What does the end of 2019/20 Premiership campaign mean for Hibs?

Hibs' final position in the Scottish Premiership table for season 2019/20 has been confirmed following today’s announcement that the SPFL top-flight has been concluded with immediate effect.

A decision was reached among all 12 clubs on Monday morning to end the current campaign on a points-per-game basis, resulting in runaway leaders Celtic being declared champions for a ninth season in a row, with bottom club Hearts relegated to the Championship.

For Hibs the resolution brings both benefits and drawbacks, as while it provides closure and allows for some form of forward-planning to begin, it will also cost the club in terms of their final league position, and the financial payout that comes with it.

Change in position – and money

A campaign that started with Paul Heckingbottom in charge before being replaced by Jack Ross in November resulted in Hibs accumulating 37 points from 30 games to lie sixth in the table when the coronavirus outbreak forced the game into shutdown mode on March 13.

However, under the points-per-game ruling, Hibs have now lost their top six place, dropping to seventh in the final standings as a result of claiming 1.23 points-per-game, with St Johnstone leapfrogging them on the basis of having collected 36 points from 29 games, or 1.24 points-per-game.

This drop in position has also cost the club money, with the total prize fund for finishing seventh coming to £1.43m, which is £130,000 less than the Perth side will receive for finishing one place higher.

Some of that money has already been paid to clubs in instalments throughout the season, with the decision to end the campaign now allowing the final outstanding payments to be made.

Using last season’s final payments as a guide, Hibs stand pocket in the region of £475,000 including VAT following today's announcement, with St Johnstone likely to get around £600,000.

Loan players

The decision to finish the season also effectively ends the loan agreements of Jason Naismith, Stephane Omeonga, Greg Docherty and Marc McNulty, who will all now return to their parent clubs, although Jack Ross has already stated he would be keen to secure a return for the quartet in time for the new campaign starting, whenever that may be.

He said: "All four of them have had a positive impact at the club. I think when you bring in loan players, and I’ve always thought the loan market is a difficult one to get right, there are a lot of misses as well as hits. But, the ones that were brought in have all contributed."

Out-of-contract trio

The clarity that the conclusion of the season brings could also allow the club to resume talks with out of contract trio Steven Whittaker, Adam Bogdan and Vykintas Slivka, which had been put on hold due to the uncertainty. There have been suggestions that Whittaker, who turns 36 next month, may be lined up for a coaching role while Lithuanian midfielder Slivka has been a regular under Ross.

Bogdan arrived on a short-term deal just as Ross was checking in at Easter Road but had yet to make any appearances in his second spell at the club before the season was terminated.

Florian Kamberi

There is also uncertainty over the future over much-maligned front man Florian Kamberi, who has no desire to return from his loan at Rangers having lost the goodwill of the Hibs fans - and most likely his team mates - after stating his intentions of remaining at Ibrox, describing it as his dream move, despite having a year left on his contract at Easter Road.

Reacting to Kamberi's comments at the time, Jack Ross said: "They are unusual for a player who still has time to go at his parent club, and he's only on loan.

"It's made it much more challenging [for him to return to Hibs]. I think he has said that."

Kamberi's switch to Rangers resulted in Docherty moving in the opposite direction and given Docherty's impact in a short space of time at Easter Road, it would certainly suit Hibs if this trade was to become a permanent one.

With the campaign now officially concluded the parties can perhaps open negotiations, but until there is some certainty over when next season can begin, some of these situations may remain in limbo for a while yet.