Hibs' financial position laid bare in Zoom meeting as players asked to consider wage cuts

Easter Road Stadium during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. (Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Hibs’ delicate financial position was spelled out to players in an online meeting last night, the Evening News understands.

The first team squad were summoned to a Zoom call and asked to consider taking wage cuts to help the club through the Covid-19 crisis, although no percentages have been discussed at this stage.

Any players willing to accept a drop in salary will be invited to renegotiate the terms of their contract.

Consulatiations are also taking place with non-playing staff while it has been reported that members of the backroom team have been released, with voluntary redundancies also on the table.

Hibs stars have had a proportion of their wages deferred since the start of the football shutdown in March, but owner Ron Gordon has now warned that further cuts are required in order to safeguard the club’s future.

The loss of gate income from the curtailed 2019/20 campaign, and the prospect of closed doors matches once the new Scottish Premiership season starts in August, has left the club facing a "significant loss".

Mr Gordon said: “We must now focus our limited resources on our core business – and that is supporting our first team to deliver success on the pitch. That is what we are here to do.

“This scaling back will have an impact on our people, and we enter into a period of consultation with them to discuss the potential impact on them. I would like to thank the contribution and efforts of all of our staff during this difficult time."

Edinburgh rivals Hearts secured wage cuts of up to 50 per cent for their first team squad last month after owner Ann Budge raised the possibility of terminating contracts under the controversial clause 12.

Easter Road bosses will now hope to reach an amicable agreement with players and staff ahead of the squad's return to training next Monday, with any signing plans on hold until the internal financial situation is addressed.