Stephen Robinson OUT of Hibs manager running as time frame emerges over next boss appointment

Hibs will draw up a managerial shortlist in the coming days as they close in on appointing Nick Montgomery’s successor. Caretaker boss and Easter Road hero David Gray will be one of those interviewed for the position.

But Record Sport understands St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson, bookmakers’ favourite earlier this week, is not in the running. Newly appointed sporting director Malky Mackay and Bill Foley’s Black Knight football group are leading the process to find the club’s fifth boss in the last three years with the Hibs hierarchy determined to bring stability and longevity to the position.

Sources say a long list of candidates will be crunched down into a short list imminently with interviews planned thereafter. Robinson and Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes both remain high on the bookies’ list. But both are under contract at their current clubs and would require compensation packages to be thrashed out - something Hibs are understood to prefer to avoid.

Which means Gray is in with a serious chance of landing the job after taking the reigns on an interim basis for a fourth time. The hero of the 2016 Scottish Cup Final steadied the ship after Montgomery was axed last week and guided the side to a 3-0 win over Motherwell and 1-1 draw at Livingston in the final two games.

Gray also took charge after Jack Ross, Shaun Maloney and Lee Johnson were sacked in the last three years. And, speaking ahead of the Livi game at the weekend, the 36-year-old said he felt ready to take on the role on a permanent basis.

He said: "I'm not shying away from it. I believe I can do it. I’ve demonstrated I can. Ultimately it’s what the club want to do moving forward.

“If they feel I’m ready to do it and they want me to do it then that’s a