Leeann Dempster has decided to leave Hibs after more than six busy and successful years at the helm at Easter Road.
She was approached and accepted the position in the spring of 2014, when Hibernian was mid-table in the Scottish Premier League. Despite subsequent relegation, she maintained her commitment to come to Easter Road from Motherwell.
Since then she has enjoyed great success in rebuilding the fortunes of the club, including the historic and long-awaited Scottish Cup triumph in 2016 and returning to the top-flight the following year after winning the Championship, boosting season ticket sales and attendance levels in the process.
Ms Dempster said: “The club had been relegated when I joined, and I was determined – with the help of a terrific group of people – to rebuild and restore the club to make its supporters proud on and off the pitch. The Cup win was the highlight, of course, but there have been many fantastic moments.
“I think it is genuinely the right time, both for the club and for me, to move on to a new chapter. It has been an intense and fulfilling time of my life. I have grown to love the club and the Hibernian family, but the club is in good hands and has an exciting future ahead of it. I wanted to make sure Ron settled in following the transaction, and I think we have achieved that.
“I’ve enjoyed working with him and I have learned a lot in the process. Supporters should be optimistic and excited about Ron’s plans for the club’s future, and I know they will continue to support the club in the magnificent fashion that they have done during my time, especially during recent months when they absolutely stepped up when we most needed them.
“I thank every one of them for making this job such an enjoyable one. Now I look forward to the excitement of taking on a new challenge.”
Chairman Ronald J Gordon expressed his disappointment at Leeann’s pending departure but stressed that he understood and supported her decision.
He said: “I would have liked Leeann to stay. She has done a terrific job throughout her time at the club and I know how highly regarded she is by every supporter and within football. She has explained that she believes it is the right time for her and for the club – that she is ready to pursue a new and different challenge, and that she wants to spend more time with her family.
“She has obviously thought long and hard about this and we now have to accept and respect her view. I am happy to say she will work with us to ensure a smooth transition as we decide how to best move forward and thank her for her continued commitment to the club. She has definitely left her mark at Hibernian, and everyone at Hibs should be very grateful to her, I know I am, and all of us wish her every success.
Ron added: “I know this development will be a surprise to supporters. I can assure them that Leeann has promised to stay in touch and has promised me she will always be available to help me, as she has from my first day at Hibs, with valued advice, guidance and support. I am forever grateful – she will most certainly be missed!”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
