Hibernian F.C.

This article is about the Scottish football club. For other uses, see Hibernian (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with the Maltese football club Hibernians F.C..

Hibernian

Full name	Hibernian Football Club
Nickname(s)	Hibs, The Hibees, The Cabbage
Founded	6 August 1875 (1875-08-06)
Ground	Easter Road, Edinburgh
Capacity	20,421
Owner	Bydand Sports
Chairman	Malcolm McPherson
Head coach	David Gray
League	Scottish Premiership
2023–24	Scottish Premiership, 8th of 12
Website	www.hibernianfc.co.uk
Home colours Away colours

Hibernian Football Club (/hɪˈbɜːrniən/), commonly known as Hibs, is a professional football club in Edinburgh, Scotland. The team competes in the Scottish Premiership, the top division of Scottish football. The club was founded in 1875 by members of Edinburgh's Irish community, and the name is derived from the Latin for Ireland. The Irish heritage of Hibernian is reflected in the name, colours and badge of the club. The green main shirt colour is usually accompanied by white sleeves and shorts. Their local rivals are Heart of Midlothian, with whom they contest the Edinburgh derby.

Home matches are played at Easter Road, which has been in use since 1893, when the club joined the Scottish Football League. The name of the club is regularly shortened to Hibs, with the team also being known as The Hibees (pronounced /ˈhaɪbiːz/) and supporters known as Hibbies. Another nickname is The Cabbage, derived from the shortened rhyming slang for Hibs ("Cabbage and Ribs").

Hibernian have won the Scottish league championship four times, most recently in 1952. Three of those four championships were won between 1948 and 1952, when the club had the services of The Famous Five, a notable forward line. The club have won the Scottish Cup three times, in 1887, 1902 and 2016, with the latter victory ending a notorious drought. Hibs have also won the Scottish League Cup three times, in 1972, 1991 and 2007. Hibernian reached the semi-final of the first ever European Cup in 1955–56, becoming the first British side to participate in European competition. They reached the same stage of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1960–61.

History

Main article: History of Hibernian F.C.

See also: List of Hibernian F.C. seasons

Foundation and early history (1875–1939)

The Cowgate, where Hibs were formed in 1875.

The club was founded in 1875 by Irishmen living in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh. The name Hibernian (deriving from Hibernia, an ancient name for Ireland), the colour green, the Celtic harp and the Irish language phrase Erin go bragh (meaning Ireland Forever) were adopted as symbols early on. Founder Fr. Edward Joseph Hannan was the first president of the club and Michael Whelahan its first team captain. James Connolly, the famous socialist and Irish Republican leader, was a Hibs fan, while the club were "closely identified" with the Irish Home Rule movement during the 1880s. There was some sectarian resistance initially to an Irish club participating in Scottish football, but Hibs established themselves as a force in Scottish football in the 1880s. Hibs were the first club from the east coast of Scotland to win a major trophy, the 1887 Scottish Cup. They went on to defeat Preston North End, who had reached the semi-finals of the 1887 FA Cup, in a friendly match described as the Association Football Championship of the World Decider.

Mismanagement over the next few years led to Hibs becoming homeless and the club temporarily ceased operating in 1891. A lease on the Easter Road site was acquired in late 1892 and Hibs played its first match at Easter Road on 4 February 1893. Despite this interruption, the club today views the period since 1875 as one continued history and therefore counts the honours won between 1875 and 1891, including the 1887 Scottish Cup. The club were admitted to the Scottish Football League in 1893, although they had to win the Second Division twice before being elected into the First Division in 1895.

A significant change at this time was that players were no longer required to be members of the Catholic Young Men's Society. Hibs are not seen today as being an Irish or Roman Catholic institution, as it was in the early years of its history. For instance, the Irish harp was only re-introduced to the club badge when it was last re-designed in 2000. This design reflects the three pillars of the club's identity: Ireland, Edinburgh (the castle) and Leith (the ship). Geography rather than ethnicity or religion is now seen as the primary reason for supporting Hibs, who draw most of their support from the north and east of Edinburgh.

Hibs had some success after being reformed, winning the 1902 Scottish Cup and their first league championship a year later. After this, however, the club endured a long barren spell. The club lost its placing in the league and were relegated for the first time in 1931, although they were promoted back to the top division two years later. The notorious Scottish Cup drought began as they reached three cup finals, two in consecutive years, but lost each of them.

The Famous Five (1939–1959)

Picture depicting the Famous Five at Easter Road stadium.

Hibs' most successful era was in the decade following the end of the Second World War, when it was "among the foremost clubs in Britain". The forward line of Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull and Willie Ormond, collectively known as the Famous Five, was "regarded as the finest ever seen in Scottish football". Each of the Famous Five scored more than 100 goals for Hibs. The north stand at Easter Road is now named in their honour. Smith was signed by Hibs in 1941, while Ormond, Turnbull, Reilly and Johnstone were all signed during 1946. Of the five, only Ormond cost Hibs a transfer fee, £1200 from Stenhousemuir. Reilly, Johnstone, Smith and Turnbull were all signed from youth or junior leagues.

In the first season of competitive football after the Second World War, Hibs reached the 1947 Scottish Cup final. They took an early lead in the match, but went on to lose 2–1 to Aberdeen. With Reilly added to the first team in 1947–48, Hibs won the Scottish league championship for the first time since 1903. This was achieved despite the death of team manager Willie McCartney in January 1948. McCartney was succeeded by Hugh Shaw, who added Johnstone to the first team during 1948. Hibs finished third in the league in 1948–49. In a friendly match against Nithsdale Wanderers on 21 April 1949, Hibs included all of the famous five players in the same team for the first time. They then made their collective competitive debut on 15 October 1949, in a 2–0 win against Queen of the South. They improved on their season from the year before, by finishing second in the league to Rangers by one point.

1950–51 was the high point of the Famous Five era. With other internationalists such as Tommy Younger and Bobby Combe, Hibs won the league by 10 points (when two points were awarded for each win). They reached the 1950 Scottish League Cup final. Turnbull had scored a hattrick in the semi-final but was unavailable for the final. Jimmy Bradley started at left wing with Ormond moved to inside left. Motherwell beat them 3–0. Hibs retained the league championship in 1951–52, this time winning by four points. Hibs were narrowly denied a third consecutive title in 1952–53 on the last day of the season. A late Rangers equaliser against Queen of the South took the title to Ibrox on goal average. The Famous Five forward line remained in place until March 1955, when Johnstone was sold to Manchester City.

See also: Hibernian F.C. in European football and 1955–56 European Cup

Despite only finishing fifth in the Scottish League in 1955, Hibs were invited to participate in the first season of the European Cup, which was not strictly based on league positions at that time. Eighteen clubs who were thought would generate interest across Europe and who also had the floodlights necessary to play games at night, were invited to participate. Floodlights had been used at Easter Road for the first time in a friendly match against Hearts on 18 October 1954. Hibs became the first British club in Europe because the English Football League secretary Alan Hardaker persuaded Chelsea, the English champions, not to enter.

Hibs played their first match against Rot-Weiss Essen, winning 4–0 in the Georg-Melches-Stadion and drawing 1–1 at Easter Road. They defeated Djurgårdens IF to reach the semi-final, but in that clash they were defeated 3–0 on aggregate by Stade de Reims, who had the famous France international player Raymond Kopa in their side. Reims lost 4–3 to Real Madrid in the final.

Turnbull's Tornadoes (1960–1989)

Hibs frequently participated in the Fairs Cup during the 1960s, winning matches against Barcelona and Napoli. However, the club achieved little domestically until former player Eddie Turnbull was persuaded to return to Easter Road as manager in 1971. The team, popularly known as Turnbull's Tornadoes, finished second in the league in 1974 and 1975 and won the League Cup in 1972. The club also won the Drybrough Cup in 1972 and 1973, and recorded a 7–0 win over Edinburgh derby rivals Hearts at Tynecastle on 1 January 1973.

Performances went into decline after the mid-1970s, as Hibs were replaced by the New Firm of Aberdeen and Dundee United as the main challengers to the Old Firm. Turnbull resigned as manager and Hibs were relegated, for the second time in their history, in 1980. They were immediately promoted back to the Scottish Premier Division in 1981, but the club struggled during the 1980s, failing to qualify for European competition until 1989.

1990s: Attempted takeover by Hearts

After mismanagement during the late 1980s, Hibs were on the brink of financial ruin in 1990. Wallace Mercer, the chairman of Hearts, proposed a merger of the two clubs, but the Hibs fans believed that the proposal was more like a hostile takeover. They formed the Hands off Hibs group to campaign for the continued existence of the club. This succeeded when a prominent local businessman, Kwik Fit owner Sir Tom Farmer, acquired a controlling interest in Hibs. The fans were able to persuade Farmer to take control despite the fact that he had no great interest in football. Farmer was persuaded in part by the fact that a relative of his had been involved in the rescue of Hibs from financial ruin in the early 1890s. After the attempted takeover by Mercer, Hibs had a few good years in the early 1990s, winning the 1991 Scottish League Cup final and finishing in the top five in the league in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Soon after Alex McLeish was appointed as manager in 1998, Hibs were relegated to the First Division, but immediately won promotion back to the SPL in 1999.

2000s: "Golden generation"

Hibs enjoyed a good season in 2000–01 as they finished third in the league and reached the 2001 Scottish Cup final, which was lost 3–0 to Celtic. Manager Alex McLeish departed for Rangers in December 2001; team captain Franck Sauzée was appointed as the new manager, despite the fact that he had no previous coaching experience. A terrible run of form followed and Sauzée was fired after being in charge for 69 days.

Kilmarnock manager Bobby Williamson was then hired, but he proved to be unpopular with Hibs supporters. However, a "golden generation" of exciting young players emerged, including Garry O'Connor, Derek Riordan, Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown. These players featured heavily as Hibs eliminated both halves of the Old Firm to reach the 2004 Scottish League Cup final, only to lose 2–0 to Livingston. Williamson departed near the end of that season to manage Plymouth Argyle and was replaced by Tony Mowbray. Hibs finished third in his first season as manager, while Mowbray won the SFWA Manager of the Year award.

The Scottish League Cup is paraded in March 2007.

Mowbray left Hibs in October 2006 to manage West Bromwich Albion, and was replaced by former player John Collins. The team won the 2007 Scottish League Cup final under his management, but the club sold Kevin Thomson, Scott Brown and Steven Whittaker for fees totalling more than £8 million. Collins resigned later that year, frustrated by the lack of funds provided to sign new players. Former Hibs player Mixu Paatelainen was hired to replace Collins, but he left after the end of his first full season.

Another former Hibernian player, John Hughes, was soon appointed in place of Paatelainen. Hughes, who made high-profile signings such as Anthony Stokes and Liam Miller, led Hibs to a good start to the 2009–10 season.

2010s: Scottish Cup success

Hibs finished fourth in 2010 and qualified for the Europa League, but a poor start to the 2010–11 season led to John Hughes leaving the club. Hughes was replaced by Colin Calderwood, who was himself sacked a year later. The club avoided relegation in 2011–12 and reached the 2012 Scottish Cup final under new manager Pat Fenlon, but this was lost 5–1 to Hearts. Fenlon largely rebuilt the team after this defeat. This resulted in an improved league position in 2012–13 and the team reaching the 2013 Scottish Cup final, which was lost 3–0 to league champions Celtic. Hibs qualified for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League, but they suffered a Scottish record defeat in European competition (9–0 on aggregate against Malmö). Fenlon resigned on 1 November and was replaced by Terry Butcher. A run of 13 games without a win to finish the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership season meant that Hibs fell into a relegation play-off, which was lost after a penalty shootout against Hamilton Academical.

Butcher was sacked in June 2014 and was replaced by Alan Stubbs. He was unable to lead the team to promotion, but the 2015–16 season saw considerable cup success. The team reached the League Cup final, which was lost to Ross County. This was followed by victory in the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 with a 3–2 win in the final against Rangers. As well as ending the unwanted long-term cup record, the result helped shake off a reputation of Hibs building up expectations of success only to fail, popularised among opposing supporters and in Scottish media as having 'Hibsed it'; the club's own fans then adopted the phrase as a positive reference to the occasion though it would still be repeated in future when the club was seen as underachieving. Soon after the cup win, Stubbs resigned as Hibs manager to take charge at Rotherham United and was replaced by Neil Lennon, who led the team to promotion by winning the 2016–17 Scottish Championship. In their first season back in the top flight, Hibs finished fourth in the Premiership and qualified for the Europa League. Lennon left the club in January 2019 and was replaced by Paul Heckingbottom, who only held the post for seven months. Jack Ross was appointed on 15 November 2019.

2020s: Managerial turnover

Hibs finished seventh in a 2019–20 league season that was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the following season they finished third in the league and reached the 2021 Scottish Cup final, but this was lost 1–0 to St Johnstone. Ross guided Hibs to the League Cup final later that year, but was sacked 10 days before the final after a run of seven defeats in nine league games. Shaun Maloney was appointed as manager in December 2021, but was himself sacked four months later, having won six games out of nineteen. His successor, Lee Johnson, was appointed manager on 19 May 2022. Hibs finished fifth and qualified for European competition under Johnson, but his "rollercoaster" 15-month spell was ended when the team lost three consecutive games to start the 2023–24 league season.

Colours and badge

The predominant club colours are green and white, which have been used since the formation of the club in 1875. The strip typically has a green body, white sleeves and a white collar. The shorts are normally white, although green has been used in recent seasons. The socks are green, usually with some white detail. Hibs have used yellow, purple, black, white and a dark green in recent seasons for their alternate kits. In 1977, Hibs became the first club in Scotland to bear sponsorship on their shirts. This arrangement prompted television companies to threaten a boycott of Hibs games if they used the sponsored kit, which resulted in the club using an alternate kit for the first time.

Hibs wore green and white hooped shirts during the 1870s, which was the inspiration for the style later adopted by Celtic. Hibs then wore all-green shirts from 1879 until 1938, when white sleeves were added to the shirts. This was similar in style to Arsenal, who had added white sleeves to their red shirts earlier in the 1930s. The colour of the shorts was changed to a green which matched the shirts in 2004, to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of a friendly win in October 1964 against Real Madrid. Green shorts were used in that match to avoid a colour clash with the all-white colours of Real Madrid. Hibs also used green shorts in the 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons. For the 2012–13 season, Hibs changed the primary colour of the shirts to a darker "bottle" green, instead of the normal emerald green. A darker green had been used until the 1930s. For the 2014–15 season, Hibs removed the traditional white sleeves from their home kit, as they changed to a darker green shirt in commemoration of the Famous Five forward line.

The badge used to identify the club has changed frequently over the years, which has reflected an ongoing debate about its identity. This debate has centred on whether its Irish heritage should be proudly displayed, or ignored for fear of being accused of sectarianism. The Irish harp was first removed in the 1950s, then re-introduced to the club badge when it was last re-designed in 2000. Scottish Football Museum director Ged O'Brien said in 2001, that the current design shows that Hibs "are comfortable with all the strands of their tradition – it has Leith, Edinburgh and Ireland in it." As well as the harp representing Ireland, the present badge includes a ship (for the port of Leith) and a castle (as in Edinburgh Castle).

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor (front)	Shirt sponsor (sleeve)
1976–1977	Bukta	No sponsor	No sponsor
1977–1980		Bukta
1980–1981	Umbro	No sponsor
1981–1984		Fisher's Alfa Romeo
1984–1985		No sponsor
1985–1986		Insave
1986–1987		P&D Windows
1987–1988	Adidas
1988–1991		Frank Graham Group
1991–1992		No sponsor
1992–1994	Bukta	Macbean Protective Coating
1994–1996	Mitre	Calor
1996–1998		Carlsberg
1998–2004	Le Coq Sportif
2004–2009		Whyte & Mackay
2009–2010		McEwan Fraser
2010–2011	Puma
2011–2013		Crabbie's
2013–2014	Nike
2014–2017		Marathon Bet
2017–2019	Macron
2019–2020		Hibernian Community Foundation
2020–2021		Thank You NHS
2021–2023	Joma	Utilita
2023–2024		Bevvy.com
2024–			SBK

Stadium

Main articles: Easter Road and Hibernian Park

Easter Road in 2010.

Hibs played on The Meadows for the first two years of their history, before moving to grounds in Newington (Mayfield Park) and Bonnington Road, Leith (Powderhall), in different spells between 1877 and 1879. After the lease on Mayfield Park expired, Hibs moved to a ground known as Hibernian Park, on what is now Bothwell Street in Leith. Hibs failed to secure the ground lease and a builder started constructing houses on the site in 1890. Hibs obtained a lease on a site that is now known as Easter Road in 1892 and have played their home matches there since February 1893.

Before the Taylor Report demanded that the stadium be all-seated, Easter Road had vast banks of terracing on three sides, which meant that it could hold crowds in excess of 60,000. The record attendance of 65,860, which is also a record for a football match played in Edinburgh, was set by an Edinburgh derby played on 2 January 1950. Such vast crowds were drawn by the success of the Famous Five.

The pitch was noted for its pronounced slope, but this was removed in 2000. The ground is currently all-seated and has a capacity of 20,421. Easter Road is a modern stadium, with all four of its stands having been built since 1995. The most recent redevelopment was the construction of a new East Stand in 2010.

Scotland have played seven of their home matches at Easter Road, between 1998 and 2017. Scotland women played their first match at Easter Road in August 2019, a Euro 2022 qualifying match against Cyprus. The ground has hosted one international not involving the Scotland teams, a friendly played between Ghana and South Korea preceding the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Easter Road has also sometimes been used as a neutral venue for Scottish League Cup semi-final matches and once hosted a Scottish Challenge Cup final.

Rivalry

Rob Jones scores a goal for Hibs against Hearts in 2006.

Main article: Edinburgh derby

See also: East of Scotland Shield, Festival Cup, Rosebery Charity Cup, and Wilson Cup (football)

Hibs have a traditional local rivalry in Edinburgh with Hearts; the derby match between the two clubs is one of the oldest rivalries in world football. Graham Spiers has described it as "one of the jewels of the Scottish game". The clubs first met on Christmas Day 1875, when Hearts won 1–0 in the first match ever contested by Hibs. The two clubs became distinguished in Edinburgh after a five-game struggle for the Edinburgh Football Association Cup in 1878, which Hearts finally won with a 3–2 victory after four successive draws. The clubs have met each other in two Scottish Cup finals, in 1896 and 2012, both of which were won by Hearts. The 1896 match is also notable for being the only Scottish Cup Final to be played outside Glasgow.

Both clubs have been champions of Scotland four times, although Hearts have the better record in derby matches. Hibs recorded the biggest derby win in a competitive match when they won 7–0 at Tynecastle on New Year's Day 1973. While it has been noted that religious, ethnic or political background lies behind the rivalry, that aspect is "muted" and is a "pale reflection" of the sectarianism in Glasgow. Although the clubs are inescapable rivals, the rivalry is mainly "good-natured" and has had beneficial effects.

Supporters and culture

View of Easter Road with Leith in the distance

Hibernian are one of only two full-time professional football clubs in Edinburgh, which is the capital of and second largest city in Scotland. The club had the fourth largest average attendance in the Scottish leagues during the 2022–23 season (17,469). In the period after the Second World War, Hibs attracted average attendances in excess of 20,000, peaking at 31,567 in the 1951–52 season. Since Easter Road was redeveloped into an all-seater stadium in the mid-1990s, average attendance has varied between a high of 18,124 in 2017–18 and a low of 9,150 in 2003–04. There has been a significant increase in recent seasons, inspired by the Scottish Cup victory in 2016 and promotion in 2017. In the 1980s and 1990s, a minority of the club's supporters had a reputation as one of Britain's most prominent casuals groups, known as the Capital City Service.

Literature

The works of author Irvine Welsh, particularly Trainspotting, contain several references to Hibernian. The team is often mentioned in casual conversation and is the team many of his characters support. Visual references to Hibs are noticeable in Danny Boyle's film adaptation of Trainspotting; Francis Begbie wears a Hibs shirt while he plays five-a-side football, while many Hibs posters and pictures can be seen on the walls of Mark Renton's bedroom.

In the final short story of Welsh's The Acid House, Coco Bryce, a boy from the "Hibs firm" Capital City Service, is struck by lightning while under the influence of LSD in a Pilton park. His soul is then transferred to the body of an unborn child from one of the more affluent areas of Edinburgh. The appearances by Hibs in the 2012 and 2016 Scottish Cup finals are described in Welsh's novels A Decent Ride and Dead Men's Trousers respectively.

Hibernian are also frequently referred to in the Inspector Rebus series of detective novels by Ian Rankin. Rankin has stated that Rebus is a Raith Rovers supporter but he is a Hibs fan in the 2000s television adaptation of the series. Ironically, that version of Rebus is played by a Hearts supporter, Ken Stott. DS Siobhan Clarke, his colleague in the later books, is a "loyal supporter" of Hibs.

Music

The Hibs anthem "Glory, Glory to the Hibees" was written and performed by the Scottish comedian, Hector Nicol. Former Marillion singer Fish is a Hibs fan; Easter Road is mentioned in the song "Lucky", from the album Internal Exile. The Proclaimers are lifelong Hibs fans and were heavily involved with the 'Hands off Hibs' campaign to save the club in 1990. Sunshine on Leith has become a Hibs anthem, which is traditionally played after big victories at Easter Road and the finals of cup competitions. In their song "Cap in Hand", from the Sunshine on Leith album, The Proclaimers make a reference to the Hibs player Andy Goram:

I can understand why Stranraer lie so lowly
They could save a lot of points by signing Hibs' goalie

The song "Joyful Kilmarnock Blues", from the first album released by The Proclaimers, is about a Hibs victory away from home.

I'd never been to Ayrshire
I hitched down one Saturday
Sixty miles to Kilmarnock
Just to see Hibernian play

Television

Hibs are featured in the TV series Succession, during episode Dundee in the second season, when Roman Roy (Kieran Culkin) purchases Hearts believing them to be his father's favourite football team. Upon receiving the gift Logan Roy reveals he is in fact a Hibs supporter. When asked if he is sure he replies "You know, maybe you're right. How would I know what team I supported my whole fucking life? I mean, maybe I support Kilmarnock. Or Fucklechester Rangers? I mean, how can I possibly fucking know?"

Ownership and finances

Although the football club was formed in 1875, it was not incorporated until 1903. The club remained a private company until 1988, when it was publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. This public listing, combined with poor financial performance, made Hibs vulnerable to an attempted takeover in 1990 by Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer. This attempt was averted when Mercer was unable to acquire the 75% shareholding needed to liquidate the company. The club's parent company, Forth Investments plc, entered receivership in 1991 and Sir Tom Farmer acquired control of the club from the receiver for £3 million. Farmer funded redevelopments of Easter Road and financial losses made by Hibs, although he delegated control to other figures such as Rod Petrie.

In December 2014, the club said it intended to sell up to 51% ownership of the club to its supporters. By November 2017, supporters had increased their shareholding in the club to 34%. The majority ownership of the club was sold in July 2019 to Peruvian-born US-based businessman Ronald Gordon, who became the executive chairman. On 21 February 2023 Hibernian announced that Gordon had died of cancer at the age of 68, and his majority shareholding was passed to his family.

The agm held in February 2024 ratified a deal with Black Knight, the majority shareholder of English club AFC Bournemouth. The result of the deal is that the Gordon family will retain majority control (60%), with Black Knight acquiring 25% for a £6 million investment. Minority shareholders, such as fans group Hibernian Supporters Limited, saw their holdings diluted.

Players

First team squad

As of 16 September 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	ENG	Josef Bursik (on loan from Club Brugge)
2	DF	AUS	Lewis Miller
4	DF	ENG	Marvin Ekpiteta
5	DF	IRL	Warren O'Hora
6	MF	WAL	Dylan Levitt
7	FW	FRA	Élie Youan
8	MF	IRL	Jake Doyle-Hayes
10	FW	AUS	Martin Boyle (vice-captain)
11	MF	ENG	Joe Newell (captain)
12	DF	SCO	Chris Cadden
13	GK	ENG	Jordan Smith
14	MF	ENG	Luke Amos
15	DF	AUS	Jack Iredale
17	FW	ENG	Harry McKirdy
18	MF	KOR	Kwon Hyeok-kyu (on loan from Celtic)

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
19	MF	SCO	Nicky Cadden
20	FW	SCO	Kieron Bowie
21	DF	ENG	Jordan Obita
22	MF	GUY	Nathan Moriah-Welsh
23	FW	CAN	Junior Hoilett
24	MF	LBR	Nohan Kenneh
25	GK	POL	Max Boruc
26	MF	AUS	Nectarios Triantis (on loan from Sunderland)
32	MF	SCO	Josh Campbell
33	DF	COD	Rocky Bushiri
34	FW	ENG	Dwight Gayle
35	MF	SCO	Rudi Molotnikov
39	FW	SCO	Josh O'Connor
99	FW	UKR	Mykola Kukharevych (on loan from Swansea City)

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
9	FW	SUR	Dylan Vente (on loan at PEC Zwolle)
27	DF	ENG	Kanayo Megwa (on loan at Partick Thistle)
28	MF	BEL	Allan Delferrière (on loan at Racing FC)
29	FW	POR	Jair Tavares (on loan at Motherwell)
31	GK	SCO	Murray Johnson (on loan at Airdrieonians)
36	MF	SCO	Jacob MacIntyre (on loan at Kelty Hearts)
37	DF	SCO	Oscar MacIntyre (on loan at Queen of the South)

No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
40	MF	SCO	Reuben McAllister (on loan at Cove Rangers)
42	DF	SCO	Rory Whittaker (on loan at The Spartans)
43	MF	LBY	Malik Zaid (on loan at Annan Athletic)
47	MF	SCO	Murray Aiken (on loan at Airdrieonians)
51	GK	SCO	Freddie Owens (on loan at Civil Service Strollers)
54	DF	SCO	Owen Calder (on loan at Berwick Rangers)
—	DF	NIR	Kyle McClelland (on loan at Coleraine)

Academy squads

Further information: Hibernian F.C. Reserves and Academy

Women's team

Main article: Hibernian W.F.C.

The club that became the Hibernian women's team was first founded in 1997 by Iain Johnston and Paul Johnston, but for the initial two seasons of its existence the club was under the auspices of Preston Athletic. The name changed to Hibernian Ladies in 1999 and they became one of the leading women's teams in Scotland.

Hibernian won the Scottish Women's Cup in 2010, for the fifth time in eight years. Their success in the national cup competition was contrasted to the male affiliate, who went over a century without winning the equivalent competition until their victory in 2016. Hibernian Ladies won domestic cup doubles in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Ahead of the 2020 season, the club was rebranded as Hibernian Women and players were offered their first part-time professional contracts. The women's first team was fully integrated into the men's club in July 2022, with the youth sides still being run by the Hibernian Community Foundation.

Club officials

First team coaching staff

Position	Staff
Head coach	David Gray
Assistant head coach	Liam Craig
Assistant head coach	Eddie May
Goalkeeping coach	Craig Samson

Source:

Board of directors

Non-executive chairman	Malcolm McPherson
Non-executive vice-chairman	Kathrin Hamilton
Chief executive	Ben Kensell
Director	Ian Gordon
Director	Kit Gordon
Director	Bill Foley
Director	Ryan Caswell
Non-executive director	Robert Begbie
Non-executive director	Scott Fraser
Non-executive director	Gillian Hutchison
Non-executive director	Archie Paton
Non-executive director	Leslie Robb
Secretary	Philippa Lombardi

Source: 

Backroom staff

Position	Staff
Sporting director	Malky Mackay
Head of recruitment	Garvan Stewart
Technical performance manager	David Marshall
Academy director	Gareth Evans
Head of academy coaching	Guillaume Beuzelin
Head of professional phase academy	James McDonaugh
U18 head coach	Darren McGregor
Head of technical recruitment	Calvin Charlton
First team performance analyst	Dom Howes
Lead sport scientist	Colin Clancy
Strength and conditioning coach	Matthew Fenwick
Lead physiotherapist	Gavin Dempsey
Football logistics coordinator	Peter Logan

Source:

Noted players

Main article: List of Hibernian F.C. players

For a list of all Hibernian players with a Wikipedia article, see Category:Hibernian F.C. players.

Lewis Stevenson holds the record for most league appearances for Hibs, passing 450 in 2023, taking the place of Arthur Duncan who made 446. All of the Famous Five – Gordon Smith, Eddie Turnbull, Lawrie Reilly, Bobby Johnstone and Willie Ormond – scored more than 100 league goals for Hibs.

Hibernian players have been capped at full international level for 30 different national teams, with 68 Hibernian players appearing for Scotland. Hibernian rank fifth amongst all clubs in providing players for Scotland, behind the Old Firm, Hearts and Queen's Park. James Lundie and James McGhee were the first Hibs players to play for Scotland, in an 1885–86 British Home Championship match against Wales. Lawrie Reilly holds the record for most international caps earned while a Hibs player, making 38 appearances for Scotland between 1949 and 1957. In 1959, Hibs forward Joe Baker became the first player who had not previously played for an English club to win a cap for England.

To mark the club's 135th birthday, the club created a Hall of Fame in 2010. The first group of nominees, including 13 former players, were inducted at a dinner later that year.

Noted managers

Main article: List of Hibernian F.C. managers

From 1875 until 1903, Hibs were managed by a committee, although Dan McMichael, who also acted as treasurer, secretary and physiotherapist, was effectively the manager when the club won the 1902 Scottish Cup and the 1903 league championship. Willie McCartney took charge of part of the league-winning 1947–48 season, but he collapsed and died after a Scottish Cup match in January 1948. Hugh Shaw inherited that team and went on to win three league championships in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Alan Stubbs won the Scottish Cup in 2015–16, ending a 114-year drought in that competition. Eddie Turnbull, Alex Miller and John Collins all won one Scottish League Cup each. Bobby Templeton, Bertie Auld, Alex McLeish and Neil Lennon all won second tier championships.

Honours

Further information: Hibernian F.C. seasons

Major honours

Hibs held both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish league championship trophy in early 1903. This team photo was taken at that time.

• Scottish league (tier I)
  • Winners (4): 1902–03, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1951–52
  • Runners-up (6): 1896–97, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1952–53, 1973–74, 1974–75
• Scottish Cup
  • Winners (3): 1886–87, 1901–02, 2015–16
  • Runners-up (12): 1895–96, 1913–14, 1922–23, 1923–24, 1946–47, 1957–58, 1971–72, 1978–79, 2000–01, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2020–21
• Scottish League Cup
  • Winners (3): 1972–73, 1991–92, 2006–07
  • Runners-up (8): 1950–51, 1968–69, 1974–75, 1985–86, 1993–94, 2003–04, 2015–16, 2021–22

Other honours

• Scottish league (tier II): 1893–94, 1894–95, 1932–33, 1980–81, 1998–99, 2016–17
• Drybrough Cup: 1972, 1973
• Summer Cup: 1941, 1964
• Southern League Cup: 1943–44
• East of Scotland Shield: 49 times
• Rosebery Charity Cup: 22 times
• Wilson Cup: 14 times
• Glasgow Merchants Charity Cup: 1902
• Edinburgh Football League: 1901–02
• North-Eastern Cup: 1910–11
• Dunedin Cup: 1921, 1929

Records

Main article: List of Hibernian F.C. records and statistics

Attendance

• Highest single game attendance: 65,860 vs Hearts, 2 January 1950
• Highest average home attendance: 31,567 in the 1951–52 season
• Highest attendance for any match involving Hibs: 143,570 vs Rangers at Hampden Park, 27 March 1948

Single game

• Biggest victory: 22–1 vs Black Watch Highlanders, 3 September 1881
• Biggest competitive victory: 15–1 vs Peebles Rovers, 11 February 1961
• Biggest league victory: 11–1 vs Airdrie, 24 October 1959 and vs Hamilton, 6 November 1965
• Biggest defeat: 0–10 vs Rangers, 24 December 1898

Caps and appearances

As of match played on 15 May 2024

• Most competitive appearances: Gordon Smith, 636
• Most league appearances: Lewis Stevenson, 477
• Most capped player: Lawrie Reilly, 38 for Scotland

Goals

• Most competitive goals: Gordon Smith, 303
• Most league goals: Lawrie Reilly, 187
• Most competitive goals in a season: Joe Baker, 46 in 1959–60
• Most league goals in a season: Joe Baker, 42 in 1959–60

Transfers

• Record fee paid: Undisclosed (>£700,000) for Martin Boyle to Al Faisaly in 2022
• Record fee received: £4,400,000 for Scott Brown from Celtic in 2007

See also

• Hibernian F.C. in European football
• Hibernian W.F.C.
• Hibernian F.C. Reserves and Academy
• Hibernian Training Centre

References

Sources

• Crampsey, Bob (1990). The First 100 Years. Scottish Football League. ISBN 978-0-9516433-0-3.
• Jeffrey, Jim (2005). The Men Who Made Hibernian F.C. since 1946. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-0-7524-3091-1.
• Lugton, Alan (1999). The Making of Hibernian 1. John Donald Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85976-509-1.
• Mackay, John (1986). The Hibees. John Donald Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85976-144-4.

External links

• Official website
• Hibernian on BBC Sport: Club news – Recent results and fixtures