Dempster Goes To Queens Park

[Dashing Bob S]

I know they are ambitious and this is great signing for them. But it indicates that she perhaps wasn’t comfortable or not seen as a long term part of the Gordon regime.

[Sylar]

A good opportunity for her to be part of a potentially meteoric rise. They've built a great squad for the league they're in and will rise through the leagues if they keep doing what they're doing. A shrewd appointment from them.

[Vault Boy]

I suppose we won't know whether that's the case or not unless it's addressed by either party, but I don't think it's a safe assumption. QP are closer to home for Leeann, that seems to be an important factor for her just now.

Either way, I will her well!

[dp00]

Heard her on the radio tonight she spoke about shelf life for people in her role and how she done 7 years at Motherwell then around 7 years at hibs and it just felt to her like it was a good new challenge and the chance for her to work in Glasgow again

To be honest I tend to agree , a fresh pair of eyes is good , you only need to look at Celtic boardroom for an example of keeping the same people in there and it becoming stale


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[Jones28]

I’d have been surprised if RG kept her permanently. And yes like others have said these positions should really have a shelf life before bringing new blood in to freshen things up.

Great appointment for Queens Park.

[The 90+2]

Nothing but good luck to her. Do a cracking job LD 💚

[Tambo]

Anyone you think she/they will try and get on loan for when and if the season starts back up for them?

[JimBHibees]

Anyone you think she/they will try and get on loan for when and if the season starts back up for them?

Bradley maybe give him some game time

[G15 Hibs]

Anyone you think she/they will try and get on loan for when and if the season starts back up for them?

Would that happen now, given that QP are in direct competition with Stenhousemuir who Hibs have recently come to some kind of arrangement with? You'd think any loans out to League 2, should they start playing again, would go there.

[JeMeSouviens]

I know they are ambitious and this is great signing for them. But it indicates that she perhaps wasn’t comfortable or not seen as a long term part of the Gordon regime.

It could be as simple as she doesn't want to relocate and is sick of the M8 commute?

[Pagan Hibernia]

A good opportunity for her to be part of a potentially meteoric rise. They've built a great squad for the league they're in and will rise through the leagues if they keep doing what they're doing. A shrewd appointment from them.

i thought it was a shame when they finally gave up their cherished amateur status in 2019.

But they very likely had no choice.

[Since452]

Heard her on the radio tonight she spoke about shelf life for people in her role and how she done 7 years at Motherwell then around 7 years at hibs and it just felt to her like it was a good new challenge and the chance for her to work in Glasgow again

To be honest I tend to agree , a fresh pair of eyes is good , you only need to look at Celtic boardroom for an example of keeping the same people in there and it becoming stale


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Yeah agree with that. I thinks it's probably worked out well for all parties. Give Ron a chance to shape things his way.

[McSwanky]

potentially meteoric rise

They'll need some fans first!!! Without fans it's not sustainable. I'll certainly be watching with interest though, after Partick Thistle's moan-fest over the Summer maybe QP will become many people's 'second favourite' team...

[green day]

They'll need some fans first!!! Without fans it's not sustainable. I'll certainly be watching with interest though, after Partick Thistle's moan-fest over the Summer maybe QP will become many people's 'second favourite' team...

I think on the basis of the dickhead Celtic fan Willie Haughey thats bankrolling Queens Park some may feel less inclined.

[scoopyboy]

I think on the basis of the dickhead Celtic fan Willie Haughey thats bankrolling Queens Park some may feel less inclined.

I didn't realise he was involved.

I don't get that, a Celtic fan pumps money into a club that could be in the same league in a few years time.

I could never pump money into another team, it would be Hibs or nobody.

[pollution]

Good luck to her. She is certainly adventurous going from a top flight club to a second division one.

[The Modfather]

At least she won’t have a loyalty points decision to make for the man and his dog that make up the Queens Park support 😀

[Gypsy King]

After overseeing the amazing turnaround in our club over the past 6 years I am very surprised she has not ended up at a Premiership club in England or one of the ugly sisters. Thought she would have been a shoe-in for the Mordor Job. A more than capable business leader and I fully expect Queens park to progress through the Leagues to the SPL with her guidance. All the best Leanne.

[Speedy]

At least she won’t have a loyalty points decision to make for the man and his dog that make up the Queens Park support 😀

She's certainly sorted out the tickets for Hampden problem

[lord bunberry]

Would they end up using Hampden again if they ended up in the premiership? That tiny wee stadium they’re building won’t be big enough.

[basehibby]

Thankyou and good luck to Leanne - I cannot recall any CEO or similar having anything like the positive influence she has had at Hibs in all my years. Her successor will have some big shoes to fill but will also take over a football club in an infinitely better position than when she came in. Of course she can't claim all the credit for everything - but has played a massive and significant part in the improvements at Hibs and no question about it.

[G15 Hibs]

Would they end up using Hampden again if they ended up in the premiership? That tiny wee stadium they’re building won’t be big enough.

They'd have to either rent it from or buy it back off the SFA if they wanted to play there. Not sure what their long term plans are if they go up the leagues. The current plan for Lesser Hampden is to build two stands with a total capacity of around 1700.

[CMurdoch]

QP is a great project which she can make a real difference to and she will get a big chunk of her life back with the removal of her M8 commute. It all makes sense to me. With Ron coming in to Hibs the project as she started it was over. She was no longer running the show so don't think she fancied it any more. Ron is a businessman and Hibs is his business and building his investment his main priority.

[jacomo]

Heard her on the radio tonight she spoke about shelf life for people in her role and how she done 7 years at Motherwell then around 7 years at hibs and it just felt to her like it was a good new challenge and the chance for her to work in Glasgow again

To be honest I tend to agree , a fresh pair of eyes is good , you only need to look at Celtic boardroom for an example of keeping the same people in there and it becoming stale


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That all sounds reasonable to me. Hibs going in a different direction and she probably has less autonomy than she enjoyed with the previous owner.

Not saying that’s a good or a bad thing, just that it’s entirely natural that both her and Hibs might want a fresh start.

Good luck to her, obviously. She achieved great things with us.

[Yorkshire HFC]

QP is a great project which she can make a real difference to and she will get a big chunk of her life back with the removal of her M8 commute. It all makes sense to me. With Ron coming in to Hibs the project as she started it was over. She was no longer running the show so don't think she fancied it any more. Ron is a businessman and Hibs is his business and building his investment his main priority.

It's not a traditional career path for management, from what I've seen - most people tend to move to larger companies or markets.

And I'd be surprised if any of our top players followed her.

Not that it's anyones business but hers. :-)

[WhileTheChief..]

Making out the M8 commute is some kind of hardship!

It’s an hour tops, less than that these days with lockdown, and I doubt she switched clubs just to avoid a wee bit time in the car.

[Pagan Hibernia]

They'd have to either rent it from or buy it back off the SFA if they wanted to play there. Not sure what their long term plans are if they go up the leagues. The current plan for Lesser Hampden is to build two stands with a total capacity of around 1700.

question for the .net historians... is this Lesser Hampden site the same place that Scottish Cup Finals were played in the 1800s (including our first final in 1887)?

actually... ignore this. It isn’t

[green day]

I didn't realise he was involved.

I don't get that, a Celtic fan pumps money into a club that could be in the same league in a few years time.

I could never pump money into another team, it would be Hibs or nobody.

He threw money at the "SFA staying at Hampden" project because he couldn't stand the thought of the national stadium being anywhere but Glasgow. Despite the Murrayfield presentation and plan being better than the QP one, it remained in Glasgow.......I suspect that QP going professional with lots of his dosh was part of the deal, although I am sure that won't be the official reason.

[Billy Whizz]

He threw money at the "SFA staying at Hampden" project because he couldn't stand the thought of the national stadium being anywhere but Glasgow. Despite the Murrayfield presentation and plan being better than the QP one, it remained in Glasgow.......I suspect that QP going professional with lots of his dosh was part of the deal, although I am sure that won't be the official reason.

I just can’t see where the support base is coming from unfortunately

[green day]

I just can’t see where the support base is coming from unfortunately

I agree. It's either an ego trip for WH (and, as scoopy said, why? He's a Celtic fan) or was part of the Hampden deal.

Woukd much rather Dundee and Dunfermline got themselves up a division.

[scoopyboy]

He threw money at the "SFA staying at Hampden" project because he couldn't stand the thought of the national stadium being anywhere but Glasgow. Despite the Murrayfield presentation and plan being better than the QP one, it remained in Glasgow.......I suspect that QP going professional with lots of his dosh was part of the deal, although I am sure that won't be the official reason.

Thanks for the replies green day, I've got a better understanding of what happened now.

[pollution]

After overseeing the amazing turnaround in our club over the past 6 years I am very surprised she has not ended up at a Premiership club in England or one of the ugly sisters. Thought she would have been a shoe-in for the Mordor Job. A more than capable business leader and I fully expect Queens park to progress through the Leagues to the SPL with her guidance. All the best Leanne.


How does that work ? She would have to attract huge amounts of investment in order to afford a team that is eventually good enough to achieve promotions.

I can't think why QP would be attractive to anyone who would not have already thought of investing in the other lower league teams.

A really tough job for her here: I will be keen to see how she does.

Maybe she thought it was QPR she applied to...

[Billy Whizz]

How does that work ? She would have to attract huge amounts of investment in order to afford a team that is eventually good enough to achieve promotions.

I can't think why QP would be attractive to anyone who would not have already thought of investing in the other lower league teams.

A really tough job for her here: I will be keen to see how she does.

Maybe she thought it was QPR she applied to...

They are already full time this season, the only one in League 2, and running away with it

[ancient hibee]

How does that work ? She would have to attract huge amounts of investment in order to afford a team that is eventually good enough to achieve promotions.

I can't think why QP would be attractive to anyone who would not have already thought of investing in the other lower league teams.

A really tough job for her here: I will be keen to see how she does.

Maybe she thought it was QPR she applied to...#

Think they'll get promoted this year ok.

[lord bunberry]

They'd have to either rent it from or buy it back off the SFA if they wanted to play there. Not sure what their long term plans are if they go up the leagues. The current plan for Lesser Hampden is to build two stands with a total capacity of around 1700.
I saw that they were going to be playing at lesser Hampden (surely they’ll change that name) but unless there’s scope for developing that into something bigger it won’t be big enough if they manage to come up through the leagues. Good luck to them, but I struggle to see where the fans will come from.

[lord bunberry]

How does that work ? She would have to attract huge amounts of investment in order to afford a team that is eventually good enough to achieve promotions.

I can't think why QP would be attractive to anyone who would not have already thought of investing in the other lower league teams.

A really tough job for her here: I will be keen to see how she does.

Maybe she thought it was QPR she applied to...
They sold Hampden to the SFA, that must have made them a few quid.

[Billy Whizz]

I saw that they were going to be playing at lesser Hampden (surely they’ll change that name) but unless there’s scope for developing that into something bigger it won’t be big enough if they manage to come up through the leagues. Good luck to them, but I struggle to see where the fans will come from.

Probably be a sponsors name, which they’ll get away with in these times

Getting new fans in is difficult at the best of times, but after a pandemic going to be even harder
I wish them good luck, as Scotland’s oldest Football Club

[EdinMike]

To me, she’s gone there with fresh eyes and the intentions of building something. And I see nothing wrong in that. I have nothing but luck and good faith for her.

[Lago]

I just can’t see where the support base is coming from unfortunately
Got shades of Gretna about it.

[RyeSloan]

How does that work ? She would have to attract huge amounts of investment in order to afford a team that is eventually good enough to achieve promotions.

I can't think why QP would be attractive to anyone who would not have already thought of investing in the other lower league teams.

A really tough job for her here: I will be keen to see how she does.

Maybe she thought it was QPR she applied to...

Or maybe she’s getting a bit of a silly wage for what will be undoubtedly be an easier gig?

For one thing she won’t have many (any!) fans to keep happy!

The she probably has a budget to match most or all teams in their league for a year or two and a clear path of some fundamental building blocks to put in place.

Should be a bit of a skoosh for her after the basket case she found when taking over at ER!

[lord bunberry]

Probably be a sponsors name, which they’ll get away with in these times

Getting new fans in is difficult at the best of times, but after a pandemic going to be even harder
I wish them good luck, as Scotland’s oldest Football Club
I was just thinking about it and if they managed to get to the premiership and rented Hampden they could realistically end up with 4 30-40k attendances each season, add that to the fact that their local area has lots of other teams, they could probably do quite well. It would take them a good while to build up their own fan base though. Maybe they’ll move to another town and try and make a go of it there. Somewhere like East Kilbride has been crying out for a team for a long time.

[Billy Whizz]

Got shades of Gretna about it.

I’m not sure it is, QP have been around since 1867, and Haughey is a really successful businessman worth over £200m

You can pump all the money in you want, but you need to see progress on and off the park.

Maybe sees them as a club that can work with Celtic

[weecounty hibby]

Didn't Haughey also pump money into Livingston at one point? Or am I thinking about someone else?

[Andy74]

I think she did good things here initially. The timing did coincide with a clear out of the coaching and playing staff that would have had to happen anyway but she did make the decision on Butcher.

The cup win transformed the club. That’s the fine line. Minutes away from being in deep, deep trouble from that point.

I don’t actually think as a club we took advantage nearly enough of that win. Commercially we were very slow to take advantage. The support were ready to hand over cash on all sorts of stuff but it didn’t really happen.

After that, not really sure that the sponsorship and commercial side has been good enough. The whole Famous Five NHS thing is a mystery that still hasn’t really been spoken about. Hecky was just never a fit for the club. Wasn’t sure about how the Lennon thing was managed.

So I think overall good but a lot of things that could and should have been done much better. I haven’t mentioned loyalty points yet!

The focus on community is fine but football has to be the focus. I think at QP it is probably more a community engagement and marketing job which will suit her strengths.

I’m hopeful we will move on with a new focus on making the most of what we have commercially to support what goes on the pitch.

[WestCoastHibby]

Thankyou and good luck to Leanne - I cannot recall any CEO or similar having anything like the positive influence she has had at Hibs in all my years. Her successor will have some big shoes to fill but will also take over a football club in an infinitely better position than when she came in. Of course she can't claim all the credit for everything - but has played a massive and significant part in the improvements at Hibs and no question about it.
Size 6 😉

[jacomo]

I think she did good things here initially. The timing did coincide with a clear out of the coaching and playing staff that would have had to happen anyway but she did make the decision on Butcher.

The cup win transformed the club. That’s the fine line. Minutes away from being in deep, deep trouble from that point.

I don’t actually think as a club we took advantage nearly enough of that win. Commercially we were very slow to take advantage. The support were ready to hand over cash on all sorts of stuff but it didn’t really happen.

After that, not really sure that the sponsorship and commercial side has been good enough. The whole Famous Five NHS thing is a mystery that still hasn’t really been spoken about. Hecky was just never a fit for the club. Wasn’t sure about how the Lennon thing was managed.

So I think overall good but a lot of things that could and should have been done much better. I haven’t mentioned loyalty points yet!

The focus on community is fine but football has to be the focus. I think at QP it is probably more a community engagement and marketing job which will suit her strengths.

I’m hopeful we will move on with a new focus on making the most of what we have commercially to support what goes on the pitch.


All fair points. My view as an outsider is that maybe Leeann wasn’t challenged enough on some of her plans. Some appointments such as Laura Montgomerie didn’t help.

[Keith_M]

Would they end up using Hampden again if they ended up in the premiership? That tiny wee stadium they’re building won’t be big enough.


They're never going to build a fan base large enough to test that out, and I honestly doubt they'll ever be in the premiership.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Queens Park? Surely they won't be paying her as much? Strange move.

[Since90+2]

Queens Park? Surely they won't be paying her as much? Strange move.

Maybe it was a case of jump before pushed? Perhaps pushed is not the correct word but she would have known herself whether she was part of Ron's long term plans and maybe decided a role closer to home and continued employment was the best option.

[Hibernia&Alba]

Maybe it was a case of jump before pushed? Perhaps pushed is not the correct word but she would have known herself whether she was part of Ron's long term plans and maybe decided a role closer to home and continued employment was the best option.

Yeah, perhaps there is more to it. It's a surprise, though.

[lucky]

Can someone tell me why Laura Montgomery is deemed a bad appointment by some Hibs fans? She formed and grew the biggest club in Scottish women’s football. I’m not sure she did anything to get abuse on here?

Also how is Wullie Haughey also in the firing line? He’s supported lots of Scottish businesses and given millions out to charities and other organisations whilst at the same time running a successful Scottish business. So again what’s he done to become a hate figure?

LD has done a good job but has moved on Queens Park will be nothing more than a community club but maybe that’s what LD wants to be involved in

[CMurdoch]

To me, she’s gone there with fresh eyes and the intentions of building something. And I see nothing wrong in that. I have nothing but luck and good faith for her.

I agree she has gone there to build something.
She has earned her money and her pension is pretty sorted as well.

She likes a project. Motherwell and Hibs fell into that category and she did well at both.
I reckon she will work to develop the QP brand, fan base and community engagement and will stay there until they are an established Championship team.
That is where a full time team belongs.

Re fan base, if she works smartly a lot of football lovers might like to get onboard and enjoy the ride through the leagues in the post pandemic world.

[Magpie]

I agree she has gone there to build something.
She has earned her money and her pension is pretty sorted as well.

She likes a project. Motherwell and Hibs fell into that category and she did well at both.
I reckon she will work to develop the QP brand, fan base and community engagement and will stay there until they are an established Championship team.
That is where a full time team belongs.

Re fan base, if she works smartly a lot of football lovers might like to get onboard and enjoy the ride through the leagues in the post pandemic world.

I think she will have a future role in the SFA.

[superfurryhibby]

Can someone tell me why Laura Montgomery is deemed a bad appointment by some Hibs fans? She formed and grew the biggest club in Scottish women’s football. I’m not sure she did anything to get abuse on here?

Also how is Wullie Haughey also in the firing line? He’s supported lots of Scottish businesses and given millions out to charities and other organisations whilst at the same time running a successful Scottish business. So again what’s he done to become a hate figure?

LD has done a good job but has moved on Queens Park will be nothing more than a community club but maybe that’s what LD wants to be involved in

You’ve missed the boat on Laura Montgomery. Done to death a month or so ago. She was hardly abused on here though, just people highlighting that wasn’t that well qualified for, or successful at her job at Hibs.

[Andy74]

Can someone tell me why Laura Montgomery is deemed a bad appointment by some Hibs fans? She formed and grew the biggest club in Scottish women’s football. I’m not sure she did anything to get abuse on here?

Also how is Wullie Haughey also in the firing line? He’s supported lots of Scottish businesses and given millions out to charities and other organisations whilst at the same time running a successful Scottish business. So again what’s he done to become a hate figure?

LD has done a good job but has moved on Queens Park will be nothing more than a community club but maybe that’s what LD wants to be involved in

Montgomery might have helped grow a football team but that team wasn’t Hibs.

[CMurdoch]

I think she will have a future role in the SFA.

SFA or Rangers for her next

[Lancs Harp]

I think Queens park is a very interesting project. They certainly could have a place to play at community level something that leeann excels in. Historically there could be a lot of interest in a revived Queens Park, Im not talking about challenging the OF but they could find their niche. They were effectively Scottish football for the first couple of decades of Scottish football history, the Scottish team to this day play in the blue shirts from the first international against England when Scotlands team was entirely made up of Queens Park players and used Queens Parks jerseys to play the game (blue in those days not the now famous black and white spider hoops), this sort of thing could well appeal to a good many. Good luck to her and the Spiders I say, I'd be surprised if they werent a Championship side in the next 3 or 4 seasons.

[jacomo]

Can someone tell me why Laura Montgomery is deemed a bad appointment by some Hibs fans? She formed and grew the biggest club in Scottish women’s football. I’m not sure she did anything to get abuse on here?

Also how is Wullie Haughey also in the firing line? He’s supported lots of Scottish businesses and given millions out to charities and other organisations whilst at the same time running a successful Scottish business. So again what’s he done to become a hate figure?

LD has done a good job but has moved on Queens Park will be nothing more than a community club but maybe that’s what LD wants to be involved in


Laura doesn’t get abuse on here.

I am one of the people who questioned her appointment though, and I still do. She’s clearly devoted to Glasgow City and should have remained 100% focused on them. Hibs were that clubs only real challenger and she was working for both clubs. It was a clear conflict of interest.

[lucky]

Laura doesn’t get abuse on here.

I am one of the people who questioned her appointment though, and I still do. She’s clearly devoted to Glasgow City and should have remained 100% focused on them. Hibs were that clubs only real challenger and she was working for both clubs. It was a clear conflict of interest.

Working in the Hibs commercial department for our male team surely has no conflict with being involved in woman’s football else’s where?

[davhibby]

People talking about fanbase, QP have a similar if not slightly bigger fanbase than Hamilton. They’d easily be able to get a thousand home fans through the gate in the top flight which seems to be enough for Accies and Livi to survive on

[Billy Whizz]

People talking about fanbase, QP have a similar if not slightly bigger fanbase than Hamilton. They’d easily be able to get a thousand home fans through the gate in the top flight which seems to be enough for Accies and Livi to survive on

Really what we need in our top flight, another team with little or now fans, and even less away fans

[green day]

Really what we need in our top flight, another team with little or now fans, and even less away fans

Yep, as I said earlier I would have a strong Dundee and Dunfermline back before the likes of Hamilton and QP.

I know all clubs have a right to exist including community clubs, but the place for crappy wee "stadiums", terrible astro pitches and no fans is not in the top division.



<prepares tin hat for abuse>

[lord bunberry]

Working in the Hibs commercial department for our male team surely has no conflict with being involved in woman’s football else’s where?
https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?349386-Laura-Montgomery-appointed-CEO-of-Glasgow-City&highlight=Laura+Montgomery
I don’t know anything about her, but here is the thread about her where lots of allegations were maid.

[Keith_M]

Laura doesn’t get abuse on here.

I am one of the people who questioned her appointment though, and I still do. She’s clearly devoted to Glasgow City and should have remained 100% focused on them. Hibs were that clubs only real challenger and she was working for both clubs. It was a clear conflict of interest.



This.