Ex-player sues Hibs over injuries from tackle by manager

Jake Doyle-Hayes is pursuing legal action against Hibs

A former Hibernian player is suing the Scottish Premiership club over injuries suffered in a training game involving an ex-manager.

Lawyers for Jake Doyle-Hayes said the midfielder's career had been "greatly restricted" by the ankle issue sustained in a tackle with Lee Johnson in 2022.

Doyle-Hayes, 26, who also played for St Mirren and Aston Villa, raised a compensation action against the club at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.

A Hibs spokesperson said the club was aware of the claim.

Doyle-Hayes left the Easter Road side by mutual consent in January and subsequently joined Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland.

He made 69 appearances for the club between 2021 and 2024, but just six of those came in his last two seasons.

On his release, the club said that Doyle-Hayes' playing time "had been hampered by injury over the last two seasons".

The Republic of Ireland youth international's lawyers said that was down to "horrific injuries" suffered in the incident during the training session.

He underwent surgery as a result of the tackle by Johnson in 2022.

Thompsons Solicitors, representing Doyle-Hayes, said they could not comment on the figure sought by the player but said the potential loss of earnings was substantial.

They argue that, without the injury, his career would have continued at a higher level.

'Derailed by mismanagement'

Joel Shaw, partner at the firm, said the midfielder's career had been "lost" as a result of the injury.

He said: "The impact of this has greatly restricted his career.

"These injuries should never have happened and were incurred due to incompetent and incoherent decisions made by his manager.

"Jake's career has been derailed by mismanagement and ineptitude. A career has been lost to this athlete."

Johnson, who previously managed Bristol City and Sunderland, was sacked by Hibs in August 2023.

He was most recently interim manager at Lommel SK in the second tier of Belgian football.

Johnson declined to comment when contacted by BBC Scotland News.

A Hibs spokesperson said: "The club is aware of the claim, however as an ongoing matter shall not be commenting further at this stage."