Ian Gordon believes that Bill Foley shares similar characteristics and the same vision as his late father Ron, who was executive chairman of Hibs before his untimely passing in February last year - and that it played a part in Hibs' decision to join forces with the Bournemouth owner for the betterment of the Capital club.
Ron's widow Kit and son Ian joined the Hibs board last year in the wake of Ron's death and both have spoken frequently of their desire to realise his legacy at the Easter Road side. Ever since Foley's interest in acquiring a minority stake in the club became public, the Gordons have reiterated their commitment to Hibs and their desire to complete the projects that the family patriarch was sadly unable to undertake.
Speaking at the club's AGM on Tuesday, during which shareholders voted through the investment package, Ian was asked about the club's vision now that Foley is on board as a partner.
“I think we were aligned on many fronts, including the ambitions we had for the club. I think, in a way, Bill shares a lot of the same characteristics and vision that my dad had. He has such a great background in sports so for us it was easy to connect and align in the direction we wanted to go in.
"Firstly we want to solidify third place and then be a regular in European football. That is the ultimate goal. We need to be making the group stages on a year-on-year basis, bring more cups to the club, and then eventually - hopefully - bridge the gap to the Old Firm."
Given their family's Scottish heritage, and the fact that Ron chose a name based on Clan Gordon's ancient motto for the family-run company that serves as the club's majority shareholder, it was perhaps little surprise when the football fanatic from Lima, Peru stepped up his interest in a club from the country's capital.
“He had been looking for a while and when Hibs came up, we were conscious of our Scottish roots and it all just aligned," Ian continued.
“We had done a family trip ten years prior where we had enjoyed an amazing whisky and golf trip and fell in love with Scotland. So, when Hibs came up, in the capital city of Edinburgh and with a fanbase like this? It just made a lot of sense. It clicked.”
'A different atmosphere... that's very exciting
Current non-executive chairman Malcolm McPherson, who has had links with the club going back two decades and was asked to step into the role following Ron's passing, sees a huge difference between the Hibs of 2004 and the Hibs of 2024.
“Sir Tom Farmer saved the club, built the stadium, sorted the training ground and made a significant difference – but his passion wasn’t football. The Gordon family: Ron, Ian – maybe even Kit now too – are committed to taking the football club forward. It’s a different atmosphere and it’s very exciting.”
'From early in our relationship, he exposed me to football and told me his dream'
Kit, who insists she knew what she was getting into when she began dating the football-mad Ron, interjects to tell a story from the early days of courting her late husband.
“One of my first dates with Ron was when he had just started a football newspaper called Soccer Plus. We had the Diplomats back in Washington D.C., and on our second date, he took me to the press box at one of their games. On our third date, he took me - during the day - to deliver his newspapers to various sports stores," she recalled.
"So, early on in our relationship, even before we were married, he exposed me to football and told me that his dream - at the age of 28 or 29 – was to, one day, own a football club. With our boys [sons Colin and Ian] I was living in a household of men, and I always told my friends that I had to be interested, or I'd get left out. And I don’t like getting left out. So it has been an incredible journey.
"I am only sorry that Ron is not here to see this, but I know that, as a family, we are committed to keeping on going. We have fallen in love with Hibs, we have fallen in love with Edinburgh, and our plan is to ensure that the club moves onward and upward.
"This was meant to be. I believe that. It was meant to be."
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