Hibs board say new boss will have their full backing

Hibs' new manager will be backed to the hilt by the Easter Road board, chairman Rod Petrie has assured supporters following the departure of John Hughes.

The search for a new boss was well underway today with Petrie convinced there will be no shortage of interest in a job which he believes is among the most attractive in Scotland, revealing the "texts, emails and telephones have already been red hot."

Petrie was questioned by shareholders at Hibs' annual general meeting as to what support Hughes' successor could expect given they'd just been told the wages to turnover ratio, seen as a barometer of a football club's financial health, had risen to 68 per cent.

• Who would you want to replace John Hughes? Vote here

But, while agreeing the new manager will, for the time being, have to work with the same players Hughes had at his disposal given the transfer window is closed at present, Petrie insisted the club's track record in supporting successive bosses over the years was impressive and would continue.

Pointing out how Hughes had brought in players over three successive transfer windows with six new faces arriving over the summer, Petrie said: "The new manager will have to deal with the players he has and we hope that he can weave his magic and get good performances.

"But the board will support the manager. We have increased wages year-on-year. Over the past five years, no manager has faced a cut in his budget."

Although Hibs, like every other football club, are facing tough times in the current financial climate, Petrie insisted their projections were that the current level of expenditure would be sustained, the latest figures showing staff costs had increased to 4.8?million, a two per cent rise, in the past year with players' wages making up the vast bulk of that figure.

The departure of Hughes and his assistant Brian Rice has left first-team coach Gareth Evans, goalkeeping coach Scott Thomson and youth coach Alistair Stevenson in charge of training sessions but, while the international break has given Hibs some breathing space as they search for what will be their ninth manager in 11 years, Petrie insisted they won't be rushed into making an appointment.

He said: "We have the best part of two weeks to try to make progress but we do not see it as imperative that we have a new (management] team in place for the Kilmarnock game, we want to take care and time."

The chairman agreed it was a "disappointment" that Hughes,

• For all the latest Hibs news alerts follow our Hibs Facebook page