Troubled Times
Inspired by the series of articles penned of late on Hibs.net by many club fans, exiled Hibee Stu in Nottingham submitted his own views on recent events...

I felt the same emotions as many otherS THAT Monday morning recently when news filtered through about a possible prospective move from the Hibernian heartland of Easter Road. Feelings of confusion, incredulity, anger and disappointment were paramount primarily.

Fear not here dear reader, as I do not proffer another angle as to whether our football team should indeed be Straiton-bound or no. Many have comprehensively and expertly covered this subject, through informative and well-conceived articles reproduced on the Hibs.net front page and further by excellent debating skills displayed within the recently particularly well-used medium of the message board. It would be a difficult task to imagine anything new to present to the table currently. I offer a word of reassurance to this end, as I am perfectly sure many of are feeling the effects of a certain Straiton ‘burn-out’!

My own initial opinions of the move, admittedly with a very little information to hand, like most of us, had been woven around dread fears of deceit. I, like others have at times taken the opportunity to make my, (in my case negative towards a move), opinions known, so If I may, I’d enjoy laying that thought down straight away and moving on toward my main point.

Time for unity - but Murray might not be around? (sns)

Over some considerable period of, at first, passively noting contributions to the original Erin site and Hibs.net and progressively to being a regular, hopefully constructive contributor through postings on the message board, it has been my pleasure always to talk to fellow Hibernian supporters. I should also give mention to our Hearts and other club supporting friends who offer width and depth to many a conversation, without their presence we could potentially experience a more sterile environment.

It is against this backdrop that I would like to express some very real concerns and fears for the brotherhood that we call supporting Hibernian Football Club. There has been mention by some of a feeling of ‘supporter against supporter’ in recent times over this huge issue that confronts us all. Indeed I recognise the signs in myself – thoughts of impatience and dismissiveness at others opinions which do not correspond with my own. I even started to feel some anger at some fellow fans, fans who I have enjoyed the ‘company’ of on Hibs.net and have had copious amounts of respect for previously, for their wisdom, intelligence, debating skills and not least, a love of our dear Hibernian.

Now, I don’t like this, I don’t like it all. In fact I thought about this so much it moved me to come along here for the first time, and share my thoughts with those of you who would be kind enough to listen.

After an initial period of understandably fierce debating there is movement afoot. We have watched as Hibernian people are starting to inevitably collect and organise themselves to make themselves heard. I sense huge black clouds gathering and the chill wind of harsh words that will surely blow around us all very soon. This has to be, and perhaps is the way it should be?

I’ll get to the point, and thank you for your patience thus far. I’d like to offer a little plea if I may? It would make me very proud if I could observe my fellow supporters, whichever ‘side’ of the debate you may stand on, behaving with decorum and class. Let’s leave the insults at home and attempt to understand our fellow fan’s various points of view, be what they may. It might be fair to say that a majority of supporters have already achieved this wholly desirable state. I salute those of you. We are all under great provocation at times to act otherwise, (note my self-confessed emotions earlier), the measure of us will be to witness our actions in this (yet another) time of adversity.

We have an excellent forum for debate on the Hibs.net message board, and indeed over on our friends at the Hibees Bounce site. Let’s utilise these facilities to their full, with honest, reasoned and respectful debate as talking must always be the foremost way forward. Yes of course there be anger and derision occasionally. That we can be sure of, I am equally sure that we can concentrate on the avoidance of unnecessary instances of this though, happily. The current storm brewing rumbles ominously, when those hard times pass we will see Hibernian Football Club delivered into fresh new pastures and a new era or alternatively steadfastly resolute in our beloved home of Easter Road – The Holy Ground.  A safe and respectful passage I bid you all my friends.

From the Editor's Desk......

In the general Hibs news today, speculation increases over the future of Ian Murray, with talk of a move to Southampton refusing to go away - as are rumours of the Scotland international moving along the M8 to rejoin his former boss Alex McLeish at Ibrox. Perhaps a little more certain is that Stephen Glass will formally join Hibs in the next 24 hours.  Glass returned to Edinburgh yesterday to complete his medical and that is expected to conclude the deal that brings the former Aberdeen, Newcastle and Watford player to Easter Road.  It's a signing that boss Bobby Williamson confirmed he had been trying to pull off for six months, the Hibs boss saying last night: "I regard Stephen as quality. I feel he should be playing for the national team and it will be up to him to come here and prove to Berti Vogts he has the ability to make a contribution at that level. I have been tracking him for five or six months and it is hard biting your tongue when you know the fans are anxious to see new faces, but, given some of the headlines about players we have supposed to have been signing recently, I don’t like to say anything until things are confirmed.

"That is the right way of doing things."  While Hibs will continue to refuse to talk about players linked with the club until the deal is done, it will not be a major surprise if Dundee goalkeeper Jamie Langfield and Kilmarnock winger Andy McLaren do not join Glass in the Hibs squad ahead of their opening pre-season match at Preston a week on Saturday.  And Hibs.net understands that the club are also on the verge of closing a deal with Reading defender John Mackie.  Meanwhile goalkeeper Nick Colgan is understood to be in talks with Sunderland.  Colgan is one of a number of senior professionals at the club who were told at the end of last season that they were free to find new clubs, and while Colgan has been linked with a move to Aberdeen it is emerging that Sunderland are favourites for his signature.