Petrie and Hughes have meeting to clear the air

HIBERNIAN chairman Rod Petrie has held clear-the-air talks with former manager John Hughes after he appeared to criticise him in a club statement.

The Easter Road chairman posted an article on Hibs' official website last Tuesday morning as he sought to fend off Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City in their continued pursuit of Colin Calderwood to be their new assistant manager.

But Petrie also directed his frustration at Hughes, who was sacked last October after a poor run of results. Former Scotland defender Calderwood was recruited in his place.

"We have now stripped away the unworkable legacy saddled upon the club by the previous incumbent," said Petrie in the statement, referring to a host of first-team players who left the Edinburgh outfit this summer after their contracts expired.

Hughes, who remains out of work since his Hibs departure, was understood to be unhappy at the comment but couldn't respond due to a confidentiality clause agreed on his Easter Road exit.

Petrie felt the need to met Hughes in person this week to clear up the situation.

The chairman said: "I met John for a cup of coffee. John knows that my statement in support of Colin Calderwood was not intended as any criticism of him.

"John said his media comments about Hibernian were always intended to be fair and balanced. We agreed to draw a line under it and talked about a range of other football-related matters."

Calderwood, meanwhile, was in the technical area at Bayview Stadium on Saturday as Hibs beat East Fife 3-1, but the Hibs manager was targeted vocally by supporters frustrated at the saga that has surrounded his future.