Dwight Gayle has revealed that former teammate Joe Newell played an important role in helping get his move to Hibs over the line.
The 34-year-old – who scored 26 goals in the English Premier League for Crystal Palace and Newcastle – has signed a one-year deal in the capital after Leith boss David Gray and director of football Malky Mackay moved to snap up the forward on a free transfer after he left Derby at the end of last season. Gayle played alongside Hibees skipper Newell at Peterborough in the 2012/13 season and confirms he was in constant contact with the midfielder after he learned of Hibs interest.
Speaking to the club’s official website, he said: “He was probably the person I spoke to most. We would speak most days about it and to be honest, I think he was helping push it with the gaffer. He had a look of good things to say and was a big reason for it happening.”
Elsewhere at Easter Road, under-fire boss Gray has received backing from his ex manager Alan Stubbs despite Hibs’ poor start to the season. Gray’s side have failed to win any of their first four Premiership matches of the campaign – drawing two and losing two – and were also knocked out of the Premier Sports Cup at the last 16 stage by Celtic.
But Stubbs – who led the club to their first Scottish Cup triumph in 114 years in 2016 when former full back Gray netted a late winner against Rangers at Hampden – believes his old player deserves time to turn things around in Leith. Speaking to STV Sport, he said: “It was always going to be a tough start in terms of the job in hand, but I just hope that the people in charge give him time.
“Because the job that’s there does need time and he needs to put his own stamp on it. They’ve gone through too many managers and David is getting the brunt of that, because he is being left with players from the previous managers and it’s not easy getting them moved on.
“So he needs time and I hope he gets it, because, knowing David, he will get it right. He is (a Hibs man) and it is (in his DNA) but unfortunately in order to make change, he has to win games of football as well.
“He will know that, he’s not soft, I spoke to him a few weeks ago after the Celtic game. I was up in Edinburgh and we had a chat and he is in a good place, he’s enjoying it, he needs to smile more, but he is learning on the job, which is the most important thing.”