Eddie May Ends 12-Year Hibernian Coaching Tenure

Eddie May will walk away from Easter Road at the end of June, bringing down the curtain on a 12-year spell that has quietly underpinned much of Hibernian’s modern era.

For Hibs supporters of a certain age, May is first remembered in green and white rather than in a tracksuit. Between 1985 and 1989 he pulled on the shirt more than 100 times, a dependable presence long before the club’s current training centre or academy pathways existed. He left as a player, but he never really drifted far from the club’s orbit.

He returned in 2014 and set about the unglamorous, essential work that often decides whether a club progresses or stalls. Academy roles. Player development. First-team duties. May moved between them all, a bridge between generations and regimes as Hibs lurched through promotions, cup triumphs and managerial changes.

When turbulence hit in 2019, he stepped into the line of fire. Twice. Installed as caretaker manager on two separate occasions that year, he steadied the side and won three of the five matches he took charge of. It was a brief taste of the frontline again, and he delivered exactly what was needed: calm, results, and a dressing room that listened.

The latest chapter began only this summer. In June 2024, as Hibernian confirmed David Gray as head coach, May was named as one of his assistant coaches alongside Liam Craig. It looked like a continuation of a long-running partnership between club stalwart and emerging manager.

Then came another twist. Last week, Hibs announced the return of John Potter, previously assistant to Jack Ross from 2019 to 2021. With Potter back in the building and Gray shaping his own backroom, the landscape changed. May’s departure at the end of the month now feels like the closing of a long, loyal service rather than a routine staff reshuffle.

Gray did not hide the personal weight of the decision.

"I would like to personally thank Eddie for everything he has done for the club and for the support he has given me over the years, both as a player and a coach," the Hibs head coach said. "He has been a fantastic mentor, colleague and friend to me over the years and I am extremely grateful for all his support, advice and commitment."

That word — mentor — is the one that follows May around. Before this long Hibs chapter, he had already taken on the responsibility of management at Falkirk between 2009 and 2010. At Easter Road, his influence has been less about headlines and more about the players and coaches who walked away better for having worked with him.

May himself framed his exit in typically understated fashion, calling it "an incredible privilege to work alongside so many dedicated players, coaches, supporters and friends who have made this journey so special".

Hibernian move on with Gray, Craig and Potter now shaping the technical area. May moves on after giving the club more than most ever see from the stands. The next time Easter Road salutes him, it will be as a visitor, not a fixture behind the scenes — and that, for a man so woven into the club’s fabric, will feel like the biggest change of all.