Former Hibs player starts managerial career in the Borders

Former Hibs’ player Martin ‘Jimmy’ Scott has taken his first steps in management after being appointed boss of Lowland League side Gala Fairydean Rovers following the departure of Neil Hastings to Livingston.

Scott who played 29 games for Hibs after being signed by Colin Calderwood from Ross County in January 2011. He scored two goals, both in a 5-0 League Cup win over Berwick Ranges but left the club after just over one year after Calderwood was replaced by Pat Fenlon.

He has been with Gala for six months as first team coach and is relishing the opportunity to take charge at Netherdale.

He said: “I’m honoured and excited to be appointed manager of the club and I am really looking forward to getting started. It will be a smooth transition for me, and this is credit to the players, staff and everyone who’s involved in the operation of the club.

“I’ve worked very closely with Neil over the last 6 months and ultimately the philosophy will remain the same in how we want to approach the game although I will always keep putting the demands on the players to improve on the good work already done.

“I have added Steven Craig to assist with first team operations and to attract someone of Stevie’s pedigree shows what a fantastic club we have here and he’s very excited to start working with myself, staff and the squad.”

Bradford City manager Derek Adams believes that the pair have the qualities and character to succeed at Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Adams played with Scott under Paul Lambert at Livingston and with Craig at Aberdeen. And he managed both during a hugely successful spell at Ross County.

In 2011 the current Gala pair not only played in the historic Scottish cup semi-final victory over Celtic but both scored in the 2-0 win.

He then joined Hibs as Calderwood’s number two and was instrumental in bringing Scott to Easter Road.

He told us: “I always thought that Jimmy (Martin Scott) would stay in the game as a coach, though if I’m being honest, I didn’t think he’d become a manager but when I spoke to him Tuesday night he sounded just like a manager.

“He knows how he wants his team to play football and can be very forceful. It’s difficult being a young manager and I explained to him that he has to use the experience he picked up as a player and take things from managers that he played under. I know he has worked for some very good managers, but he has to look at how they dealt with things and decided which he liked and which he didn’t like.

“Him and Steve (Craig) are very different characters although both have tempers and both have the ability to look after people so either one could be the good cop or the bad cop.

“I was delighted to learn that he had been appointed manager of Gala Fairydean Rovers and had brought Steve (Craig) in as his assistant. They were both great for me at Ross County and were part of a really good group of players and I’m sure that they have what’s needed to be a success in the Borders.”