Hibs Advance in Conference League: Fans Debate Gray’s Tactics

Hibernian are into the Conference League play-off, job ticked, money banked, European run alive. A goalless draw away to Shkendija in North Macedonia was all they needed after the first-leg advantage, and they got it. No drama, no frills, no goals – and not everyone in green and white is thrilled about how it looked.

For some, Thursday night was exactly what a European away tie should be: disciplined, pragmatic, and forgettable in all the right ways.

“Job done,” said Calum. “Not pretty but a clean sheet away in Europe is nothing to be sniffed at.”

Neil struck the same note. “Well done Hibs, not pretty but a professional job. Let's hope we can get over this last hurdle and into the next stage for the first time.” The history on offer in the play-off matters to supporters who have watched too many false dawns on the continent.

John was relaxed about the spectacle too. “Well done Hibs, not the best of games to watch but who cares. Getting to the play-offs is all that counted. I feel the team were never in any danger, Shkendija played better at Easter Road.” In his eyes, this was control, not caution.

That calm, though, is not universal.

The tie followed on from the high of beating Rangers at the weekend, and that contrast sharpened the debate. Kenny sees a team capable of far more than sitting in and seeing games out.

“A great result following on from the win against Rangers at the weekend,” he said. “David Gray now needs to have more faith that we can beat teams around us without resorting to the defensive tactics that we seem to deploy in the Premiership. The fans will get behind the manager and the team if we can play off the front foot and stop losing goals when we give the ball away just outside the 18-yard box. The players are there, no good being too negative.”

The message is clear: Europe is one thing, but supporters want that belief and front-foot intent to carry into domestic football, not just appear in marquee fixtures.

A Graham went further, unimpressed by both the opposition and Hibs’ level across the two legs. While David Gray talked up Shkendija, the supporter’s assessment was blunt.

“Gray says Shkendija were a really good side, they were awful and we played at their level over the tie with poor passing. We were lacklustre up front and our record signing can't get a game. Hopefully some more signings to come as I'm struggling to see improvements in the ones we have so far. Hopefully we'll click into gear as the Rangers game seems the exception to the norm right now.”

That cuts to the heart of the unease. Yes, Hibs are through. Yes, they’ve just beaten Rangers. But the performance in North Macedonia did little to convince some that this team is evolving quickly enough, or that the attacking talent is being fully trusted.

So Hibs move on, ninety minutes from a place in the Conference League proper, with a support base pulled between satisfaction and impatience. The play-off now looms as more than just another European tie – it’s a test of whether Gray’s pragmatism can carry them somewhere they’ve never been, or whether he’ll be pushed to let this side off the leash.