Fans turn Hibs chief's pennies into pounds for orphans

HIBS chairman Rod Petrie is renowned throughout Scottish football for making every penny go as far as possible.

But even he will profess to being impressed by the financial dexterity of a group of Easter Road fans who have turned 50p into 60 – and counting.

What began as a bit of banter between Petrie and the fans has raised some serious cash for the club's Dnipro Appeal.

Petrie was making his usual pre-match "walk through" of the bars and hospitality areas at Easter Road before the recent win over St Mirren when he found himself waylaid by the supporters and persuaded to part with the 50p.

Fan David Campbell, 51, said: "Not every chairman would do it, but Rod comes through before every match, stopping at the various tables and chatting to supporters.

"He made the mistake of sitting down at our table when one of the lads joked he must have a tab at the bar. Rod produced a 50p piece, pleading poverty but my brother Roy snaffled it."

Initially seen as a memento from a man with a reputation for being careful with money, the coin was duly mounted and framed with Petrie's signature confirming it was genuine.

Since then a bidding war for the coin has erupted on fans' message boards with the latest offer standing at 60, although it is hoped even that figure will be bettered.

Mr Campbell, an independent financial advisor from Dunfermline, said: "It's all been a bit of fun for a worthy cause. It's good to see the Dnipro Appeal, set up by Hibs fans, alive and kicking five years on."

Bidding for the coin, which can be done via Hibs.net and the HibeesBounce websites, will end next Saturday.

Petrie added: "It was only a bit of light-hearted banter, but it's good the fans are making a small amount of money go a long way for such a good cause."

The Dnipro Appeal supports three orphanages and a mother and baby centre in Dnipropetrovsk. It was set up after ex-manager Tony Mowbray took his side to face Dnipropetrovsk in the Ukraine, where a group of Hibs supporters – led by Steven Carr and Mark Strachan – took time out to visit a local orphanage and pass on the best wishes of all Scottish football fans.

Mr Carr and Mr Strachan, along with their army of helpers in green and white, raised enough money to supply the Ukrainian orphanage with items such as boots, winter coats and new bed sheets, and Hibs supporters have continued raising money for the charity ever since.