Ron Gordon is adamant Hearts won’t leave trailing in their wake – despite the Tynecastle club netting £3m from their participation in the group stages of European competition next season.
The Easter Road chief paid tribute to the Jambos but insisted his club is well enough run to remain competitive with their city rivals.
His manager-less Hibs side currently sit seventh in the cinch Premiership table with their Edinburgh counterparts comfortably in third place as it stands.
It has been a disappointing season for the Hibees thus far, with no sniff at European football.
Parting ways with boss Shaun Maloney after just four months, Hibs will be hoping to build during the closed if they want to compete with the Jambos for the Edinburgh bragging rights next campaign.
The Hibs owner said: “This was a year for us to be in the top six and competing for European competition and the fact we are not in it is a major disappointment.
“It is one of our KPIs (key performance indicators) to be in Europe, and that‘s really what our goals are so in a way this was the season and we missed the boat.
“It was the wrong season not to perform. So I am a little disappointed.
“Kudos to Hearts because they had a terrific season and it will be very beneficial to them but I don’t think we are going to be left behind.
“We won’t let ourselves be left behind.”
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