What would you do if Hibs were taken over and rebranded?

[SHODAN]

There's an interesting discussion re sportswashing on the other games thread, which has got me thinking about a similar topic.

If Hibs were taken over by an owner promising sky-high investment, and eventual league titles/CL progression, would your support of the club change?

What if the new owner:
Was an oligarch/involved in reported human rights abuses/otherwise from a worrying background?
Planned to change the club's name or colours i.e. to Edinburgh Caledonia FC playing in dark blue?
Would do a complete rebranding exercise i. e. Red Bull Edinburgh?

Personally I don't think I'd have the same enthusiasm for Hibs if we were blitzing the league and would certainly reconsider watching if we were a sportswashing vehicle.

If we were being rebranded I'd cancel my ST on day one of the takeover and go support Dunfermline or a phoenix club.

[Since90+2]

There's an interesting discussion re sportswashing on the other games thread, which has got me thinking about a similar topic.

If Hibs were taken over by an owner promising sky-high investment, and eventual league titles/CL progression, would your support of the club change?

What if the new owner:
Was an oligarch/involved in reported human rights abuses/otherwise from a worrying background?
Planned to change the club's name or colours i.e. to Edinburgh Caledonia FC playing in dark blue?
Would do a complete rebranding exercise i. e. Red Bull Edinburgh?

Personally I don't think I'd have the same enthusiasm for Hibs if we were blitzing the league and would certainly reconsider watching if we were a sportswashing vehicle.

If we were being rebranded I'd cancel my ST on day one of the takeover and go support Dunfermline or a phoenix club.

If they changed the name and the team played in dark blue it wouldn't be Hibs, so they wouldn't get my support. I'd support the phoenix club if there was one and failing that Spartans.

[LunasBoots]

i'd go watch Edin City or Spartans, wouldn't be the club i grew up supporting anymore.

[easty]

There’s been loads of clubs taken over, but how many have had their name and colours changed?

I’d no be bothered to see the name of Easter Road change, cos it’d always be known as Easter Road to me. The badge can change, it’s already changed in my lifetime, nae big deal.

Club name and colours would be too much though.

[Pagan Hibernia]

Depends what sort of rebranding. Name and colours are sacred and non negotiable.

I don’t even like the idea of selling the naming rights to Easter Road so I’m quite sensitive to any interference in the club’s identity.

like others, if a phoenix Hibs club was started in the lower leagues I would probably support it in the event of a Red Bull Hibernian or something similar.

[The dalmeny]

Depends what sort of rebranding. Name and colours are sacred and non negotiable.

I don’t even like the idea of selling the naming rights to Easter Road so I’m quite sensitive to any interference in the club’s identity.

like others, if a phoenix Hibs club was started in the lower leagues I would probably support it in the event of a Red Bull Hibernian or something similar.

Didn’t the Cardiff boy try to change their Colours to Red and do a dragon badge? All a bit of a shambles iirc

[Since452]

I'd go and watch Dunfermline. Would save me an absolute fortune.

[lord bunberry]

If they changed the name and the team played in dark blue it wouldn't be Hibs, so they wouldn't get my support. I'd support the phoenix club if there was one and failing that Spartans.
There would definitely be a phoenix club as there would be a lot of hibs fans who wouldn’t want anything to do with the new club. Sadly though I think there would be a lot of support for the new club amongst the younger generation if it was spending big and doing well in Europe. You only have to see how revved up these people get watching the epl, some of them consider themselves 50/50 between hibs and a premiership team, some don’t support a Scottish club at all. When you think about it I don’t know why someone hasn’t come in and poured huge money into a Scottish club as the route to the champions league is a lot easier than it is in other leagues. Maybe it’s our location, a mainland European club would be more appealing.

[Fuzzywuzzy]

Did it not happen with one of the red bull teams? Some fans group re-started the old club?

[OstKurve Hibs]

Like others have said, I could handle easter road being sponsored but not a full on name change,
Anything to do with changing club name or colours is a massive no !

[Viva_Palmeiras]

I didn’t see Hibs saved to keep the club and name alive for it to be dismantled from inside.
I think that the football authorities need to save clubs from themselves chasing the money. So no to unfit owners, conflicts of interests and no to unsustainable practices and selling the soul of the club.

[Pagan Hibernia]

I didn’t see Hibs saved to keep the club and name alive for it to be dismantled from inside.
I think that the football authorities need to save clubs from themselves chasing the money. So no to unfit owners, conflicts of interests and no to unsustainable practices and selling the soul of the club.

very good point. ‘Hands off Hibs’ should be as relevant today as it was in 1990

[The 90+2]

Greet

[PatHead]

Did it not happen with one of the red bull teams? Some fans group re-started the old club?

You couldn't restart the old club. It would be dead like Rangers no matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise.

Probably would give up on football and play golf.

[Pagan Hibernia]

You couldn't restart the old club. It would be dead like Rangers no matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise.

Probably would give up on football and play golf.

In such a situation I think Wimbledon would be a better example than Rangers.

AFC Wimbledon should absolutely be seen as a continuation of the old Wimbledon FC in my opinion.

[jacomo]

You couldn't restart the old club. It would be dead like Rangers no matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise.

Probably would give up on football and play golf.


They are doing quite a good job of pretending otherwise / threatening those who point out the obvious.

[DH1875]

What if the name was Redbull Hibernian?

[mcohibs]

If someone came in and pumped money into Hibs that had us competing in the Champions League and winning the domestic league, I'd be right on board.

Club name and colour change not so much

[Waxy]

Rebranded lol. Fc Twix lol.
Surely big companies dont think they could rebrand an entire club.
Theres already a disconnect happening but no one knows.

[Pagan Hibernia]

What if the name was Redbull Hibernian?

unacceptable.

[Greencore]

If the name and colours changed probably stop supporting. If they kept the name hibernian or even hibs and stayed in green, I'd be all for it. Regardless of their backround.

[MWHIBBIES]

Name and color change would see me protest it as strong as I possibly could.

Rich owner with human rights violation background? I'd also protest as much as possible. Don't think many others would though. Very few people care about man City owners doing it. Almost never mentioned. Newcastle owner literally kills journalists who say bad things about him and their fans are buzzing. Mindless, spineless sportwashed dafties really. Same as these new city fans.

Ultimately I'd stop going if these people couldn't be forced out. Would be outside every match protesting.

Rich decent owner who pushed us on to winning titles? I'd enjoy every bit.

[Sir David Gray]

I'd stop following football.

[Pagan Hibernia]

Name and color change would see me protest it as strong as I possibly could.

Rich owner with human rights violation background? I'd also protest as much as possible. Don't think many others would though. Very few people care about man City owners doing it. Almost never mentioned. Newcastle owner literally kills journalists who say bad things about him and their fans are buzzing. Mindless, spineless sportwashed dafties really. Same as these new city fans.

Ultimately I'd stop going if these people couldn't be forced out. Would be outside every match protesting.

Rich decent owner who pushed us on to winning titles? I'd enjoy every bit.

what about old city fans?

[MWHIBBIES]

what about old city fans?

Can at least claim to support the club, and not just the artificially inflated sportswashing front it is now.

[wandering_hibee]

I'd go and watch Dunfermline. Would save me an absolute fortune.

I could go and watch St Johnstone and save myself a fortune. No forget that:wink:

I can't see why any buyer / new owner would change the name as that is what they are buying. If that changed then I probably would stop going but not sure what I would do instead.

Change of colours bothers me less as we often play in a second or third team strip anyway.

[Just Alf]

With regards to the OP title... I'd be done.

Don't get me wrong, I'd maybe have a passing "interest" and would maybe watch the odd game in the pub but I certainly wouldn't be seeing it as a priority and if most of the guys wanted the darts or horse racing on instead then fine..... I'm a bit like that, to a lesser degree, with our "friends" the other side of town, but in their case the passing interest is in the fervent hope they get a hammering.

Not sure where, if anywhere I'd go to watch a game.... maybe Saughton Sounders or something :agree:

[blackpoolhibs]

As long as we were still called Hibs and played in Edinburgh, i'd accept anyone who gave me league titles and european success.

I'm 62 next birthday, hurry up please.

[Hibiza]

Duntocher Hibs.

[Hibee Mac]

Start a Hibernian AFC powerleague team. You can come along and heckle me for the full Easter road experience

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

We would do the same as we did when Mercer tried it.

[Lago]

Never happen in Scottish leagues, no real glamour or money.

[Irish_Steve]

Start a Hibernian AFC powerleague team. You can come along and heckle me for the full Easter road experience

Boooooooooo, you're ****ing useless, for **** sake, tackle

[Keith_M]

What would you do if Hibs were taken over and rebranded?


Help start a new Hibs from scratch, hopefully in the same manner as FC United of Manchester

[Mick O'Rourke]

Suitable companies
7up soft drinks co
Harp Lager
The 7up Stadium
Harp of Hibernian Stadium.


Seriously though, I would not want the like of the murderous Middle East thugs and corrupt oligarchs who have bought clubs in England, no matter how rich they are to be near Hibs.
Its a disgrace the UK government and football bodies allow this to happen.
Or am i just naive?

[Killiehibbie]

Suitable companies
7up soft drinks co
Harp Lager
The 7up Stadium
Harp of Hibernian Stadium.


Seriously though, I would not want the like of the murderous Middle East thugs and corrupt oligarchs who have bought clubs in England, no matter how rich they are to be near Hibs.
Its a disgrace the UK government and football bodies allow this to happen.
Or am i just naive?
It's all about the money. Count me out if it happens

[jgl07]

You couldn't restart the old club. It would be dead like Rangers no matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise.

Probably would give up on football and play golf.
It worked for AFC Wimbledon!

[FilipinoHibs]

Unthinkable - the Twitter Arena, playing in a light blue with that bird as a badge. I still have Benfica but my life would be empty.

[The Baldmans Comb]

Its a very interesting thread as high end businessmen like Ron with his USA background or Chief Executives like Ben with his English corporate background must look at the structure of Edinburgh football against the substantial wealth of a capital city with relative dismay.

They face an impossible challenge as there isn't any next level that they can possibly reach that would allow them to mount a realistic challenge to you know who or go deep in European competitions on a regular basis.

They are clever men who know exactly what the solution is but whether they can push the nuclear buttom is doubtful but some time relatively soon someone will.

[jgl07]

Suitable companies
7up soft drinks co
Harp Lager
The 7up Stadium
Harp of Hibernian Stadium.


Seriously though, I would not want the like of the murderous Middle East thugs and corrupt oligarchs who have bought clubs in England, no matter how rich they are to be near Hibs.
Its a disgrace the UK government and football bodies allow this to happen.
Or am i just naive?
Yes very very naive!

[Antifa Hibs]

A rebrand, jack it. You'd be aswell just supporting Rangers or Celtic or City and Chelsea.
A stadium name change, would be mighty pissed off but wouldn't stop me going I don't think. Question, why are people happy for the name of the ground to be changed but not the club? If its always going to be "Easter Road to me" why doesn't that apply to the club name also?
Dodgy owner, i'd like to think i'd jack it but who knows, going to Ibrox and ripping the pish out of them on and off the field would be enjoyable I guess.

The worry for me is the constant strive in football to increase and maximise revenue. That's always going to be a need increase revenue as the industry is never going to be happy with with it has.

We need to increase revenue so we added sponsor boards to the whole of the stadium.
We need to increase revenue so we rebranded and added sponsors to the main leagues and competitions.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the front of the shirt.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the lower back of the shirt.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the upper back of the shirt.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the shorts.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the sleeves.
We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to the name of our stadium.

We need to increase revenue so we added a sponsor to........? Whats next, there ain't much left to sell. Replace the castle in the badge with a bottle of Eden Mill? Swap the shorts from white to navy blue and yellow for Standard Life? Rename the club Virgin Media Hibernian Football Club?

[GoalsMcGinley]

Why are people so bothered about the stadium being re branded? If some company wants to pay us a hefty sum to name it the “Farmer Autocare Stadium” for example what difference does that make to any one? 99.9% of us would still call it Easter Road, still sit in the same seat and still shout the same abuse at Lewis Stevenson. It literally makes ZERO difference if the stadium is rebranded and tbh it’s part of what is holding us back commercially. The only way we are going to regularly be able till increase the player budget is through increased transfer sales and increased commercial revenue. Anything that can help us get there quicker the better imo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Antifa Hibs]

Why are people so bothered about the stadium being re branded? If some company wants to pay us a hefty sum to name it the “Farmer Autocare Stadium” for example what difference does that make to any one? 99.9% of us would still call it Easter Road, still sit in the same seat and still shout the same abuse at Lewis Stevenson. It literally makes ZERO difference if the stadium is rebranded and tbh it’s part of what is holding us back commercially. The only way we are going to regularly be able till increase the player budget is through increased transfer sales and increased commercial revenue. Anything that can help us get there quicker the better imo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

'cos its 100+ years of history you are throwing away....

As i've said above, whats the difference between the stadium name and club name? Why not just rename us Standard Life Edinburgh United FC? 99.9% of us will still call us Hibs anyway......?

Also the bit in bold, we sell the naming rights for 250k a year or whatever. Aberdeen and Hearts do the same 5 years after and will still have a greater turnover than us and higher wages than us. What do we sell next for this ever growing need to increase commercial revenue?

[nickwhibs]

'cos its 100+ years of history you are throwing away....

As i've said above, whats the difference between the stadium name and club name? Why not just rename us Standard Life Edinburgh United FC? 99.9% of us will still call us Hibs anyway......?

Also the bit in bold, we sell the naming rights for 250k a year or whatever. Aberdeen and Hearts do the same 5 years after and will still have a greater turnover than us and higher wages than us. What do we sell next for this ever growing need to increase commercial revenue?

Agree completely with this. Of course we need to be sustainable in a financial sense but commercialisation really takes away the beauty of football/anything for me.

[nellio]

Personal experience of this with Cardiff.

Vincent Tan came in and changed the club colours from blue to red, changed the badge from a bluebird had been in place since 1899 to a dragon and introduced a new club motto "fire and passion". Basically turned us into Wrexham. Lots of prtests held at the time which were totally ignored by the club.

In return he provided significant investment and expanded the stadium. When he expanded the stadium his installed red seats in the expansion which still remain despite the rest of the seats being blue.

Many fans totally boycotted the club with some still having not returned. He terminated a lucrative kit deal puma and started making his own kit for the club under his own brand "cosway sport". he increased the price of the shirt slightly whilst the quality decreased dramatically.

After a few years attendance had decreased dramatically after relegation from the premier league. We went from around 30k to about 10k in the space of a few weeks.

Tan knows absolutely nothing about football and memorably in an interview called the fans "customers" and compared the football club to a cinema. He is said to have also grilled the training staff on why the keeper hadn't scored any goals.

After the Malky Mackay saga he wanted a big name manager so threw money at Ole until he count say no. Ended in a mess with Ole not being a great manager and getting a huge payoff. We also lost a huge amount of money on transfers with Tan not understanding that if you sign young players with potential they cost money but aren't really in their prime. We paid approx 10 million for Andreas Cornelius and sold him back after playing only a handful of games due to injury and form the very next season for around half that if I remember correctly. The season after that Copenhagen sold him again to Alalanta and he had a decent serie a season including a hatrick in his first game.

After losing money to Ole Tan then refused to pay for a decent manager and we were managed by Russel slade and Paul trollope with Warnock being brought in to save us from relegation.

With no kits being sold due to price and poor quality and low attendances and losing money on transfers (Tan not understanding signing players with potential etc) Tan spoke to his mother who told him to reconcile with fans to try get money coming back in again.

A frank meeting was held with fans groups. The result of which was the following season kits was changed back to blue, kit to be made by adidas and badge to to changed from dragon back to a bluebird with the caveat that a small asian dragon was to remain on the badge. Fans then slowly started to return and we fluked a promotion to the premier league again this time in blue with Neil Warnock in charge. After the money lost on transfers during the first premier league campaign Tan refuses to invest any significant money in transfers so gor related again and didnt spend any money to try get back up again. Basically pocketed all the TV money to make up for the losses incurred. Still hasn't invested any money and this season we were only just about the relegation zone so manager was changed again from Mick McCarthy to Steve Morison who seems to be doing ok.

For some fans the damage is done and until Tan leaves they wont return but for most fans a compromise has been reached.

Tan remains in control of the club to this day.

[James Stephen]

Good thread.

Hibs kinda did rebrand surely. In the 30s, Harry Swan changed the strip and the shade of green - from being the greens, to the green and whites. I dont know, but would be fascinated to know what contemporary fans' reactions were (one of those questions that you wish you could ask your granddad).

Also, at some undefined point, the Harp was discarded, and replaced with something non descript, and presumably non offensive to those 'customers' Swan was trying to attract, from out with Hibs traditional community.

The point then is that while some people would complain, drift away and protest just now, with a bit of football success and some time, it would just become normal, and any future Edinburgh HiBees fan in 2075 who wanted to change back to green, would be received the same way as a fan now who wants the club to reinstate the harp as the crest.

I find the whole debate about identity and what makes a club fascinating - i suppose it ultimately means different things to different people, and everyone would have their own 'trigger point'.

Hibernian have a particularly interesting and dare I say, complicated relationship with their own identity, so are probably a particuarly interesting club to look at for this.

Look at Hearts for example, their identity is as clear to them as it has been since their early days - they see themselves as Edinburgh's club, and always have. You would struggle to find a Hearts supporter who wasnt convinced of that. Obviously loads of Hibs fans would argue the point, but thats how they see themselves, and their view of themselves is a far more consistent and less contested one, than any of the identities that Hibs fans hold of themselves, i would say.

[Pagan Hibernia]

Good thread.

Hibs kinda did rebrand surely. In the 30s, Harry Swan changed the strip and the shade of green - from being the greens, to the green and whites. I dont know, but would be fascinated to know what contemporary fans' reactions were (one of those questions that you wish you could ask your granddad).

Also, at some undefined point, the Harp was discarded, and replaced with something non descript, and presumably non offensive to those 'customers' Swan was trying to attract, from out with Hibs traditional community.

The point then is that while some people would complain, drift away and protest just now, with a bit of football success and some time, it would just become normal, and any future Edinburgh HiBees fan in 2075 who wanted to change back to green, would be received the same way as a fan now who wants the club to reinstate the harp as the crest.

I find the whole debate about identity and what makes a club fascinating - i suppose it ultimately means different things to different people, and everyone would have their own 'trigger point'.

Hibernian have a particularly interesting and dare I say, complicated relationship with their own identity, so are probably a particuarly interesting club to look at for this.

Look at Hearts for example, their identity is as clear to them as it has been since their early days - they see themselves as Edinburgh's club, and always have. You would struggle to find a Hearts supporter who wasnt convinced of that. Obviously loads of Hibs fans would argue the point, but thats how they see themselves, and their view of themselves is a far more consistent and less contested one, than any of the identities that Hibs fans hold of themselves, i would say.

the harp is back on the crest, and rightly so.

I think Hibs are more comfortable with their identity now than they have ever been (well, since 1893 anyway).

the harp, the ship and the castle. Ireland, Leith and Edinburgh. That’s Hibs.

as for Hearts and their ‘We are the Edinburgh team’ stuff. Let them have it if it makes them happy. They represent the Establishment and that’s never a good look. Hibs for me, while obviously an Edinburgh team, are the team of the outsider and I quite like that.

[James Stephen]

the harp is back on the crest, and rightly so.

I think Hibs are more comfortable with their identity now than they have ever been (well, since 1893 anyway).

the harp, the ship and the castle. Ireland, Leith and Edinburgh. That’s Hibs.

as for Hearts and their ‘We are the Edinburgh team’ stuff. Let them have it if it makes them happy. They represent the Establishment and that’s never a good look. Hibs for me, while obviously an Edinburgh team, are the team of the outsider and I quite like that.

Yeah fair point, i was meaning reinstating the original club crest that stood for the first half of Hibs history before being discarded. To the OP, why was that different to what Tan did at Cardiff, new owner bringing in a new crest?

Your second point about being the outsiders is interesting. I agree with you that Hibs have always been 'the other' who werent quite Edinburgh enough - its undoubtedly part of the dynamic of the Edinburgh derby.

However, Hibs whole recent marketing approach has been about trying to move beyond that - add a thistle to the strip, to make sure everyone knows Hibs are Scottish. 'This is our City' and the map on the strip, all because Hibs aren't Edinburgh enough.

The difficulty with being niche, is that it generally doesnt play well with footballs insatiable desire to grow and have more money. There is an inherent tension between a niche identity, and a desire to appeal to a greater audience.

So to the OP's point, i think its entirely possible that someone like Gordon (or Swan previously), a businessman who sees opportunities to grow, to shed what they see as historic baggage in order to 'progress'. So the prospect of a name change to Edinburgh HiBees (or some variation) in order to better market the club in, say, a European league set up in the coming decades seems entirely plausible to me.

If it happened, fans would moan, some would drift away, but it would quickly become normal and accepted imo. That type of change has been a constant in Hibs history, and most fans now would say thats been a good thing i think?

[PolmontHibby]

Suitable companies
7up soft drinks co
Harp Lager
The 7up Stadium
Harp of Hibernian Stadium.


Seriously though, I would not want the like of the murderous Middle East thugs and corrupt oligarchs who have bought clubs in England, no matter how rich they are to be near Hibs.
Its a disgrace the UK government and football bodies allow this to happen.
Or am i just naive?

You are not naive in relation to it being possible to prevent what you are describing - it is not perfect (e.g. RB (Red Bull) Leipzeig an example of how rules not perfect) but look at the Bundesliga 50+1 model whereby majority control needs to be held by members that prevents the sort of external control of football clubs that has happened in the UK.

However the chances of a similar model being set up in Scotland probably zero.

[Mick O'Rourke]

Good thread.

Hibs kinda did rebrand surely. In the 30s, Harry Swan changed the strip and the shade of green - from being the greens, to the green and whites. I dont know, but would be fascinated to know what contemporary fans' reactions were (one of those questions that you wish you could ask your granddad).

Also, at some undefined point, the Harp was discarded, and replaced with something non descript, and presumably non offensive to those 'customers' Swan was trying to attract, from out with Hibs traditional community.

The point then is that while some people would complain, drift away and protest just now, with a bit of football success and some time, it would just become normal, and any future Edinburgh HiBees fan in 2075 who wanted to change back to green, would be received the same way as a fan now who wants the club to reinstate the harp as the crest.

I find the whole debate about identity and what makes a club fascinating - i suppose it ultimately means different things to different people, and everyone would have their own 'trigger point'.

Hibernian have a particularly interesting and dare I say, complicated relationship with their own identity, so are probably a particuarly interesting club to look at for this.

Look at Hearts for example, their identity is as clear to them as it has been since their early days - they see themselves as Edinburgh's club, and always have. You would struggle to find a Hearts supporter who wasnt convinced of that. Obviously loads of Hibs fans would argue the point, but thats how they see themselves, and their view of themselves is a far more consistent and less contested one, than any of the identities that Hibs fans hold of themselves, i would say.




Indeed the removal of the Harp(for whatever reasons ,its been debated here) did cause some uproar and loss of support.

Harry Swan divided the support. Many boycotted.Some never returned .
Its said the Edinburgh No1 Celtic SC was founded in the Canongate/Southside around that time.

As a schoolboy a fews years after the Harp's demise ,I can remember older fans still singing..

"We'll hang Harry Swan wae a rope aroond his neck"
(Tune: John Browns Body/The Hibs Song!))

Sometimes heard it on the St Giles bus !!,which left for away games from The Grassmarket back then.

[James Stephen]

Indeed the removal of the Harp(for whatever reasons ,its been debated here) did cause some uproar and loss of support.

Harry Swan divided the support. Many boycotted.Some never returned .
Its said the Edinburgh No1 Celtic SC was founded in the Canongate/Southside around that time.

As a schoolboy a fews years after the Harp's demise ,I can remember older fans still singing..

"We'll hang Harry Swan wae a rope aroond his neck"
(Tune: John Browns Body/The Hibs Song!))

Sometimes heard it on the St Giles bus !!,which left for away games from The Grassmarket back then.

Its a great story that, thanks.

I often think, Swan must have met with resistance, and possibly the outbreak of war, and Hibs post war success helped him 'sell it' (or negated the need to sell it, given the enormous crowds, who must have diluted the traditional Hibs support considerably). For example i know of older Hibs supporters who were very in line with the general 50s and 60s Scottish anti-catholicism, and would baulk at any suggestion of Hibs as an Irish /Catholic club. There must have been a lot of new hibs fans at that time who were similar.

If Gordon wanted to ditch the badge (obviously it wouldn't be as big a deal now, given its been changed 3 or 4 times in 70 odd years) change the strip and tweak the colour, how would hibs fans now react?

[Pagan Hibernia]

Its a great story that, thanks.

I often think, Swan must have met with resistance, and possibly the outbreak of war, and Hibs post war success helped him 'sell it' (or negated the need to sell it, given the enormous crowds, who must have diluted the traditional Hibs support considerably). For example i know of older Hibs supporters who were very in line with the general 50s and 60s Scottish anti-catholicism, and would baulk at any suggestion of Hibs as an Irish /Catholic club. There must have been a lot of new hibs fans at that time who were similar.

If Gordon wanted to ditch the badge (obviously it wouldn't be as big a deal now, given its been changed 3 or 4 times in 70 odd years) change the strip and tweak the colour, how would hibs fans now react?

with a great deal of alarm I would imagine. I would certainly be very angry and worried if he were to do that

[Eyrie]

For me, a lot would depend on the specific changes.

A change in the badge has been done several times and may be an improvement, as when we moved from Planet Saturn to the current badge. Difficult to improve on what we now have though.

A major change in our home jerseys (as opposed to the minor tweaks each season) would be much harder to take, as we've played in a green body with white sleeves for as long as any of us can remember other than the pathetic green t-shirt following relegation. And changing the home kit from green would be anathema.

A change to our stadium name, assuming we don't relocate, would be fine if "Easter Road" was still part of our name but not if it was removed. So "The 7up Easter Road" is acceptable but not the "7up Stadium".

A change in our name to include "Edinburgh" would be fine, as we'd still be known as Hibs. If at some point in the future a sponsor wanted us to bear their name, then that would be acceptable only if their name was a prefix or suffix to Hibernian, as with the stadium.

[Pagan Hibernia]

For me, a lot would depend on the specific changes.

A change in the badge has been done several times and may be an improvement, as when we moved from Planet Saturn to the current badge. Difficult to improve on what we now have though.

A major change in our home jerseys (as opposed to the minor tweaks each season) would be much harder to take, as we've played in a green body with white sleeves for as long as any of us can remember other than the pathetic green t-shirt following relegation. And changing the home kit from green would be anathema.

A change to our stadium name, assuming we don't relocate, would be fine if "Easter Road" was still part of our name but not if it was removed. So "The 7up Easter Road" is acceptable but not the "7up Stadium".

A change in our name to include "Edinburgh" would be fine, as we'd still be known as Hibs. If at some point in the future a sponsor wanted us to bear their name, then that would be acceptable only if their name was a prefix or suffix to Hibernian, as with the stadium.

I agree with your entire post apart from the final sentence.

a commercial sponsor added to the name of the club is totally unacceptable to me, with or without the name Hibernian added on to it.

[Since452]

If they played at Easter Road in green and white and were called Hibernian then that would do me. I could also reluctantly do a stadium move if it helped the club grow but a change of name too would see me lose interest. Wouldn't seem like my club anymore.

[ahibby]

I remember us singing We re the Edinburgh Hibees babe weve git class. So I wouldnt mind if we swapped Hibernian and Edinburgh around on our badge

[Dr What If?]

There is a president in Scottish football......https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/exclusive-250k-plan-to-rename-struggling-1047855

Obviously the Stirling Meerkats never happened, the league got involved and prevented it. A good thing in my opinion, we play in a poor man league in the richest game in the world....no club would be safe if we went down that route.

I didn't like it when for one season we played without green sleeves.....didn't look like my club but didn't stop me supporting them. I suppose it would depend on the extent of a rebrand....Edinburgh Hibernian I could reluctantly live with, The Edinburgh Capitals and I would be out.

[Iggy Pope]

I’d go to watch Hibs blitzing the league. Anyone who wouldn’t needs another faith!

[A Hi-Bee]

Just buy the new scarf, I would still call us Hibs and still go to Easter Rd, don't matter what it was called, too auld to change now, perhaps in a couple of generations they would take it as so, its progress for good or bad, things never stay the same, so we may as well make most money out of it when we can and move on up as they say.
:greengrin:greengrin:greengrin

[DstN75]

It's interesting where people draw the line. For me if the name of the club was substantially changed or the colours altered I think I'd be out. I wouldn't be at all bothered by the Stadium being sponsored or badge changing (although I really like the current badge) but that's just me, I get that others may feel more strongly.

If the worst happened - Edina Utd playing in red in the Rockstar Games Stadium in Prestonpans or something - and a new Hibs team started up I'd probably support them. Controversially I don't much care about Rangers being a 'new company' or whatever. I still hate them but to me the club is the fans, pretty much. They're a dreadful lot but if Rangers belongs to anyone it's them, really, and I don't bother much about a series of financial and company legal issues surrounding their awful football team. I'd be the same with a new hibs.

The post re Tan above is fascinating. I'd assume that a new owner would handle a rebrand very carefully (like why put hibs in red and call the Edina United, what would be the point? You'd obviously lose more fans than you'd gain) but the Cardiff experience seems to prove that there are owners stupid enough to attempt it.

[Pretty Boy]

If someone is coming here with the best intentions then they would show proper respect to the history and traditions of the club.

The guys who come in and dismiss all that (Ronanov at Hearts wanting a green away strip, Tan at Cardiff as previously mentioned) are the ones who tend to leave a trail of destruction in their wake.

Anyone comes along and wants to rebrand us as the Edinburgh Hiberniators and have us play in red and blue away strips for commercial purposes can do one.

[hibee-boys]

There’s been times this season I’ve struggled to muster the motivation to watch the real Hibs😂

[Jones28]

If someone is coming here with the best intentions then they would show proper respect to the history and traditions of the club.

The guys who come in and dismiss all that (Ronanov at Hearts wanting a green away strip, Tan at Cardiff as previously mentioned) are the ones who tend to leave a trail of destruction in their wake.

Anyone comes along and wants to rebrand us as the Edinburgh Hiberniators and have us play in red and blue away strips for commercial purposes can do one.

Surely it would be the Edinburgh Hibernators, as we seem to go to sleep every winter.

[Mick O'Rourke]

Its a great story that, thanks.

I often think, Swan must have met with resistance, and possibly the outbreak of war, and Hibs post war success helped him 'sell it' (or negated the need to sell it, given the enormous crowds, who must have diluted the traditional Hibs support considerably). For example i know of older Hibs supporters who were very in line with the general 50s and 60s Scottish anti-catholicism, and would baulk at any suggestion of Hibs as an Irish /Catholic club. There must have been a lot of new hibs fans at that time who were similar.

If Gordon wanted to ditch the badge (obviously it wouldn't be as big a deal now, given its been changed 3 or 4 times in 70 odd years) change the strip and tweak the colour, how would hibs fans now react?

Before WW2 there was a lot of resentment/hatred of the Catholic faith in Leith and Edinburgh,in particular Irish Catholics/descendants.
Discussed here not so long ago, the Anti- Catholic Protestant Action Society.
They,at one time had 9 members elected to Edinburgh Council .7 or 8 from Leith wards.

You mention Anti Catholic sentiment from our support in the 60s !?
Well,Irish rebel songs will still being sung then at games, home and away and on some supporters buses.
There was also some anti masonic stuff.
That may have been down to Harry Swan ,Harp removal and conspiracy theories about our future,(history,tradition )


I know it sounds cliched,but Hibernian are and always have been more than just a football club .
Reasons for our very being are quite unique.
Having suffered abuse and isolation from sections of society/community....
..not unsimilar to the bigoted older "supporters" you knew.

Think they got on the wrong bus,your pals.
If they were so hateful of Catholics,the mind boggles as to why they would follow Hibs,with such sectatrian views.
Glad they never stood next to and my pals.
They would have been leaving early..

Met those types all my life.Ignoramuses.
Only time in a church for most,was for weddings and funerals.

Ok,thats that said !!

Happy New Year,James

GGTTH
SOL
HGSP
:flag:




PS
Mind chatting with a rAngers guy in ma local before covid.
The whole Catholic players/manager thing came up.
His view was English,other European and South American Catholics dinnae count.
They do not like the Scottish/Irish ones !!

I was speechless, and those that know me would find that difficult to swallow !!


Soon changed their minds when Mo Johnton started scoring goals !

[PatHead]

There is an article on BBC sport about Unity FC. Worth a read. Can't add the link.

[Brizo]

Its a great story that, thanks.

I often think, Swan must have met with resistance, and possibly the outbreak of war, and Hibs post war success helped him 'sell it' (or negated the need to sell it, given the enormous crowds, who must have diluted the traditional Hibs support considerably). For example i know of older Hibs supporters who were very in line with the general 50s and 60s Scottish anti-catholicism, and would baulk at any suggestion of Hibs as an Irish /Catholic club. There must have been a lot of new hibs fans at that time who were similar.

If Gordon wanted to ditch the badge (obviously it wouldn't be as big a deal now, given its been changed 3 or 4 times in 70 odd years) change the strip and tweak the colour, how would hibs fans now react?

Harry Swan trod a fine line between preserving tradition and selling the club to the tens of thousands of new supporters you mention above and who were attracted by the Famous 5.

While the original Harp crest remained affixed to the stadium exterior wall, the crest that the club used in its day-to-day business (including on league winners medals and the Coronation Cup Final programme) from the end of WW2 onwards was the Edinburgh coat of arms. It was amended to include a football and a scroll reading "Edinburgh Hibernian Football Club".