Hibernian striker Dwight Gayle has revealed he had interest from Hearts before moving to Easter Road earlier this season. The former Newcastle United forward, who has accumulated four goals and four assists from 21 appearances in green and white, made the revelation during an appearance on the Open Goal podcast.
Gayle, a free agent during the summer after leaving Derby County at the end of last season, kept his fitness up with PFA-run training sessions and participated in friendly matches against league sides as non-contracted players sought to catch the eye of watching scouts. Interest in Gayle spanned different teams, including from Hearts.
“Steven Naismith mentioned me coming to Hearts at the beginning of the season, and it wasn't the right sort of thing for me, at the time,” he explained. “Then I played against Cambridge in a friendly, and the guys up here at Hibs watched it, and said they were interested in me coming up. I wasn't sure about my family arrangements, but I spoke to Joe Newell again, who I’d been speaking to over the summer a fair bit, and it just seemed like a good thing for me. I'd already played in most of the leagues down south, and then being at a big club and the opportunities to come up here and play were too good to turn down.”
At 35 years old, Gayle also compared Nicky Cadden's set-piece deliveries to those of former Newcastle and Scotland star Matt Ritchie, showcasing his respect for his teammates’ skills. He remarked positively on the atmosphere at Easter Road as fans celebrated victories over rivals like Celtic and Hearts.
“Oh, one of the best experiences I've had in my career,” Gayle enthusiastically shared about the fans singing 'Sunshine on Leith' after winning against Celtic. “After the Celtic game, I knew about the song, but I didn't really know exactly what was going on, so when the fans started singing it, it just came out of the blue. I didn't really know any of the words and stuff, but it was obviously still very special, so I felt like I almost missed out.”
In an effort to connect more with the fans and enhance his experience, Gayle practiced the song leading up to the Hearts game. “For the whole week coming up to the Hearts game, I was in my car and I was practising and learning the words,” he stated. “Nathan Moriah-Welsh was enjoying it so much against Celtic, so I was like, 'I'm going to learn the words.' Then when it came to the Hearts game and we got to sing it again, I was ready and I knew all the words. It's one of the best songs in football in terms of being so unique and the fact the fans don't sing it every week means it's just a bit more special. When it comes along, you know you've done something well.”
In other news, two Hibernian players made significant contributions as Australia kicked off the international break with a dominant 5-1 victory against Indonesia in a World Cup qualifying match in Sydney on March 20, 2025. The game began with Indonesia's early missed penalty, with Kye Rowles having fouled Rafael Struick in the box. However, Australia soon found the net after being awarded a penalty as well.
Martin Boyle, who was vital in the match, scored the opening goal by converting a penalty after Lewis Miller was dragged down during a corner contest. This goal marked Boyle's 10th for the Socceroos, highlighting his importance to the national team.
Following Boyle's opener, his remarkable vision assisted in Australia's second goal, where he flicked the ball on from a Jason Geria pass towards Adam Taggart. Indonesia's Thom Haye mistakenly cleared the ball into the path of Nishan Velupillay, who capitalized on the opportunity to score.
Lewis Miller continued to shine, being involved in the buildup to the third goal scored by Jackson Irvine, who netted after a struggle with the Indonesian defense. Boyle was, however, substituted at halftime as a precaution after picking up a minor knock, replaced by Craig Goodwin, whose corner set up Miller's goal, extending the lead.
Despite Ole Romeny grabbing a debut goal for Indonesia, Irvine quickly restored the four-goal margin with yet another header from a Goodwin corner, showcasing the effectiveness of Australia’s set-pieces.
Australia currently sits second in Group C, trailing Japan by nine points but maintaining a four-point lead over Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain, and China, all tied at six points. The competition for qualification to the World Cup intensifies, with Australia having pivotal matches forthcoming against China next week, and a challenging schedule against Japan and Saudi Arabia in June.
Both Gayle's personal journey with Hibernian and the outstanding performance of Boyle and Miller in representing Australia underscore the impact Hibernian players have had both in domestic and international football. As Gayle settles into his season and the Socceroos march towards possible World Cup qualification, fans are keen to see how these narratives unfold in the coming weeks.
