Sponsorship deal with 'Whyte & Mackay' not in trouble!

Sponsorship deal with ‘Whyte & Mackay’ not in trouble!

Hibernians Managing Director, Rod Petrie laughed off claims that the £1 million, 5 year ‘Whyte & Mackay’ sponsorship deal was in turmoil.

When asked if the deal was indeed in trouble, The M/D replied that the story about the deal being in trouble was laughable, in fact he said he had ‘Burst out laughing’ when he first read it, and that he doesn’t understand how a Glasgow based paper could come to that assumption.

He said: "We have a five-year sponsorship deal with Whyte and Mackay and we are looking forward to enjoying a good working relationship with them”

Then the M/D affirmed that “the sponsorship target for the year had been met and that the bank account proved it” or something similar to that effect.

He wasn’t so happy however with the papers, saying that if the deal is in trouble then Hibs would have to sell there young stars like Garry O’Connor or Derek Riordan to make up for the loss in not getting the sponsorship deal money. And there was me thinking that only happened prior to playing one of the old firm and not just after. The M/D then also said it was “a travesty of the truth and the facts had been stretched a long, long way”, and all to make a story, I guess was the short and sweet of it.

The sponsors Whyte & Mackay have decided not to take up the option of leasing the south stand for their Edinburgh office staff of about 65, and have other plans in mind for their staff relocation, to where, I know not.

Hibs therefore, now have to find someone to rent/lease the office space in the South Stand or utilise it themselves, as empty office space Costs money and there’s not a lot of that around in the SPL these days, well for most of us.

Hibs have done a lot of work off-field in the last year or so and we ‘are’ one of the better off clubs, though that’s not saying a lot, and have turned the West and North Stands into commodities that are used all week long and not just on match days with impressive looks as well as helping out with the ‘Books’.

All this is really down to Rod Petrie and the rest of the Hibs Staff, who are now so much more approachable and are now listening to the supporters through forum type meetings and actually reading our letters/emails now too. Hat’s off to all, in the offices at Hibs, keep it up, and although I haven’t always agreed with the M/D’s decisions he has kept the bank from the door when other clubs, hearts included, have had to bite the bullet or are in deep financial trouble. The sale of the butterfly site adjacent to the ground for £10 million will have helped right enough but still things are looking rosy down Easter Road way

We are on the up, on the rollercoaster ride that is being a member of ‘The Hibees Family’