David Gray WASN'T Bill Foley's Hibs boss choice as Malky Mackay appointment also irked American money man

Bill Foley launched a surprise attack on Hibs chiefs after the weekend humbling at Kelty Hearts - accusing them of not listening to his Black Knights group.

The billionaire Bournemouth owner bought a 25 per cent stake in the Easter Road club at the start of the year for £6m and added them to the growing list of clubs in his Black Knight consortium. The American got two places on the Hibs board as part of the deal and was involved heavily in a summer review of the football structure at the club which followed a dismal season which saw them finish fourth and manager Nick Montgomery sacked.

But Foley has hit out at the club’s hierarchy over the past 24 hours - accusing them of ignoring his input and insisting “I believe they will listen now” after the 1-0 defeat to part-timers Kelty on Saturday. And Record Sport understands Foley’s concerns are over the appointments of head coach David Gray and sporting director Malky Mackay as part of a new-look football department - neither of whom were preferred candidates of the 79-year-old CEO NHL ice hockey team the Vegas Golden Knights.

Former SFA performance director Mackay took up position at the end of the season and led the process to find Montgomery’s successor with club legend Gray appointed soon after. But the two appointments were made by the club’s American owners the Gordon family after input from Foley’s group.

And that appears to have irked the Bournemouth supremo who bizarrely highlighted another club under his umbrella, French outfit Lorient, as an example of a side who “are listening and hiring the right people” - despite being relegated from Ligue 1 two months ago.

Following Saturday’s League Cup defeat to League One Kelty, which came after convincing wins over