Rowan Vine apologies for ‘unacceptable’ exit

SUMMER signing Rowan Vine has issued a public apology over Hibs’ “unacceptable” European exit and has vowed to help the team recover from the horror show once the domestic season kicks off.

The Easter Road outfit meekly surrendered to a 7-0 thrashing at home to Malmo on Thursday night to succumb to the biggest aggregate defeat – 9-0 – suffered by a Scottish team in European competition. The Europa League result heaps huge pressure on manager Pat Fenlon, who also presided over the humiliation of Hibs’ 5-1 hammering from Hearts in the Scottish Cup last year. However, Vine – who had a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside shortly after Magnus Eriksson had given the Swedes a 21st-minute opener – is adamant he and his team-mates will be doing everything they can to recover from the defeat when they begin their SPFL Premiership campaign against Motherwell next Sunday.

The 30-year-old former St Johnstone striker said: “I’d like to offer apologies for our performance. It was a bad night all round and is unacceptable. We are a young team but need to learn quickly. All we can do is work hard and focus on the start of the league season.

“We need the fans with us and [they] were brilliant all the way through because it could not have been easy.

Responding to the defeat on social media after the match, he added: “[We] win and lose altogether as a team, but for tonight an apology is required.”