CLUTCH OF ENGLISH CLUBS TO CHECK ON FRONTMAN IN FINAL
resolve seems likely this summer should they fail to gain promotion to the Premiership via the SPFL play-offs. Easter Road chief executive Leeann Dempster has admitted the Edinburgh club are likely to lose a sum in the region of £800,000 this year. ‘There are no wheels coming off,’ said Dempster in an interview. ‘And, if they don’t make it up this year, there will be no let-up in the ambition. ‘We lost around £800,000 last year and we are on target to be somewhere near that again but we have not done the work we have done in the past two years to rebuild the structure within this great club to just chuck it if the worst happens. ‘You have to be bold. ‘I’m not thinking about it just now because I don’t want it creeping into anyone’s psyche but the foot will not be coming off the pedal. There are expectations at this club and we need to fulfil those.’ Meanwhile, Hibs manager Alan Stubbs has revealed midfielder Fraser Fyvie could play in the Final after five weeks out due to a medial knee ligament injury sustained against Morton at the start of February. Stubbs won’t be naming his team until the day of the game but the return of former Wigan FA Cup winner Fyvie would be a timely fillip, with Dylan McGeouch ruled out with another groin strain. ‘Fraser is doing OK — he might have an outside chance of being involved at the weekend,’ said Stubbs, whose side are staying at Mar Hall on the eve of the Final. ‘I am pretty clear what team I am going to pick, unless something changes between now and the day of the game.
‘But I have not told the players yet and I won’t tell them until cup final day. ‘I am a bit of an old traditionalist and the build-up and naming the team on the day of the cup final are all part of that, for me. ‘I always tell my players the team on match days but I might name it a little bit earlier than normal on Sunday. ‘The players will feel that little bit of nervousness about whether they are going to play or not. Then there will be the excitement once the team is named. ‘I have had managers who have named their sides the day before but this is an individual preference. ‘I don’t think if the team gets leaked out it would make a big difference. ‘I think both managers will have a decent idea on what our respective teams are going to be on Sunday anyway. ‘It is all about who performs the best on the day.’