This an excellent official summary of Hibs fans' sentiments on the Bounce forum and I must say their Admin people should hand in a copy to Hibs CEO who should pin a copy of it on every wall of the Easter Road Stadium. It's a good read for any interested Hibs fan on this board with good references to Rangers financial dealings that covered the transfers of their younger players, Lewis McLeod and Charlie Telfer - enlightening stuff!
We don't often make statements about things unless we feel there is an absolute need. Today there is an absolute need for us, as a support, to make it clear how we feel about the Scott Allan situation.
The internet has brought many benefits to modern life. Without it there would be no means of communicating instantly in a wide range of ways with people from every community on the planet. There would be no Hibees Bounce for us to even be having this discussion. However, that same internet and all its benefits also brings with it a platform for every lazy journalist, every sad internet troll getting kicks in an otherwise sad life and every unscrupulous football agent/player/club/supporter to destabilise clubs, unsettle players or simply annoy the hell out of other supporters.
That 48 hour period that preceded Saturday's match has seen the worst of the internet in all its gory. Yes, gory!
Scott Allan, a player much admired and appreciated by the Hibernian support, was a young man with no football profile to speak of and a career going nowhere this time last year. He was given a fantastic opportunity to rebuild his football prospects and start playing on a regular basis thanks to the connections and good judgement of the Hibernian management team. He has thrived in the Hibernian family and his star is on the rise. It has been a good fit for both parties and it can only continue to get better. Scott is good for Hibs and Hibs are good for Scott.
However, every story needs its pantomime villain and this is where that newly formed football club, The Rangers, enter stage left. In a manner that is somewhat familiar, this GRFC tribute act seem to think they have a right to interfere with the business of direct competitors in a league they need to get out of this season - anything short of that will be deemed wholly unacceptable by the "The Rangers" hordes, those who do their bidding in public and in private and those who have put money into this new club. They appear to believe they have a divine right to unsettle and then sign Scott Allan.
Their actions in those last 24 hours have been highly questionable. The two sides clashed at ER at the end of that 48 hour period and they chose this juncture to start 'stirring the pot' when the transfer window has been open for weeks. What a coincidence eh!!!! They have been rightly rebuffed, and exposed, by Hibs CEO, Leeann Dempster, after what can only be described as a derisory and insulting offer for the player. They have clearly only taken that step to bring the discussion, speculation and phoney war out into the open.
In the last year, The Rangers have sold Lewis McLeod - a player both younger, less experienced and less decorated than Scott Allan - for a deal thought to be worth £1.3 million with add ons included. Ten times the bid they have made for Allan. In the last year they have been awarded £200,000 compensation for Charlie Telfer, a player who has played ONE game for The Rangers. Those statistics in themselves illustrate only too well the contempt that Hibernian have been shown by these chancers doing their bidding.
Hibernian, via Leeann Dempster and Alan Stubbs, have said all the right things. We hope very much that this is not their side of a phoney war and that they are as genuine in their actions as they are in their words. This is NOT an attack on either of those individuals. It has to be made clear that the contribution both have made to a significant improvement in club morale, relations with the fans and hope for the future is gratefully acknowledged by the majority of the support. They have been good for Hibs and Hibs have been good for them. Hibs star, like Scott's, is on the rise. Stubbs' star, like Hibs one, is on the rise. Leeann's star, like the club she now runs, is on the rise. Moving forward together, special things could well be achieved and unity is the key element.
And this is where this Editorial comes in.
How the club (Leeann, Alan and anyone else involved in decision making) manage this situation ,in the next 48 hours and 48 days, will have a significant impact on all our chances of moving forward as one. Despite the disappointment of not being promoted last season, most feel we are within touching distance of making that happen. Most people are on board. There are tangible signs of a feel good factor that could be undone with one wrong step. Increased ST sales, increased home shirt sales, away shirt sales...shares. But more than anything, far more than anything...trust!!!
Scott Allan also has a responsibility not to bring himself and those advising him into disrepute. As already indicated, he has been good for Hibs but he cannot forget the part Hibs have played in his career resurrection. Hibs have been good to him. Stubbs has been good for him. Some football events last week have shown that behaving in a certain way can engineer moves for you, if you really want it and the club you are going to have the funds to make it happen at any price - eg Raheem Sterling's move to Man City. His name is mud in Liverpool for ever more. Also the fact of the matter is Rangers FC don't have the money to pay the market value. Some supporters might be worried about us forcing an unhappy player to stay at the club but there is no indication that Scott is actually unhappy. And it IS possible for a player to shine for a club even after having a "dream move" turned down. Sterling's former team mate Luis Suarez showed that in the most emphatic manner in his last season at Anfield. It comes down to the professionalism of the player and the substance of the man.
We didn't need this distraction last Thursday, Friday or any other day between now and the end of August. The Rangers 2012 tribute act know this. However, we also cannot afford, in every sense, to sell him to them. Whatever happens between now and the close of the transfer window that one outcome MUST NOT HAPPEN.
We don't often make statements about things unless we feel there is an absolute need. Today there is an absolute need for us, as a support, to make it clear how we feel about the Scott Allan situation.
The internet has brought many benefits to modern life. Without it there would be no means of communicating instantly in a wide range of ways with people from every community on the planet. There would be no Hibees Bounce for us to even be having this discussion. However, that same internet and all its benefits also brings with it a platform for every lazy journalist, every sad internet troll getting kicks in an otherwise sad life and every unscrupulous football agent/player/club/supporter to destabilise clubs, unsettle players or simply annoy the hell out of other supporters.
That 48 hour period that preceded Saturday's match has seen the worst of the internet in all its gory. Yes, gory!
Scott Allan, a player much admired and appreciated by the Hibernian support, was a young man with no football profile to speak of and a career going nowhere this time last year. He was given a fantastic opportunity to rebuild his football prospects and start playing on a regular basis thanks to the connections and good judgement of the Hibernian management team. He has thrived in the Hibernian family and his star is on the rise. It has been a good fit for both parties and it can only continue to get better. Scott is good for Hibs and Hibs are good for Scott.
However, every story needs its pantomime villain and this is where that newly formed football club, The Rangers, enter stage left. In a manner that is somewhat familiar, this GRFC tribute act seem to think they have a right to interfere with the business of direct competitors in a league they need to get out of this season - anything short of that will be deemed wholly unacceptable by the "The Rangers" hordes, those who do their bidding in public and in private and those who have put money into this new club. They appear to believe they have a divine right to unsettle and then sign Scott Allan.
Their actions in those last 24 hours have been highly questionable. The two sides clashed at ER at the end of that 48 hour period and they chose this juncture to start 'stirring the pot' when the transfer window has been open for weeks. What a coincidence eh!!!! They have been rightly rebuffed, and exposed, by Hibs CEO, Leeann Dempster, after what can only be described as a derisory and insulting offer for the player. They have clearly only taken that step to bring the discussion, speculation and phoney war out into the open.
In the last year, The Rangers have sold Lewis McLeod - a player both younger, less experienced and less decorated than Scott Allan - for a deal thought to be worth £1.3 million with add ons included. Ten times the bid they have made for Allan. In the last year they have been awarded £200,000 compensation for Charlie Telfer, a player who has played ONE game for The Rangers. Those statistics in themselves illustrate only too well the contempt that Hibernian have been shown by these chancers doing their bidding.
Hibernian, via Leeann Dempster and Alan Stubbs, have said all the right things. We hope very much that this is not their side of a phoney war and that they are as genuine in their actions as they are in their words. This is NOT an attack on either of those individuals. It has to be made clear that the contribution both have made to a significant improvement in club morale, relations with the fans and hope for the future is gratefully acknowledged by the majority of the support. They have been good for Hibs and Hibs have been good for them. Hibs star, like Scott's, is on the rise. Stubbs' star, like Hibs one, is on the rise. Leeann's star, like the club she now runs, is on the rise. Moving forward together, special things could well be achieved and unity is the key element.
And this is where this Editorial comes in.
How the club (Leeann, Alan and anyone else involved in decision making) manage this situation ,in the next 48 hours and 48 days, will have a significant impact on all our chances of moving forward as one. Despite the disappointment of not being promoted last season, most feel we are within touching distance of making that happen. Most people are on board. There are tangible signs of a feel good factor that could be undone with one wrong step. Increased ST sales, increased home shirt sales, away shirt sales...shares. But more than anything, far more than anything...trust!!!
Scott Allan also has a responsibility not to bring himself and those advising him into disrepute. As already indicated, he has been good for Hibs but he cannot forget the part Hibs have played in his career resurrection. Hibs have been good to him. Stubbs has been good for him. Some football events last week have shown that behaving in a certain way can engineer moves for you, if you really want it and the club you are going to have the funds to make it happen at any price - eg Raheem Sterling's move to Man City. His name is mud in Liverpool for ever more. Also the fact of the matter is Rangers FC don't have the money to pay the market value. Some supporters might be worried about us forcing an unhappy player to stay at the club but there is no indication that Scott is actually unhappy. And it IS possible for a player to shine for a club even after having a "dream move" turned down. Sterling's former team mate Luis Suarez showed that in the most emphatic manner in his last season at Anfield. It comes down to the professionalism of the player and the substance of the man.
We didn't need this distraction last Thursday, Friday or any other day between now and the end of August. The Rangers 2012 tribute act know this. However, we also cannot afford, in every sense, to sell him to them. Whatever happens between now and the close of the transfer window that one outcome MUST NOT HAPPEN.
