Hibernian

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Hibernian head coach David Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Rangers at Easter Road on Sunday.

Here are the main points:

• Gray admits "there has been a lot of interest" in Kieron Bowie but stresses "he's trained really well and is very much in my plans for the weekend until someone tells me otherwise."

• Gray stresses Bowie's "not trained as if he's got eyes anywhere else" but admits the club always "need to be ready" in case players leave.

• The Hibs boss is "delighted" to complete the signing of Owen Elding, adding "he's a real exciting talent."

• But, Gray doesn't want to "put too much pressure" on the 19-year-old but insists "he'll be excited to get involved as soon as he can."

• On last weekend's heavy 4-1 defeat to Falkirk, Gray says "everybody knows the standards and the expectation of this football club" adding "win, lose, or draw you always want to find a way to get better."

• Looking ahead to Rangers, Gray acknowledges Danny Rohl's side are "in very good form" and admits his side have "been on the wrong side" of the results between the sides this season and Hibs "will look to put that right this weekend."

• On any incomings, Gray stresses "we're working hard towards trying to improve the squad" and get deals done, adding "if deals don't get done it's not through lack of trying."

Despite the signing of young forward Owen Elding, Hibernian head coach David Gray plans for striker Kieron Bowie to be in the squad for Sunday's visit of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Bowie has attracted interest for Serie A in this window and Hellas Verona have already seen a bid turned down by the Edinburgh club.

Hibs fans, we want to know what you've made of the latest developments? Are you happy to see more reinforcements up front? Would you like to see Bowie stay at Hibs beyond this window?

Have your say via this link

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• James Tavernier has scored a penalty in both of Rangers' last two league games, while he last scored in three successive league appearances in April 2024 (four), and last scored a spot-kick in three in a row in November 2023 (four). Of his 90 Scottish Premiership goals, 54 have been penalties, at least 37 more than any other player since his competition debut in August 2016 (Jamie McGrath second with 17).

• Rangers have won each of their last six league games, the joint-longest run by any side in this season's Scottish Premiership (Hearts also six from August to October).

• Although Hibernian have only lost two of their last 23 home league games (W14 D7), both of those have been against the two Old Firm clubs, going down 0-1 to Rangers in October and 1-2 to Celtic in November. Hibs have only won two of their last 26 home league matches against those two sides (D12 L12).

• Rangers are unbeaten in their last 27 top-flight away games at Hibernian (W17 D10) since a 2-1 loss in September 2006 under Paul Le Guen.

• Hibernian have only won one of their last 28 Scottish Premiership matches against Rangers (D8 L19), winning 2-0 at Ibrox in April 2025.

Hellas Verona are on the verge of a £6m plus add-ons deal for Hibernian striker Kieron Bowie and the 23-year-old could sign a long-term contract within the next 24 hours. (Scottish Sun)

Hibs are seriously considering Hellas Verona's offer, which they increased by £1m, for Bowie and Fulham, who sold him for £600,00, would receive 25% of the profit if he leaves. (Sky Sports)

Owen Elding was scheduled to have a medical on Wednesday before completing his move to Hibs after Sligo Rovers accepted an offer of around £350,000 up front with add-ons potentially taking it over the £870,000 mark for the 19-year-old striker. (Scottish Sun)

Coventry City midfielder Kai Andrews has agreed a loan move to Hibs, who have beaten off interest from a number of English clubs to land the 19-year-old. (Football Insider)

Danish billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen, who owns Midtjylland, has been in talks with Hibs owner Ian Gordon over how the Easter Road club can grow stronger. (Scottish Sun)

Conversations between Povlsen and Hibs owner Gordon have been informal, there has been no talk of even a minority investment and there is certainly no imminent prospect of any financial deal being struck. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

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The suitors are circling for Hibernian's prize asset Kieron Bowie, with the club rejecting a bid from Verona for the 23-year-old striker.

Bowie, who is under contract until summer 2028, is also reportedly a target for Celtic among other clubs this month.

Former Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan believes Bowie is not prolific enough yet for the Parkhead club - and that the striker will be keen to "push through" a switch to Verona.

If Bowie made that move, he would join fellow Scotland internationals such as Lewis Ferguson, Scott McTominay and Josh Doig in Serie A.

"He's coachable for them and he has the attributes probably to go there and play where it is a physical league," Sheridan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It's tough and demanding. I think at the minute his attributes are his physicality.

"I don't think he's quite there to go and be a Celtic striker now. I don't think he's probably at that prolific stage.

"Verona probably see him as another Scottish player that they can take over to Italy that can be successful.

"Then it's just a case of what Hibs are valuing him at now, and they're probably in a better position than they would have been in previous years where they don't need to sell for that figure.

"If they really value him they can probably hold out for a little bit more.

"It's probably a move that he'd be looking to go for. If it was me, I'm the one person who will always pick going abroad. But I think from his point of view as well, it's probably a move that he'd be looking to push through as well."

The offer for Kieron Bowie from Hellas Verona that was rejected by Hibernian was for about £4.3m plus £870,000 of adds-ons, but the Serie A strugglers are likely to improve their offer in the coming days for the 23-year-old Scotland striker. (Daily Record)

Hellas Verona have moved on to other targets after having their offer for Bowie rejected by Hibs. (Sky Sports)

Hibs expect further offers for Bowie after rejecting Hellas Verona's bid and if the striker leaves this month, the fee is likely to exceed the record £4.4m received when Scott Brown joined Celtic in 2007. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Hibs have received two more big-money bids from Italian clubs after Hellas Verona tabled an offer for Kieron Bowie, but the Scottish Premiership club have told suitors they are in no hurry to sell. (Scottish Sun)

Sligo Rovers striker Owen Elding is close to joining Hibs after a fee was agreed between the clubs for the 19-year-old. (Irish Independent)

Hibs could pay a fee as low as £350,000, with significant add-ons, for League of Ireland Young Player of the Year Elding and he could make his debut on Sunday against Rangers. (Rep of Ireland Player Tracker on X)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

What would you like to ask our Edinburgh football reporter Brian McLauchlin about Hibernian?

He is in the hotseat, ready to answer your questions and offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Put your questions to Brian here.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

After a humbling, embarrassing cup exit to Championship side Dunfermline, last week, Hibs fans had every right to expect the team to head to Falkirk determined to right some wrongs.

However, they instead ended up increasing the pressure on head coach David Gray with one of the worst performances they've served up in years.

Falkirk were streets ahead of Hibs in every department from first whistle to last. Hibs looked like they would rather be anywhere else, while their counterparts looked like they didn't want the game to end.

Sporting director Malky Mackay has to be putting pressure on the recruitment team to get reinforcements in as soon as possible.

Hibs entered the January window still being considered by some as a dark horse for the title race. Since then, we've dropped out of the cup and out of the running, with even a fourth-placed finish now at risk thanks to the gap Motherwell have established over us in the league.

There's understandable anger among the support that Gray still hasn't been given a striker and right-sided player to bolster his squad, positions he was on record as wanting to improve last summer.

Hibs' sluggishness in getting deals over the line has cost the team, but irrespective of the transfer activity, Saturday's line-up should have had more than enough about it to at least compete with Falkirk.

That the side flopped so badly is not only a stain on Gray's record, but the players must take accountability for it as well.

Gray suggested he'd read the riot act after the game, and so he should. The performance was a disgrace and it's on the players to now go and make amends in a tough game against Rangers on Sunday.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, reminds former Scotland manager Gordon Strachan of Scott Brown, the former Hibs midfielder. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Hibernian defender Jordan Obita admits he and his team-mates were "angry" following Saturday's 4-1 loss at Falkirk. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Monday's Scottish gossip

Watch highlights as Barney Stewart's hat-trick helps Falkirk beat Hibs 4-1 in the Scottish Premiership. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on Hibernian's 4-1 defeat against Falkirk.

Here's what some of you said:

Niall: Same old, same old. Tactical set-up went stale a long time ago and it is getting embarrassing at this stage. The only question I have for fans still backing David Gray is how bad does it have to get before you'll come to the realisation that he needs to go? Hope Hibs rightly refund the travelling support. Not good enough.

Keith: Utterly dreadful display. Our defending was embarrassing. We need a change because our season is as good as over.

Brian: Another mess, more excuses. Week after week, no plan, no tactics, no effort and second to the ball and can't pass. What happens at training? Sick of hearing excuses. Gray has to go as the players are not playing for him. Gray first, then a player clearout and stop signing players who can't even get in the team after a year, something's far too wrong. Bottom six here we come.

John: Worst performance for a number of years and the season has nothing left to get excited about. Out of the Scottish Cup and now trying to finish fifth or sixth in the league which is very disappointing.

Kenny: We play the same system time after time. Teams have us worked out. Falkirk played us off the park. They were better in all departments. Gray needs to go. He doesn't seem to able to change anything. The goals we lost were defensive blunders and the players just stand and look at each other. We are a ship without a captain.

Scott: Another poor performance after getting knocked out of the cup last week by a Championship side. Falkirk were by far the better team - a newly-promoted side. Gray is a "steady the ship" type manager and he is not getting the best out of the squad.

Barney Stewart's hat-trick inspired impressive Falkirk to an emphatic victory over Hibernian as their incredible return to the Scottish Premiership continued.

Read the full match report here.

Share your thoughts here.

Hibs head coach David Gray: "I didn't see the reaction we were looking for. We got exactly what we deserved. Second best all over the pitch.

"I thought Falkirk played the conditions better; they outworked us and, for this football club, that's not good enough.

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it, and I don't want to dilute what Falkirk did today because they did the majority of things well; they approached the game better than we did.

"That performance is a reflection of my team, and it's up to me to take full responsibility and try to change that. I'm not making excuses for players not being here, but when you pull on that jersey, you've got a responsibility and an expectation to play for this football club.

"We had too many players who were well below the standards."

Hibernian and Motherwell are poised to miss out on Sheffield Wednesday's Barry Bannan as the 36-year-old Scotland capped midfielder holds advanced talks with Millwall. (Daily Record), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Falkirk are missing Filip Lissah after the defender picked up an injury against Hearts last weekend while Gary Oliver (hamstring) is still out. Ross MacIver, Tom Lang and Lewis Neilson are all pushing for involvement after recovering from injury.

Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan will be out for a few weeks after picking up an ankle knock in last weekend's Scottish Gas Scottish Cup defeat at Dunfermline. David Gray has a few concerns while Josh Campbell has been out this year with a hamstring problem.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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David Gray has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Saturday's trip to Falkirk.

Here are the main points:

• Key player Josh Mulligan will be out for "a few weeks" with an ankle injury and Gray says "it's a blow" and "a real disappointment" for the midfielder.

• Gray admits they've had to "wrap a few players up this week" but wouldn't go into detail as to who may not be fit for the visit to Falkirk.

• With Hibs the only Premiership club yet to make a signing this month, Gray says "we're working hard to do things" and he "expects there to be movement and things to happen" before the deadline but would not be drawn on individuals.

• Gray insists it's not "panic stations" and there's "no doom and gloom" around the club despite their Scottish Cup exit to Dunfermline.

• However, the boss does admit they "let everyone down" last weekend and stresses "it's my job to put it right".

• But Gray knows there is now "zero distractions" after the cup exit, adding: "The season is not now finished with nothing to play for. The only thing we can do now is try and finish as high up the league as we can."

• He says his six-year-old daughter Ada is the person who helps him most in terms of recovering from a bad result and calls it a "humbling" experience.

• The Hibs boss stresses "no one has the right to beat anybody" and says their 3-0 win over Falkirk at Easter Road last month "is no reflection on how this game's going to go".

• Gray says it's no surprise John McGlynn has been linked with bigger jobs than Falkirk and, along with Martin O'Neill, is proving management is not just "a young man's game".

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Is Hibernian's season being made to look worse because fierce rivals Hearts are flying high at the top of the league?

Easter Road boss David Gray has come in for criticism after his side crashed out at the first Scottish Cup hurdle, losing 1-0 at second-tier Dunfermline in the fourth round last weekend.

In the Premiership Hibs sit fifth and are unbeaten in five league outings before Saturday's trip to Falkirk, but Hearts are 15 points better off than Gray's side.

"It's never nice seeing your rivals do so well," pundit and former striker Rory Loy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I don't think Hibs have had a bad season, I just think there was potentially an expectation there they could be slightly closer given the players they've got. They're only nine points behind the Old Firm, so it's not as if they're miles adrift.

"I do think they've fallen victim of Hearts' success slightly, but losing that game on Saturday wasn't clever in terms of the optics of the season.

"Going into the back end of the season, you always want a quarter or semi-final to look forward to, to keep things going if the league is in a place where it's not all that exciting."

Hibs women's head coach Joelle Murray believes Hibs need a strong end to the league campaign to ease fan anger over the cup exit.

"It's no surprise there is frustration and anger because at a club like Hibs there's that expectation to progress through the cup competitions, certainly at these early stages," said Murray.

"The frustrations are deserved, but when you flip back to the league, we're looking to extend the run to six, we've been on a fantastic run.

"However, going to Falkirk, it's not an easy place as a lot of teams have experienced this season."

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• Falkirk have had more shots following high turnovers (32) than any other side in the Scottish Premiership this season, while Hibs top the division for goals following high turnovers (seven).

• After their 3-1 win at Kilmarnock, Hibs are looking for back-to-back away league victories for the first time since December 2024.

• After only losing one of their first eight home league matches this season (W2 D5), Falkirk have since lost two of their past three (W1).

• Hibs have only lost one of their past 12 league matches against newly-promoted sides (W7 D4), going down 3-2 away to Dundee United in October 2024.

• Falkirk remain winless in 12 top-flight matches against Hibs (D5 L7) since a 2-1 victory in December 2006.

Hibernian are bracing themselves for big-money bids for Kieron Bowie, with clubs in Italy, Germany and Belgium keen on the 23-year-old Scotland striker. (Record), external

Thursday's Scottish gossip

Colin Moffat
BBC Sport Scotland

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Sitting fifth in the league with little prospect of catching the top three and out of the Scottish Cup after a dismal display in Dunfermline, this season is threatening to fizzle out for Hibernian.

Roll back to the start of term and hopes were high as David Gray's side followed up a third-place finish with three thrilling European tussles, going toe-to-toe with Midtjylland, Partizan Belgrade and Legia Warsaw.

Those continental adventures earned the players plaudits but there has been no real lift-off since, with performances far too patchy.

With nine wins and eight draws from 22 Premiership outings, there have been a few highs, notably a 3-2 derby win over Hearts at Easter Road, and some off days, including three timid showings against Rangers, but it's been largely prosaic, all a bit meh.

Summer recruits Jamie McGrath and Josh Mulligan have brought energy to the midfield, Dan Barlaser offers composure and Miguel Chaiwa has shown glimpses of bustling promise.

Grant Hanley adds experience at the back and Raphael Sallinger has been an upgrade in goals and yet it just hasn't clicked often enough.

Occupying fifth with the fifth biggest budget is hardly a surprise but there is a mood of frustration among fans, who have seen city rivals Hearts profit from the volatile periods that have afflicted Celtic and Rangers.

And, while Hibs are the third highest scorers in the Premiership, there is a sense Gray should be getting more from the squad at his disposal.

Gray is the only top-flight manager yet to add to his options this month, although there have been repeated links to Bochum right-back Felix Passlack.

Hibs had a very quiet January last season, with the lesser-spotted Alasana Manneh the only arrival, and it did no harm at all as they embarked on a club-record run of 17 games unbeaten in the league to storm up the table.

While the manager is under no pressure, it's going to take something similarly special to turn what looks like being a modest campaign into a memorable one.