Frank Dougan: Tributes paid following death of prominent Hibs fan and former club director

His death was confirmed by brother Maurice, who wrote on social media: “As many of you will know, my brother Frank has not been in the best of health in recent years. Last night he had a fall in the house and ended up in A&E. This morning he had a cardiac arrest and despite the best efforts of the medics they were unable to revive him. RIP Frank.”

Known affectionately by all as ‘Big Frank’, his family ties with Hibs stretched back to its formation, with his great-grandfather one of the members of the Catholic Young Men’s Society that founded the club in 1875.

His first match was at the tender age of 18 months – a victory over Partick Thistle at Easter Road – with his first memory of watching Hibs the 1958 Scottish Cup final defeat by Clyde. Frank used to say that when leaving Hampden in tears after the match his dad had told him that there would be plenty more trips to Hampden, before adding: “I hadn’t realised just how much heartache there would be.”

Over the years Frank took on a number of prominent roles connected to the club, serving as Treasurer for the Hibs Supporters Club and Spokesman for the Hibs Supporters’ Association; getting involved with Club 86 and the Hibernians, and helping establish the Hibs Historical Trust. He also played a significant role in the Hands Off Hibs pressure group formed to tackle the takeover bid from then Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer in 1990.

Perhaps most significantly, he was a driving force behind the ‘Persevered Scottish Cup Trophy Tour’, when figures connected with the club took the Scottish Cup trophy to 40,000 children, students and supporters in 114 venues – one for every year between Hibs’ last two wins in the final – throughout Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Borders, Falkirk, and Fife.

Similarly, after the historic Scottish Cup win in 2016 Frank, who had rightly travelled on the open-top bus with the players and staff down Leith Walk, made it his mission to take the trophy to those unable to attend the parade: the sick, the housebound, the terminally ill, those who otherwise might not have been part of the celebrations.

During the nineties it wasn’t unusual to see Frank co-ordinating Hibs Kids open days and well into the 2010s he would often drive fellow supporters to matches to ensure they would be able to attend the game. Even when his health was deteriorating in recent years, Frank still made several trips out to the club’s training centre to watch the reserve and youth teams, holding court from a chair at the side of the pitch and more than happy to share a few choice words about a refereeing decision, or a missed chance by a forward. He enjoyed the banter and watching the next generation cut their teeth, and losses at youth level hurt him just as much as first-team defeats.

Frank had been an easily recognisable figure at first-team matches home and away as well as en route, thanks in part to the Hibs-themed personalised registration plate on his car, which would often be seen overseas as well when he joined the club on numerous pre-season trips including to France in the summer of 2001 and Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands in 2012 because owing to a dislike of flying, he usually found a way to get there by road. He was also, unsurprisingly, part of the travelling support for Hibs’ trip to Trinidad and Tobago during the 1999/2000 season and a picture of him engaging in conversation with a local on Turtle Beach while wearing a lurid holiday outfit sparked a hugely popular caption competition in the Evening News.

Thanks to his many years following Scotland as part of the Tartan Army, he would be just as recognisable to some in navy blue and tartan as he would be in the green and white of his beloved Hibees.

Tributes have poured in from players past and present as well as members of the media, former employees of the club, and other figures from Scottish football. Former Easter Road chief executive Leeann Dempster wrote: “I’m really sorry to hear this news. Was speaking to him last week for one of our catch-ups and he sounded better. Sending the family love and thoughts – he will be very missed.”

Andrew Sleight, who served as Head of Communications in the early 2010s, added: “Frank was the most dedicated Hibee of them all and his memory will march on forever,” while ex-striker Tam McManus said: “Frank was a great character and I remember him well from all the away trips with Hibs.”

Former Communications Manager Kenny Millar wrote: “Frank will be missed by more than he’d ever imagine. A true one-off,” while Laura Montgomery who previously worked as Hibs’ Head of Sales and Sponsorship, added: “Frank was a great man. Always extremely helpful to me and generous with his time to so many. He will be greatly missed.”

Euan Donaldson, who spent time as part of the Sport Science team at Hibs, tweeted: “Frank always made time for everyone at Hibs, no matter their role. A true legend who lived and breathed the club.”

Frank Dougan was a big man, with a bigger heart, and he leaves an even bigger legacy. He was the living embodiment of Mr Hibs, a title he is highly unlikely ever to relinquish.