his name into Hibs folklore in 2016, thundering in the winner against Rangers to end the club’s 114-year wait for the Scottish Cup. He retired five years ago to move into coaching and, in June 2024, finally got the job on a permanent basis after four separate spells as interim boss, signing a three-year deal.
His early work in the dugout backed up the romantic narrative. Hibs finished third in the 2024/25 campaign and followed that with fifth place last season, a level of stability the club had craved. They also reached this season’s League Cup semi-finals.
But the cracks have widened quickly. Hibs crashed out of Europe in the Conference League play-off against Gent and have now slumped to within two points of the bottom of the Premiership. At home, the numbers are brutal: six straight league defeats at Easter Road stretching back to last season, equalling a club record that had stood untouched since 1920.
For the board, that run proved impossible to ignore.
‘A decision we have not taken lightly’
Executive chairman Ian Gordon paid a pointedly warm tribute as he confirmed Gray’s departure, underlining the emotional weight of the call.
“Dave has been an inspirational figure at the club during his time here, and he has been a true friend and fantastic colleague to so many at the football club. On behalf of my family, I would like to personally thank him for everything he has done for us since we joined the club.
“As a person, he constantly set the standard with his attitude, professionalism and general work ethic and he will be sorely missed around the building by all the players and staff.
“On the pitch, he has delivered some incredible moments for our fans, and brought a level of stability and consistency that we haven't reached in recent years.
“Ultimately, this is a decision that we have not taken lightly, but unfortunately, one as a board we had to make due to the recent downturn of results and performances.”
The words reflect the tension at the heart of the decision: gratitude for what Gray represents, set against the cold reality of a team sliding down the table.
Defiant to the end
Just hours before he was dismissed, Gray cut a defiant figure in front of the cameras after the loss to Kilmarnock, insisting he still believed he could turn the season around.
“I've been here during difficult times and I've been here during good times and you can't just say it's brilliant when things are going well and then not expect a bit of criticism when things aren't,” he told Sky Sports.
“In terms of asking for patience, the fans are frustrated because we're not achieving what we need to be at this stage and winning enough games consistently, especially at home.
“And I accept that. All I can say is until someone tells me otherwise, I will be doing everything in my power, everything I possibly can as I have done at this football club to turn it around and I believe we can.
“It's a difficult time for everybody, the players, football club, because we've lost again off the back of a good result at the weekend and then failed to back it up again.”
“Until someone tells me otherwise” turned out to be the line that framed his final hours in charge.
Another reset at Easter Road
Hibs now find themselves back in a familiar place: searching for yet another permanent manager. Gray is the fifth head coach to depart in less than five years, following Jack Ross (December 2021), Shaun Maloney (five months later), Lee Johnson (the following year) and Nick Montgomery, who left in May 2024.
That churn has shaped the club’s recent identity as much as any tactical plan. Each appointment promised a reset; each departure has left more questions than answers.
For now, coach John Potter steps into the breach as interim boss for Saturday’s Premiership match against Aberdeen. The club say they “will announce a new permanent head coach in due course.”
The next appointment will not just be about climbing away from the wrong end of the table. It will be about proving Hibs can finally break the cycle that has now claimed even one of their greatest modern heroes.
