BOBBY WILLIAMSON is likely to remain at the helm for Hibs’ match against Dundee on Saturday despite being interviewed for the vacant post of manager at Plymouth Argyle, the Evening News can reveal today.
But the Dens Park clash could be Williamson’s last in charge of Hibs with the English First Division outfit keen to finally resolve their managerial situation before a crunch Second Division promotion match seven days later.
Williamson flew south
to meet Plymouth chairman Paul Stapleton at a hush-hush location in Bristol, the last of the candidates to be interviewed. But he insisted he was doing so only out of professional courtesy.
Having resolutely refused to comment on the speculation which has surrounded him for some time now, Williamson finally spoke to tell the News: "The club gave Plymouth permission to approach me.
"They have approached me and out of courtesy I am going to speak to them. Football is a small world and you don’t want to be discourteous to anyone.
"Everything has been done above board but I am the Hibs manager and in my mind I am going to be the Hibs manager when I come back."
While Williamson insists he is meeting Stapleton "out of courtesy", he is widely regarded as favourite for the Plymouth job having received a glowing testimonial from Paul Sturrock, who quit the Home Park outfit for Southampton.
Sturrock was held in such regard his opinion holds great sway with the Plymouth board although Motherwell boss Terry Butcher, Walsall manager Colin Lee and Clyde’s Alan Kernaghan are all understood to have been interviewed yesterday for the post which has now lain vacant for six weeks. The lengthy delay has led to uncertainty setting in at the club which has seen its push for promotion to the English First Division falter in recent weeks although Argyle still lead the Second Division by five points.
However, the Plymouth board are now keen to resolve the issue before Queens Park Rangers visit Home Park a week on Saturday for a 20,000 sell-out match which looks certain to be between the leading two clubs in the Second Division.
If Plymouth were to win this weekend’s match with Oldham the QPR clash could see them win promotion and the directors are anxious to have their new manager in situ by then.
Stapleton said: "We’ve been trying to keep things quiet, but I believe that by the middle of next week we’ll be in a position to make a further announcement."
A source close to the Plymouth board told the News: "The length of time which has passed since Sturrock left without a new manager being named has had to have affected the players to a certain degree, it’s made everyone a bit uneasy.
"Plymouth are still on course for promotion but they have stuttered a bit and it would be a relief for everyone to finally have a new manager in place although, obviously, the directors want to make sure they get the right guy.
"The QPR match is a big game, it’s been sold out for weeks such is the magnitude of it and if they could get someone in next week it would not only end the uncertainty but give the club a bit impetus at just the right time."
Even if Williamson were to impress during his interview at a hush-hush location in the south-west of England today there is little likelihood of his switch to Plymouth happening quickly.
The issue of compensation would have to be addressed by both clubs - Williamson is on a rolling year’s contract reckoned to be worth around £160,000 - and Hibs will be aware that Plymouth received around £250,000 from Southampton for the services of Sturrock.
