Hibs chief executive Leeann Dempster has come out in support of head coach Alan Stubbs following a poor run of form in the Championship.

The Easter Road outfit are now struggling to finish second in the league in the push for a play-off semi-final place after picking up just one win from their last eight matches.

But with tomorrow’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United at Hampden to look forward to, Dempster is refusing to press the panic button.

She said: “We're in here for the long game. Alan and our team and our coaches have not become poor managers overnight.

“That just has not happened. We’ve hit a dip in form and can I remind everybody that we’re in a Scottish Cup semi-final, we got to the League Cup final and we can get promoted.

“We can do things this season and we intend to really try and do things this season.

“I’m not creating any crisis or drama in that regard, Alan is supported and we’re going forward.

“I don’t want to over-dramatise things but you’re under pressure at a football club - we’re all under pressure.

“Alan handles that really well. Alan’s job, my job and everybody else’s here is to make sure we keep pulling in the same direction.

“He will be feeling the pressure, he will be feeling the pressure from the media, the next matches - but he’s no different to any other football manager.

“We know it’s been disappointing, we can’t deny that - we’ve had some disappointing form.

“We know we need to put it right and we’re getting to that point of the season that every game counts and we need to get it right.

“You can never control sport and never control football but we’re are determined and steely as ever.

“We need to fight to get out of it.

“We understand the absolute need for promotion for supporters and for the club going forward and that’s what we’re determined to do.”