Hibs boss David Gray insists he has plenty room improvement after landing new deal following club’s stunning rise

By ANTHONY BROWN

David Gray feels he has plenty scope to improve as a manager after being rewarded for a strong first season in charge of Hibernian with a contract extension until 2028.

The 36-year-old was appointed last summer on a deal until 2027 after captaining the Easter Road club as a player and then venturing into coaching when he retired in 2021.

Following a testing start to his reign in which Hibs spent time at the bottom of the Premiership table, Gray has overseen a remarkable upturn in form — incorporating a record-equalling 17-game unbeaten run in the league — that has taken them to third place going into the post-split fixtures.

‘It’s obviously brilliant to get that recognition,’ said the Easter Road boss after he and his assistants Eddie May, Liam Craig and Craig Samson were handed new deals.

‘It doesn’t happen by accident, it comes from sticking to your beliefs and everyone sticking together during that difficult time. I learnt a lot about myself this season, my first year in management, the challenges that come with that.

‘There’s still loads of improvement and learning to be done. I’m learning all the time, trying to improve all the time, but I’m delighted with where we are at this moment in time, and when the club come forward and look to try and think about the future, it’s always nice to get that recognition.’

Hibs have handed manager David Gray a contract extension after the club’s remarkable run

The Easter Road side are enjoying a 17-match unbeaten run in the Premiership and sit third

Gray looked on the brink of the sack back in November with his club at the foot of the table

Gray appeared on the brink of the sack in November when Hibs sat bottom of the table. Asked if he was always confident he would get to stay on, he smiled: ‘I’d love to say aye, of course, I knew it was always going to happen, never in doubt!

‘Obviously, still being sat here, it just shows you how this game works. You know that when you sign up to this job, or any job in football, that it’s all results driven.

‘At the start of the season, I was very, very clear, and I knew that we were underachieving, but I never once stopped believing that we could turn it round.’

Hibs are currently third, three points ahead of both Dundee United and Aberdeen, and they can take a big step towards only a fourth third-place finish in the 21st century if they beat the Dons at Pittodrie this afternoon.

‘It’s a huge incentive,’ said Gray. ‘If you look at the form table at the minute, ourselves, Aberdeen and Dundee United are all right up there with a good run at the right time of the season, which is going to make it interesting.

‘I’m delighted with the position we’ve put ourselves in, but that’s all it is at this moment in time, it’s just a position and a starting point. But if we keep winning, nobody can catch us.’

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Hibs boss David Gray insists he has plenty room improvement after landing new deal following club’s stunning rise

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