Ron Gordon: Hibernian executive chairman and majority shareholder dies aged 68

Hibernian proprietor Ron Gordon has died aged 68, three weeks after revealing he had been receiving therapy for most cancers.

Followers held up banners of help for Gordon at Saturday’s 2-0 residence win over Kilmarnock. The membership’s Edinburgh rivals Hearts have paid tribute whereas Hibs launched the next assertion on Tuesday.

“Hibernian in the present day introduced that the membership’s govt chairman and majority shareholder, Ronald J Gordon, handed away earlier this morning.

“Ron lately wrote an open letter to supporters, telling them that he had been receiving therapy for most cancers for a lot of the previous 12 months.

“Gordon had a ardour for soccer and thru Hibernian his dream, dedication and love got here to the fore, while at all times guaranteeing the membership grew to become the most effective model of itself to go away a long-lasting legacy. The Gordon household are decided to see this by.”

Ben Kensell, chief govt of Hibernian, mentioned: “Everybody on the membership is deeply saddened on the information. Our ideas are with Ron’s spouse Equipment, his sons Ian and Colin, and the remainder of the Gordon household. Ron might have been our chairman and proprietor, however he was before everything a faithful household man with a detailed and loving household.

“We’d ask that at this tough time, the household’s privateness is revered as they mourn their loss.”

Kensell confused the household’s dedication to proceed to work to ship Ron’s long-term imaginative and prescient and plan for the membership, with the help of the board and the senior govt.

He added: “As a part of that dedication, we are going to maintain our AGM in early March. There might be no additional remark from the membership or household presently.”

SPFL chief govt Neil Doncaster mentioned: “Everybody on the SPFL is shocked at this devastating information. Ron was some of the first rate, hard-working, simple and enthusiastic figures in our sport.

“It was clear that Hibs in a short time grew to become far, excess of a enterprise enterprise for Ron – his apparent delight in being its custodian and his unstinting dedication to the membership have been the clearest proof of how a lot he liked being concerned in Hibernian FC.

“In just a few years, he benefitted Scottish soccer extra extensively as he gave selflessly of his time and his very appreciable array of skills. On a private stage, the very good work he did to assist drive ahead the SPFL Technique Evaluation was of monumental profit.

“He might be very sadly missed throughout the whole sport.”

Murdoch Maclennan, chairman of the SPFL, mentioned: “Everybody who handled Ron may see instantly that he was a person of monumental integrity, power and imaginative and prescient.

“Having already achieved a lot in his enterprise life, he was an unbelievable pressure for good at Hibernian FC and in his function on the SPFL board. He believed fervently in teamwork and driving in direction of a typical trigger and was genuinely dedicated to the betterment of the whole sport.

“The ideas and condolences of everybody on the SPFL exit to Ron’s household and his many pals and colleagues at Hibernian FC at this very tough time.”