Lee Johnson pleads for Hibs board reprieve as fans call for embattled manager to be sacked

Embattled Hibs manager Lee Johnson has pleaded with the Easter Road board to continue supporting him – in both his position and in the last few days of the transfer window – despite presiding over a pointless start to the Premiership season.

Hibs manager Lee Johnson faced calls to be sacked from supporters after the 3-2 home defeat to Livingston. (Photo by Simon Wootton / SNS Group)

Speaking after yesterday’s 3-2 home loss to Livingston, Johnson said he understood why supporters were loudly calling for his dismissal on another tough day for the Hibees. But asked about the club’s position on his future, he said: “I hope they stick with me, I really do, because I want to be here. I’d never throw the towel in.

“And I understand there will be fans calling for my head. But I genuinely believe that we’ll do it. I think we’ve got a good squad, I think we’ve had a few issues – and we’ve got to tidy up our defensive stuff.

“We can still add, don’t forget. The window is still open and I’ve been consistent in what I believe we need to add, in house. I won’t say that publicly but it’s something I’ve been banging the drum about for some time now – and I’m sure that they’ll do everything they can to help.

“I'm disappointed because I love it here, and I believe in us. But at the same time I've experienced this before in my career. I think it's magnified by the fact that we're three games into the season. That's key; nobody wants to be zero for three.

"We're working extremely hard here. We will turn it; the season and the league settles down when it becomes week to week. I hope that when we do turn it around, and we will, that those fans accept that and come back onside.

“I can understand the scrutiny. I have been here before. It’s not nice. There’s a human there as well and sometimes people forget that.”

Victorious Livi boss David Martindale could afford to joke about Mo Sangare’s shooting prowess when the substitute lined up a strike from 25 yards for the visitors’ third, revealing: “I think I was the only one in the stadium shouting: ‘Mo don’t shoot!’.

“We do a shooting drill where Mo says: ‘gaffer I’m going to lick it’ and every week I ask: ‘Mo, when I am going to see this ball getting licked?’. He came off the park tonight and said: ‘Gaffer I licked it.’ And I said: ‘You certainly did, kid!’”