Lennon will get backing in transfer market, says Hibs chief

Leeann Dempster believes there is no need for an overhaul of the Hibernian squad, but has told new boss Neil Lennon he will get the cash he needs for a successful promotion push.

The Easter Road outfit won their first Scottish Cup in 114 years last month, but failed to regain their place in the Premiership.

However, chief executive Dempster has made a major show of intent by luring former Celtic boss Lennon to Leith to replace Alan Stubbs, who quit just 11 days after their Hampden triumph to join Rotherham.

She reckons the majority of the squad that lost out on promotion after defeat to Falkirk in the play-offs are good enough to get the job done next term.

However, with the likes of Celtic loan pair Anthony Stokes and Liam Henderson now departed, she confirmed the new man in charge would be given a budget big enough to fill those voids.

She said: "First and foremost Neil has been complimentary of the players who are already here.

"They are players who on the whole last year I think performed well.

"Yes we didn't achieve our promotion and went through a period of games where we didn't win, but there were other periods where we did really, really well.

"So there is a recognition we have a strong group of players.

"We have lost some, but we have kept the core of our players and Neil agrees there is no major surgery required.

"Certainly we will be looking to bring in two or three players if we can for the Europa League qualifiers.

"But we have to make sure have to get the right ones in for the league. We won't just sign players so we have numbers in for Europe."

Lennon has been joined at Hibs by former Parkhead number two Garry Parker, with both men penning two-year deals.

During his time in charge of the Hoops, Lennon won three league titles and even saw his side topple Barcelona on their way to the last 16 of the Champions League in 2013.

However, Dempster confessed it did not take much persuasion to convince the Northern Irishman to kick-start his career in the Ladbrokes Championship following his troubled stint in charge of Bolton.

"I don't think there has ever been a lack of ambition at this football club, she said.

"Our ambition, our want, our need this season is to be promoted, so all our energy will be on that single task.

"Yes we are in the second tier, but Hibernian is a massive club so I was able to reassure Neil that not only would he get absolute support on the field, but he'd get it off the pitch too.

"What I mean by that is that Neil, myself, George Craig, our head of football operations, and even the whole club has one sole objective and that is to help Neil and Garry get us promoted. I think that was really attractive to him."

Last month's cup victory over Rangers - the first since 1902 - has already sparked an upsurge in season-ticket sales, with over 8,000 sold.

Now Demster believes the club can push that total past the five-figure mark.

She said: "We have won a trophy that has eluded the club for well over 100 years and the supporters have been euphoric over that.

"That has helped us sell season tickets. Now getting Neil and Garry here will undoubtedly help bring even more fans back and even tempt some new supporters to the club.

"I have challenged supporters to get to 10,000 and I think that is a realistic number which is definitely achievable."