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Hibs have today launched a new share issue aimed at raising funds to strengthen the squad – and chief executive Leeann Dempster hopes head coach Alan Stubbs will be around to spend it.
On the back of last February’s scheme that brought in over £500,000 up until August, the Leith outfit are hoping to at least match that figure in the four-months that the current offer is open.
The previous share issue saw fans increase their shareholding from 1.9 to 20.1 per cent both individually and collectively through Hibernian Supporters Limited, and the club’s supporters could end up controlling as much as 51 per cent.
Dempster, who watched the team’s title bid suffer a blow in Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Morton, has promised that the funds will once again be invested directly in the squad.
She said: “We have used the terminology ‘sporting ambition’ and hopefully we have demonstrated that over the season.
“Alan preaches quality over quantity and I think the team is showing that – and the money into the club from the share issue has directly helped us do that.
“It gives us real confidence in the transfer market knowing they are behind us and it allows us do things we otherwise might not be able to do.
“Is it about one player, two players or three? It’s more about quality than numbers and the team is doing well right now.
“If you put a figure on it you are setting yourself up to fail but we raised over £500,000 with the process last time – and it wasn’t the easiest process last time.
“I would be hopeful we would be able to achieve at least that. If we could replicate that between now and June that would be a success. We would be comfortable and happy with that.”
Stubbs
Any money raised is set to be earmarked for investment in the squad this summer and Dempster is keeping her fingers crossed that Stubbs is the man benefiting from the windfall.
Stubbs has been hailed as the perfect candidate to replace the under-fire Ronny Deila at Parkhead by one-time Celtic striker John Hartson.
While Hibs’ title ambitions look bleak, they are also in a League Cup final and Scottish Cup quarter-final.
Dempster, who extended Stubbs’ deal until summer 2017 at the start of the season, added: “We got into a position whereby he signed his new deal and we do not talk in the language of him staying or going.
“Alan and the team are doing well at the minute so there will always be that discussion and speculation around.
“Alan committed to us on his new deal and we committed to him and things are going well at the moment, and our expectation is that we want him to continue to do well and we want him to be here.
“It is like everything else in football – players play well and people get interested in them – and then you have management teams who perform well and other clubs get interested in them and it is how we deal with that.
“We are still in the Championship and we want to get out of the Championship.
“There is something working at this club and it is working well.
“Alan and the guys are a massive part of that.
“The longer we keep all of that together and working together then the stronger and better we will become.
“We cannot look into the future but we can try and control and influence it as much as we can but you deal with things when they come toward you.”
Shares can be bought at: hibernianfc.co.uk/shares
