Sunday May 17th 2026
The announcement of Martin Boyle's contract extension was made before kick off of teh final game of the season against Motherwell.
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Ewan Hornell
Since Martin Boyle announced in early March that he would be leaving Hibs at the end of the season, every game has carried a farewell feeling.
His final Edinburgh derby was marked with a goal, his final goal for Hibs came in victory at Ibrox and yesterday was supposed to be his final appearance as a Hibee— or so we thought.
Prior to kick-off in Hibs’ defeat to Motherwell, a surprise message flashed across the big screen and echoed around Easter Road: “1 More Year” for Martin Boyle.
Less than 24 hours earlier, Boyle had given no hints of a change of heart since his March announcement. Even doubling down.
“Hopefully I can go out with one more memorable moment,” were his words when discussing what was expected to be his final match for the club.
But football has a habit of changing quickly.
For Boyle, a bedtime conversation with his three-year-old daughter Sophia was the catalyst to postpone his farewell for at least another season.
‘I think sitting down with the manager and my family made me realise how appreciated I am here, how much I have given to the club and how much I still want to achieve,’ he said.
‘But, ultimately it was down to my daughter last night. I took her out of bed and normally she wants her mum but she sat up and asked ‘Are you sad you’re leaving Hibs?’ and I went ‘yeah’ and something clicked in my brain — I can’t let the place go.
‘I love it here and pulling on the shirt. I’m in a position that thousands of people would trade with me. I get the opportunity to put on that shirt every week and give my all. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.’
The announcement came as a surprise not just to fans, but to those closest to Boyle, who admitted he hadn’t even told his parents.
‘Nobody knew. I didn’t tell anyone. It was probably a bit puzzling before the game. I didn’t even tell my mum and dad. They came down from Aberdeen, thinking it was my farewell.
‘But I thought I’d just keep it a secret and it’s nice that they are here and we are all together.’
It has been a tumultuous season at times for Martin Boyle. His statistical output has dipped comparatively to last, with his combined goals and assists halving from 31 to 15.
But his renewed form post-split has reignited his self-belief — not only that he can still contribute for Hibs, but that, despite his age, he can still improve.
‘Sometimes you get sucked into what people say and believing ‘maybe I am past it’ but the last few weeks I realised I still have more to produce,’ he said.
‘I’ve got big moments in me. I haven’t lost a yard of pace, I wish I could get the stats from training to prove it.
‘As long as this club, my family and most importantly the manager have faith in me then I’ll keep soldering on and trying to produce for this club.’
Boyle arrived at Hibs. from Dundee in 2014 as a raw prospect, possessing all tangible physical attributes to become a top player but lacking the understanding of how to use them effectively — something he says he has developed significantly during his time at Easter Road.
‘I remember the conversations I had when coming here. Hibs has given me a platform,’ he stated.
‘Some people have described me as a speedboat with no driver but I’ve certainly improved. I was a headless chicken at points but I have produced big moments.
‘I have worked hard to be an all-round better player and hopefully people see that.’
Boyle is now 33, but it is clear he does not see himself entering the twilight of his career just yet. Instead, he has a renewed purpose alongside his on-pitch performances — helping Hibs’ younger players such as Owen Elding and Josh Mulligan develop and thrive.
‘I’ve got the World Cup this summer but when I come back I want to be that mature figure,’ he said.
‘There’s a lot of recruitment to be done, there’s a lot of young players like Owen and Josh that I want to get my arm around them and help.
‘With the loyalty I have to the club and gaffer hopefully I can keep helping the team in the right direction.’
With the emotional burden of leaving — and his secret — now lifted, Boyle was also able to reflect on a disappointing afternoon in which Hibs looked second best to Motherwell and lost control of their own European fate.
‘We gave a lot on Wednesday night and it was a great result and today simply wasn’t good enough.
‘We let a good team come here and dictate play, we looked lethargic and didn’t get after the ball.
‘The red card helped, we got more momentum in the game, tried to get the goal and it wasn’t good enough.
‘We know we had an opportunity today that we let go and now we have to rely on Celtic winning the cup to get back into Europe.’
Will next season actually be his last with Hibs? With Martin Boyle, you can never tell.
He was, however, adamant that he still has unfinished business in Australia that he would like to see out before he decides to call time on his career.
‘I think I’ve still got another 3 or 4 years left. It would be nice to finish my career here but I’ve obviously stated I’d like to play in Australia as well.’
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