Franck Sauzee: Hibs fans eagerly await return of Le God to Easter Road

Franck Sauzee celebrates alongside Hibs team-mate John Hughes in a 1999 derby.

A football messiah to the Hibs support, the man they nicknamed Le God during his three years in Leith will return to EH7 to perform a couple of ceremonial tasks and take in the Premiership match against Motherwell.

Fans are being urged to get into the stadium early so they can hail their hero when he delivers the match ball ahead of kick-off. The former player, captain and manager will also unveil the ‘Oor Frankie’ version of the ‘Oor Wullie’ models which was donated to the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation.

Painted wearing a late 1990s Hibs strip and named in honour of Sauzee, the jovial statue will be exhibited at Easter Road, along with a ‘Friends of Oor Franckie’ display board, recognising the generous donations from supporters to the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation.

The cultured footballer, who played for the club from 1999 to 2001, and then spent a short spell as manager, is an ambassador for the Hanlon Stevenson Foundation and was back in the capital in April for a fundraising dinner for the charity.

A fabulous trip down memory lane, as former team-mates, managers and famous fans all chatted through their favourite recollections of a man who joined the club from Montpellier and went on to make 9 appearances for the Hibees.

A classy defender, who had a wonderful pedigree, having been capped 40 times for France and won the Champions League, four Ligue 1 titles, one Ligue 2 title and two Coupe de France, a Hibs he scored 16 goals and helped Alex McLeish’s men win promotion from the Championship in 1998/99 before going on to finish third in the top tier.

The fact that his fleeting stint as manager did not tarnish his reputation with the Hibs faithful, underlines the high esteem in which he is still held.

The Frenchman has said he is excited to return to Easter Road.