John Potter

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HibeeHibernia

Just A Radge
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Dec 5, 2024
Hibs boss David Gray is adding another familiar face to his coaching staff at East Mains, with former assistant manager John Potter having agreed a return to the club. Gray, who worked under the guidance of Potter when he was No. 2 to Jack Ross, is eager to add more expertise to his brains trust.


Potter, most recently director of football at Raith Rovers until Dougie Imrie’s arrival prompted a shake-up at Stark’s Park, brings an impressive wealth of experience to the group. Previously manager at Dunfermline and Kelty Hearts, he did most of his best work in tandem with Ross at St Mirren, Sunderland and Hibs.


He was a key figure in helping Gray adapt from a playing to coaching role when the former club captain retired, aged just 33, in June 2021. The current boss has kept in contact with Potter since taking over as manager on a permanent basis in the summer of 2024.


The 46-year-old is expected to be in place in time for the start of pre-season training on Monday week, joining the existing coaching staff of Gray, Liam Craig, Eddie May and Craig Samson as Hibs look to improve on last season’s disappointing domestic campaign. The Edinburgh side finished fifth in the Scottish Cup and, despite completing a rare Old Firm away double, endured disappointing runs in both cup competitions to leave fans frustrated by their efforts.


Yet Gray’s men still became the first Hibs side to secure European qualification in back-to-back seasons for 50 years, albeit via the side door of Celtic’s Scottish Cup win. They will be seeded in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round taking place in Nyon next Wednesday.

Gray is going full Jack Ross for next season.
 
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Hammi said:
Tbf at least he's got the experience to be a proper assistant to Dave.
Coaching shake up is almost as necessary as some players currently imo.
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We can expect much of the same brand of football as last season mate, Gray will be dressing like Ross soon enough!
 
HibeeHibernia said:
We can expect much of the same brand of football as last season mate, Gray will be dressing like Ross soon enough!
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The football is almost certain anyway.
I'll wait and see. The players we bring in can change what we do.
If we go like for like then we know nothing changes.

But a couple wingers would change the squad and force us to play different football.
 
Wonder if there will be someone leaving, or if it’s an addition? Either way, I think David Gray had to make some kind of change to his back room team to change things up, so it’s positive to see a change has been made.
 
Zab said:
Wonder if there will be someone leaving, or if it’s an addition? Either way, I think David Gray had to make some kind of change to his back room team to change things up, so it’s positive to see a change has been made.
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Was wondering the same but either way good to have experience in the back room.
 
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Zab said:
Wonder if there will be someone leaving, or if it’s an addition? Either way, I think David Gray had to make some kind of change to his back room team to change things up, so it’s positive to see a change has been made.
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I was thinking maybe Eddie May?
 
Hammi said:
The football is almost certain anyway.
I'll wait and see. The players we bring in can change what we do.
If we go like for like then we know nothing changes.

But a couple wingers would change the squad and force us to play different football.
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One thing for sure is we'll never be near the relegation zone but we'll never take that step to the next level either. Be interesting to see how we sign bud.
 
Zab said:
Seems the most likely if there is a change eh?
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Greenmachine said:
That's a possibility.
Always get the impression Eddie is much more at home working in the youth academy rather than the first team.
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Aye he's always been quite vocal about not wanting involved in the main team. I feel like he was, not sure pressured is the right word, but I don't really think moving up and supporting Sir Dave was ever really what he wanted.

I dunno if there's still a spot for him to step back into as well though?
 
HibeeHibernia said:
One thing for sure is we'll never be near the relegation zone but we'll never take that step to the next level either. Be interesting to see how we sign bud.
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We don't know that, on either front.
But I'm ready to reset and start next season with fresh eyes.
I'll have issues if we keep doing the same things again, but for me last seasons done and we start again.

Signings should dictate what we do, if we sign players that can carry the ball, I expect to see us carry the ball as an example.

We're in a good spot, Hearts won't be able to manage what they done this season while playing in any European competition, so we have to make it count.
 
Another example of gray giving his mates jobs.

Hopefully there’s a shift in the mindset of approach to games and tactics but I feel it’ll be more of the same I’m afraid.
 
Hammi said:
Tbf at least he's got the experience to be a proper assistant to Dave.
Coaching shake up is almost as necessary as some players currently imo.
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The coming season is shit or bust for Gray's career at Hibs.
The cynic in me says he's been told to get help, He wouldn't have considered it himself.
The pessimist in me says Gray won't take kindly to being challenged as Potter can't possibly be there as just another yes man, and this is a relationship which will fail.
 
Bangkokhibby said:
The coming season is shit or bust for Gray's career at Hibs.
The cynic in me says he's been told to get help, He wouldn't have considered it himself.
The pessimist in me says Gray won't take kindly to being challenged as Potter can't possibly be there as just another yes man, and this is a relationship which will fail.
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Nah, I can't see that.
We've got a team of like 4 people? We should have more staff I don't see an issue coming up.
 
Hammi said:
It really isn't.
A relationship with your staff is pretty essential surely?
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It is mate. Sorry but it is.

John potters coaching record is brutal.

Binned from Hibs
Binned from Dunfermline
Binned from kelty.

Might be one of these guys to “ have around the place “ but there’s no evidence to say that it’s a step in the right direction.
 
ManchesterGreen said:
It is mate. Sorry but it is.

John potters coaching record is brutal.

Binned from Hibs
Binned from Dunfermline
Binned from kelty.

Might be one of these guys to “ have around the place “ but there’s no evidence to say that it’s a step in the right direction.
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Every manager and coach gets sacked ya sausage.
And it's hardly his fault if the man he's coaching for gets sacked.

And it is a step in the right direction, more staff equals better localised training, better split of the tasks, more opinions .. let's see what happens.
 
Hammi said:
Every manager and coach gets sacked ya sausage.
And it's hardly his fault if the man he's coaching for gets sacked.

And it is a step in the right direction, more staff equals better localised training, better split of the tasks, more opinions .. let's see what happens.
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Correct me if I’m wrong but he was in charge at Dunfermline and kelty so the onus fell onto him??

As you say let’s wait and see what happens.
 
Hammi said:
And at Hibs?

Again, everyone gets sacked, it's the nature of the beast.
And, he's not our manager, he's a coach, supporting our manager. So his management is irrelevant?
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At hibs he was part of a team who bored me and so many others to tears at times. Time after time during Covid I had the pleasure of switching the tv off because it was so bad.

For example his coaching and input seen us play the same way 5 times against St Johnstone and lose 5 times. No change in the set up just doing the same thing hoping for a different outcome. A mirror image of what we have now.

As for his management t record. Two different teams not lasted a full season at either of them. Less said about that the better I’d say.
 
Bangkokhibby said:
As I said this coming season makes or breaks Gray. The coaching team needs binned not added to.
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And leave him on his own?
Tryna break him rather than help make him?

The football needs to change, the staff doesn't necessarily need to leave.
 
ManchesterGreen said:
At hibs he was part of a team who bored me and so many others to tears at times. Time after time during Covid I had the pleasure of switching the tv off because it was so bad.

For example his coaching and input seen us play the same way 5 times against St Johnstone and lose 5 times. No change in the set up just doing the same thing hoping for a different outcome. A mirror image of what we have now.
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Jack Ross was in control. Not John Potter.
Dunno how you don't understand the difference.
 
Hammi said:
Jack Ross was in control. Not John Potter.
Dunno how you don't understand the difference.
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I can see the difference but his input was there on the table. Now if Ross didn’t listen to him then fair enough.

He had control at pars and kelty and what happened ??
 
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