Hibs boss Lee Johnson given top four target as Ron Gordon reveals progress

Hibs chairman Ron Gordon believes a top-four Premiership finish should be the aim for the team this season.

The Easter Road club are under new management with Lee Johnson taking over from Shaun Maloney, while 11 signings have been made with a new centre-back also expected to be added.

The campaign has got off to a less than positive start with Hibs knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup in the group stages. Despite wins over Bonnyrigg Rose and Clyde, the team lost to Falkirk then drew with Greenock Morton, losing on penalties. That draw became a defeat after it was discovered Johnson had fielded a suspended player, resulting in a 3-0 reverse due to the breach of SPFL's competition rules.

Despite the difficult start to the season, Gordon is still hopeful of a significant improvement on last season’s eighth place finish.

"Top four would be a successful season for us,” he told supporters during a sit down with Hibs podcasts, “that’s what we are angling for.

"I’d be happy with top five but certainly we need to be in the top of the table. I think we are good enough to be at the top of the table.

"At the end of the day we need to deliver, we need to do more so this is the challenge.”

Gordon, who took over Hibs in 2019, believes progress has been made at the club and continues to be made.

Ron Gordon is "angling" for a top-four finish for Hibs. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

He spoke effusively about the improvements around the club, whether at Easter Road or the training ground in East Lothian, while talking up fan engagement and changes to hospitality and the fan experience.

On the field, his aim is to see the club “consistently playing in Europe”.

"We're making progress,” he said. “Unfortunately we had Covid and that was two steps back. The club took some significant losses.

"Since then we’ve made some improvements, corporate partnerships, we’re growing our top line and doing better with that.

"Something I am very happy about is our hospitality has sold very, very well. I’m excited about that because that is revenue that is going to go back to the club.

"We're making progress. At the end of the day we want to build a club not just a team.”