Martin Boyle has left Hibernian FC to join Saudi Arabian club, Al-Faisaly.
The Australian international has departed for a significant undisclosed seven-figure fee.
After making 265 appearances and scoring 65 goals, Boyle has called time on his seven-year period at the club.
Boyle has been an instrumental part of Hibernian FC after joining initially on loan in the Scottish Championship in January 2015 from Dundee. After becoming a permanent member of the team, he was part of the squad that lifted the Scottish Cup in 2016. He was an unused substitute in that game but scored in the penalty shoot-out against Dundee United in the semi-final.
A year later he played a key role, scoring nine goals, as the club won the Scottish Championship and returned to the top-flight.
From that point, Boyle grew and matured, and was named Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year for the 2020/21 campaign. Supporters may remember his first-half hat-trick against Rangers in the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup, and, of course, his infectious, upbeat personality.
Hibernian FC’s Chief Executive Ben Kensell commented: “We’d like to begin by thanking Martin Boyle for everything he’s done for Hibernian FC over the last seven-years. He created some really special memories with us and gave everything for the supporters.
“Letting Martin go was a difficult decision to make as he’s an important player for us, but equally when a player is presented with a life-changing option in-front of him and makes it clear that it’s an option he’d like to take, then we have to listen.
“Discussion have been on-going for a long period with Martin, and he understood our stance. We took a firm, but fair approach and he conducted himself incredibly well during what’s been a difficult period for him, and we thank him for that.
“We wish him all the best for the future, and he will always be welcome back at Hibernian FC.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
