David Gray reveals Hibs call that left his mum and wife in tears as he declares club 'ready for success'

David Gray was preparing to take his kids to the Magic Kingdom in Florida when the call arrived to offer him the keys to his own palace of dreams. The newly installed Hibs head coach was on the holiday of a lifetime to the childrens’ paradise dubbed The Happiest Place on Earth.

But nothing Mickie, Minnie or Cinderella could offer his daughters Ada and Ivy and son Archie was ever going to match the joy he felt when the call came from Easter Road to say he was the character they wanted to take the club forward. The Leith legend insists everything he’s done since hanging up his boots has been geared towards this moment. And he Disney intend on wasting the opportunity.

Gray’s legendary status was cemented with his winning goal in the 2016 Scottish Cup. But it’s the experience built up working as first team coach under Jack Ross, Shaun Maloney, Lee Johnson and Nick Montgomery which has convinced the 36-year-old he is ready to take on the top job - not to mention his four stints as interim boss.

Speaking to the media for the first time since being appointed last month Gray revealed exactly where he was when he got the call. He said: “I was in Florida. My missus was a very happy and unhappy person for the last month!

“We had pre-planned to take the kids because it was the last chance really to do the Magic Kingdom and all that stuff. My youngest is at the perfect age where she is Princess and Barbie daft.

“For the last two years we’d planned to go to Florida. My mum and dad were coming and so was my mother in law because they’d retired this year. I ended up not going with them at the start. I stayed behind for obvious reasons.

“I went two or three days late and was probably the most uninterested man the whole time I was there