On a hard Wednesday in Edinburgh, a club said goodbye to a man it will never forget. David Gray's 12-year stay at Easter Road ended with Hibernian ninth in the Scottish Premiership after just six games Bent... but his captain wants everyone to remember the whole story, not just the losing streak. "He's not just a living legend," said Joe Newell. "He'll go down in history."
Newell, a 33-year-old midfielder who has played alongside Gray since signing in 2019aiman, watched his mentor lose his job after three straight defeats. But rather than point fingers, Newell turned the blame inward. "There's an element of blame for all of us," he said. "He always took responsibility, always protected his players, which I thought was noble and kind of summed him up as a man."
It's a rare and refreshing thing in football: a sacked manager leaving with glowing words from his own captain. Newell was made skipper when Gray became head coach, so he saw the man's work up close. And he's clear about the record.
The numbers back him up. Gray is the man who captained Hibs to Scottish Cup glory in 2016, famously scoring a stoppage-time winner against Rangers in the final at Hampden — a goal that ended the club's 114-year wait for the trophy. That moment alone sealed his place in club history. His name is etched into the memory of every fan who was there that day.
But there was more to come. As a rookie head coach, Gray led the Edinburgh club to third and fifth-place finishes in the league, climbing the table from where they'd been before he took charge.
"This is a massive success," Newell said of Gray's time leading the club. "The more time goes on, the more people will appreciate that. From the place we were in to where we went under Dave is something he should be proud of. We've had some amazing memories over the last couple of years and some really good achievements."
It's a reminder that in football — and in life — a person's legacy is more than their final match. Gray's exit came during a rough patch, but the leader who lifted a trophy, steadied a club, and protected his players through it all leaves behind something far bigger than a win column.
"Football moves on quickly," Newell admitted. "But I think it's important everyone at the club remembers him for what he's done — and I'm sure they will."
As for the season ahead, Newell believes the new manager has time on his side. There are still more than 30 league games to play. The captain is looking forward, not just back. In a sport famous for moving on fast and forgetting quicker, Hibernian's players are choosing to remember — and that says as much about them as it does about the legend they lost.