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    Who's Bill Leckie?

    MISSING X-FACTOR*There’s something missing at Hibs these days..and it’s not just 5,000 fans, says Bill Leckie

    A ground that, just a few months ago was the most exciting and unpredictable in the land, suddenly feels mired in mediocrity

    COMMENT

    By Bill Leckie

    18th February 2019,*7:44 am

    Updated: 18th February 2019,*7:44 am

    SOMETHING doesn’t quite add up at Easter Road these days.

    And it’s not just the calculator they use to count the gates.

    Because, along with about a third of the 16,000-odd the tannoy told us turned up for new manager Paul Heckingbottom’s first game in charge, they were missing an X-factor. A buzz. Their pizzazz.

    A ground that, just a few months ago was the most exciting and unpredictable in the land, suddenly feels mired in mediocrity.


    From genuinely believing they could be Best Of The Rest, they’re fretting over clambering into the top six by the split.

    It’s a dip in* attitude and atmosphere brought into sharp* focus by the comparison between this season’s two home clashes with Accies.

    Last time they came calling, on the* first Saturday in October, there* genuinely*WEREclose on 17,000 in the house, rising as one to a 6-0 romp peppered with strikes from all angles, lifting them just two points off early league leaders*Hearts.

    That performance summed up all that was good about life under Neil Lennon.

    Yet it always felt from the outside like the publicity that came with* him, the controversy, the touch of showbiz, didn’t sit well with the* people who run the club.

    The embarrassing way they eventually got him out the door, the ultra-defensiveness of how they mumbled an excuse for an explanation, the uncertainty of attempts to replace him followed by the anti-climax of the new man’s appointment; it all speaks of a regime who don’t*WANT*to be talked about, don’t want to be headline news, to be sexy.

    All of which makes you wonder whether a win like this, as ho-hum and humdrum as it’s possible to imagine, is exactly how Leeann Dempster and her colleagues upstairs want it to be — three points without the merest hint of drama.

    The nearest thing to a shred of a hint of a talking point came on 16 minutes, when Florian Kamberi stretched for and may or may not have got a toe on to Daryl Horgan’s whipped left-wing cross to leave keeper Gary Woods flat-footed as it nestled low inside his left-hand post.

    Was it the striker’s goal or the winger’s? Kamberi claimed it. I reckon he was at it.

    But if in the end that’s as sparky as it gets, it’s hardly been scripted by Tarantino, has it?

    Kamberi then nipped in front of the nervy Woods to head up and onto the bar, the keeper turning in time to grab the rebound, slip and almost carry the ball over the line, before* left-back Lennard Sowah’s* senseless barge on David Gray with the ball already gone handed Hibs a penalty that Marc McNulty tucked away to pretty much kill the contest.

    From there, the home side forced a pile of corners without coming desperately close to a third, while the visitors made an attacking fist of it without ever looking like mounting a proper fightback.

    And that was that. No 30- yard rockets, no sweeping moves you could set to music, no bust- ups, not the merest peep of Sunshine On Leith.

    Had Lennon still been around, you’re guessing he’d have come in and caned the players for not getting three, four, five.

    Then again, that desire of his for more, for better, for the spectacular, was maybe part of the problem.

    Feels like too many around this place — be they in dressing room or boardroom — didn’t like being* challenged to improve themselves. That, rather than* Lennon’s voice becoming one of encouragement, he came to sound more like a* nagging wife.

    None of this is a criticism of new boy Heckingbottom, who’s only just in the door and seems a perfectly nice, intelligent, positive-thinking coach.



    No, it’s more a reflection on those who hired him, a bunch who had* the chance to embrace the swashbuckling and the edgy, but prefer the measured and the safe.

    The Yorkshireman came away delighted to have won his first game in charge, to have seen so much hard graft, to have racked up a first league clean sheet in eight.

    Asked what he thought he could achieve with this group of players, his answer was simply that he wants better than this.

    There were no predictions, no* rallying cries, no promises to put bums back on empty seats.

    In truth, opposite number Brian Rice — despite seeing his side slip into the bottom two — was by far the more refreshing to listen to.


    He was all about being hell-bent on attacking their way out of trouble, about forgiving* mistakes as long as they come from trying to do things that make people smile.

    If you were an Accies fan, you’d be excited and encouraged to hear his take on the task.

    If you’re a*Hibee, though, well, maybe I’m wrong, but it must feel like the Scottish Cup win and the whole Lennon circus might as well not have happened.

    Even the player who came up to the after-match press conference, Aussie midfielder Mark Milligan, appeared to be doing the same job with words as he does on the park — that is, being the one who protects those around him, who tries to give nothing away.

    He said: “The table doesn’t lie.* We are where we are because that’s where we deserve to be at the moment.

    “But I don’t think it’s too late to turn that around and that’s what we’re focusing on. We have to keep moving forward.

    “It does hurt us as players, knowing we’re in that position. You could look around the dressing room knowing that, individually and as a unit, we had more to give.

    “Now’s our shot. We’ve started well and we need to carry it on.

    “You look at Flo Kamberi. He’s a great player, but I think his work ethic here was unbelievable."







    Who is Bill Leckie? Why is he persisting with the anti hibs and pro Lennon propaganda still? Why is he claiming there were only 11k there on Saturday? Is he cut from the same cloth as that moron keith Jackson?
    Last edited by we are hibs; 18-02-2019 at 08:48 AM.


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  3. #2
    @hibs.net private member Jones28's Avatar
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    Check BILLYHIBS dead king thread.

    Anything from the sun is best left alone.

  4. #3
    @hibs.net private member Hermit Crab's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by we are hibs View Post
    This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote
    And why is he in the sun claiming there were only 11k there on Saturday? Why is he still firing up the anti hibs and pro Lennon propaganda machine? Another arse wipe of Keith Jackson standards I assume?


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    MISSING X-FACTOR*There’s something missing at Hibs these days..and it’s not just 5,000 fans, says Bill Leckie

    A ground that, just a few months ago was the most exciting and unpredictable in the land, suddenly feels mired in mediocrity

    COMMENT

    By Bill Leckie

    18th February 2019,*7:44 am

    Updated: 18th February 2019,*7:44 am

    SOMETHING doesn’t quite add up at Easter Road these days.

    And it’s not just the calculator they use to count the gates.

    Because, along with about a third of the 16,000-odd the tannoy told us turned up for new manager Paul Heckingbottom’s first game in charge, they were missing an X-factor. A buzz. Their pizzazz.

    A ground that, just a few months ago was the most exciting and unpredictable in the land, suddenly feels mired in mediocrity.


    From genuinely believing they could be Best Of The Rest, they’re fretting over clambering into the top six by the split.

    It’s a dip in* attitude and atmosphere brought into sharp* focus by the comparison between this season’s two home clashes with Accies.

    Last time they came calling, on the* first Saturday in October, there* genuinely*WEREclose on 17,000 in the house, rising as one to a 6-0 romp peppered with strikes from all angles, lifting them just two points off early league leaders*Hearts.

    That performance summed up all that was good about life under Neil Lennon.

    Yet it always felt from the outside like the publicity that came with* him, the controversy, the touch of showbiz, didn’t sit well with the* people who run the club.

    The embarrassing way they eventually got him out the door, the ultra-defensiveness of how they mumbled an excuse for an explanation, the uncertainty of attempts to replace him followed by the anti-climax of the new man’s appointment; it all speaks of a regime who don’t*WANT*to be talked about, don’t want to be headline news, to be sexy.

    All of which makes you wonder whether a win like this, as ho-hum and humdrum as it’s possible to imagine, is exactly how Leeann Dempster and her colleagues upstairs want it to be — three points without the merest hint of drama.

    The nearest thing to a shred of a hint of a talking point came on 16 minutes, when Florian Kamberi stretched for and may or may not have got a toe on to Daryl Horgan’s whipped left-wing cross to leave keeper Gary Woods flat-footed as it nestled low inside his left-hand post.

    Was it the striker’s goal or the winger’s? Kamberi claimed it. I reckon he was at it.

    But if in the end that’s as sparky as it gets, it’s hardly been scripted by Tarantino, has it?

    Kamberi then nipped in front of the nervy Woods to head up and onto the bar, the keeper turning in time to grab the rebound, slip and almost carry the ball over the line, before* left-back Lennard Sowah’s* senseless barge on David Gray with the ball already gone handed Hibs a penalty that Marc McNulty tucked away to pretty much kill the contest.

    From there, the home side forced a pile of corners without coming desperately close to a third, while the visitors made an attacking fist of it without ever looking like mounting a proper fightback.

    And that was that. No 30- yard rockets, no sweeping moves you could set to music, no bust- ups, not the merest peep of Sunshine On Leith.

    Had Lennon still been around, you’re guessing he’d have come in and caned the players for not getting three, four, five.

    Then again, that desire of his for more, for better, for the spectacular, was maybe part of the problem.

    Feels like too many around this place — be they in dressing room or boardroom — didn’t like being* challenged to improve themselves. That, rather than* Lennon’s voice becoming one of encouragement, he came to sound more like a* nagging wife.

    None of this is a criticism of new boy Heckingbottom, who’s only just in the door and seems a perfectly nice, intelligent, positive-thinking coach.



    No, it’s more a reflection on those who hired him, a bunch who had* the chance to embrace the swashbuckling and the edgy, but prefer the measured and the safe.

    The Yorkshireman came away delighted to have won his first game in charge, to have seen so much hard graft, to have racked up a first league clean sheet in eight.

    Asked what he thought he could achieve with this group of players, his answer was simply that he wants better than this.

    There were no predictions, no* rallying cries, no promises to put bums back on empty seats.

    In truth, opposite number Brian Rice — despite seeing his side slip into the bottom two — was by far the more refreshing to listen to.


    He was all about being hell-bent on attacking their way out of trouble, about forgiving* mistakes as long as they come from trying to do things that make people smile.

    If you were an Accies fan, you’d be excited and encouraged to hear his take on the task.

    If you’re a*Hibee, though, well, maybe I’m wrong, but it must feel like the Scottish Cup win and the whole Lennon circus might as well not have happened.

    Even the player who came up to the after-match press conference, Aussie midfielder Mark Milligan, appeared to be doing the same job with words as he does on the park — that is, being the one who protects those around him, who tries to give nothing away.

    He said: “The table doesn’t lie.* We are where we are because that’s where we deserve to be at the moment.

    “But I don’t think it’s too late to turn that around and that’s what we’re focusing on. We have to keep moving forward.

    “It does hurt us as players, knowing we’re in that position. You could look around the dressing room knowing that, individually and as a unit, we had more to give.

    “Now’s our shot. We’ve started well and we need to carry it on.

    “You look at Flo Kamberi. He’s a great player, but I think his work ethic here was unbelievable.

    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    Hibs.nets negative posting legend and unofficial ticket agent.

  5. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    No hes not. I've sat amongst 11k crowds under fenlon there were far more there than that.

  6. #5
    @hibs.net private member CapitalGreen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by we are hibs View Post
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    No hes not. I've sat amongst 11k crowds under fenlon there were far more there than that.
    Don’t argue with HC, he’s the self-appointed head of the Attendance Polis.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    There’s no way you could have got another 9000 in the stadium

    Absolute nonsense

  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    He's wrong and so are you, there were loads more than 11k

  9. #8
    @hibs.net private member Heisenberg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    Nonesense. Crowd was no different to those we normally get for games against Hamilton and the likes. 16k looked about right.

  10. #9
    Soft touch Newhaven's Avatar
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    The guy writes for the sun everyone! Along with the daily record (remember there take on 2016) no one should buy the rag or click on their articles

  11. #10
    Ultimate Slaver Keith_M's Avatar
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    There are t1ts in the media and some t1ts in our own support that can't get over Lennon leaving.

    Best ignored

  12. #11
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    There wasn't much more at the last Hamilton game from what I remember. The Lennon love in with the press seems to never stop. Leckie is drawing the line in the wrong place. What about the dismal draws with St Mirren and Dundee and the appalling Derby game. Does he not remember all the games under Lennon where the ball spent most of its time in the air as we launched it aimlessly forward to a striker who is never a target man. There were months where it was more Butcheresque than Nirvana.

    He might be right that there wasn't much drama on Saturday but that was because we were playing a bottom of the league team and we are mid table, the position the previous manager left us in, and one we look to have a chance of recovering from since his departure. We put out a team with players in the correct positions and clearly had a plan in order to get a result. The team executed that very well and I think the last 10 minutes or so showed that the crowd appreciated that as the singing started and the feel good signs started to return. We can kick on from the mess Lennon left us in and get key players like Flo back to their best. The drama and excitement will return soon enough with a competent manager and a harmonious squad.

  13. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Heisenberg View Post
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    Nonesense. Crowd was no different to those we normally get for games against Hamilton and the likes. 16k looked about right.
    There wasn’t 16k in the ground, not a chance.

    I still find it an odd article and one that can only be written with an agenda to talk Lennon up. All his mates in the media obviously haven’t seen many Hibs games in the last four months.

  14. #13
    @hibs.net private member Hibernia&Alba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by B.H.F.C View Post
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    There wasn’t 16k in the ground, not a chance.

    I still find it an odd article and one that can only be written with an agenda to talk Lennon up. All his mates in the media obviously haven’t seen many Hibs games in the last four months.
    That was my thought too. It can be hard to tell, but it didn't look like 16,000. Was that tickets sold rather than the number through the gate?
    HIBERNIAN FC - ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY SINCE 1875

  15. #14
    @hibs.net private member Hermit Crab's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by B.H.F.C View Post
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    There wasn’t 16k in the ground, not a chance.

    I still find it an odd article and one that can only be written with an agenda to talk Lennon up. All his mates in the media obviously haven’t seen many Hibs games in the last four months.

    No danger there was 16k, that would mean every seat would need to be occupied in all 3 home stands as the South holds just under 4,000 fans. There was about 100 Hamilton fans. Lucky if there was 200 home fans in the South as well.

    16k tickets sold maybe, 16k in the ground no way.
    Last edited by Hermit Crab; 18-02-2019 at 09:10 AM.
    Hibs.nets negative posting legend and unofficial ticket agent.

  16. #15
    Testimonial Due green with envy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    He's right, lucky if there was 11k at the game.
    I'm now like many others wondering what your negative agenda is with Hibs. For someone that makes himself out to be some kind of uber fan, you don't half like having a pop in any other given chance.

  17. #16
    @hibs.net private member Hermit Crab's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by green with envy View Post
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    I'm now like many others wondering what your negative agenda is with Hibs. For someone that makes himself out to be some kind of uber fan, you don't half like having a pop in any other given chance.

    Stevie Wonder could have seen there wasn't 16k at the game.

    Ah the good old uber fan line, good one...
    Hibs.nets negative posting legend and unofficial ticket agent.

  18. #17
    @hibs.net private member Golden Bear's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    No danger there was 16k, that would mean every seat would need to be occupied in all 3 home stands as the South holds just under 4,000 fans. There was about 100 Hamilton fans. Lucky if there was 200 home fans in the South as well.

    16k tickets sold maybe, 16k in the ground no way.
    Well I thought 16k was about right.


  19. #18
    Coaching Staff heretoday's Avatar
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    Bill Leckie is a hack. Not worth bothering about.

  20. #19
    Testimonial Due SquashedFrogg's Avatar
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    I still find it strange that people are actually bothered about the actual attendance. Seems to be a recurring conversation.

    It's really not a big deal if the club announce a figure that you don't agree with. It really isn't.

  21. #20
    @hibs.net private member RIP's Avatar
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    Bill Leckie knows hee haw about what happened behind the scenes between club staff and Neil Lennon so in the absence of facts he will make lazy assumptions instead.

    That lack of journalistic talent is why he has ended up at the Sun rather than a proper newspaper.

  22. #21
    @hibs.net private member JimBHibees's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Heisenberg View Post
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    Nonesense. Crowd was no different to those we normally get for games against Hamilton and the likes. 16k looked about right.
    Agree certainly nowhere near 11k.

  23. #22
    madhatter
    Left by mutual consent!
    He grew up a St Midden fan did he not? lucky if he ever saw 5000 at a game.

  24. #23
    @hibs.net private member The Modfather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hermit Crab View Post
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    No danger there was 16k, that would mean every seat would need to be occupied in all 3 home stands as the South holds just under 4,000 fans. There was about 100 Hamilton fans. Lucky if there was 200 home fans in the South as well.

    16k tickets sold maybe, 16k in the ground no way.
    Where are the other 9,000 fitting in? As others have mentioned you seem to revel in any negativity you can find.

  25. #24
    @hibs.net private member Hibernia&Alba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Modfather View Post
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    Where are the other 9,000 fitting in? As others have mentioned you seem to revel in any negativity you can find.
    HC might be a moaning auld git, but he goes to every match, home and away, so fair play to him.
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  26. #25
    @hibs.net private member Jones28's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba View Post
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    That was my thought too. It can be hard to tell, but it didn't look like 16,000. Was that tickets sold rather than the number through the gate?


    Yes, we've been reporting our attendances like this for some time now.

  27. #26
    He’s right about the buzz in the stadium and the lack of swashbuckling football but that happened way before Lennon left. The crowd was no bigger last time Hamilton were here either. I did think the game became a bore fest but I think getting 3 points and over the line with a clean sheet was the start any new manager would like to build on. The stadium has lacked atmosphere since the singing section were moved TBH.

  28. #27
    @hibs.net private member Hibernia&Alba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jones28 View Post
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    [/B]

    Yes, we've been reporting our attendances like this for some time now.
    Yeah, I think many clubs do.
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  29. #28
    @hibs.net private member The Modfather's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba View Post
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    HC might be a moaning auld git, but he goes to every match, home and away, so fair play to him.
    Not sure how many games someone attends has any bearing on the quality of their posts.

  30. #29
    Coaching Staff hibsbollah's Avatar
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    So the Leckie argument seems to be Leeann actually wants us to be midtable mediocrity? Yet Leckie doesn't give a reason why this would be in her interests?

    Absolute moon howling stuff.

  31. #30
    @hibs.net private member Hibernia&Alba's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Modfather View Post
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    Not sure how many games someone attends has any bearing on the quality of their posts.
    No, I know, but he's often accused of being anti-Hibs, or even a Jambo, when he actually attends every game. It takes all sorts.
    HIBERNIAN FC - ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY SINCE 1875

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