Hibs have 15 players out of contract next summer and there’s not one of them who would be a massive miss to David Gray.

In fact I look through the entire squad - every single player on the first team books - and don’t see a single asset that you’d think ‘Hibs can’t afford to lose him’. That is a damning indictment on the recruitment in recent years. Okay there are a couple in the 15 soon-to-be free agents who I would offer terms on a new deal and a couple of others that could yet sway Gray into thinking they are worth keeping. More on who I think should stay or go later.

But new head of recruitment Garvan Stewart must already be thinking ‘wow, this needs a massive overhaul’. And considering they’ve seen more turnovers than Murrayfield in recent years that’s a big problem. This has to be the last. Hibs need to get the player trading model back on track. Twenty years ago they coined it in by selling guys like Scott Brown, Steven Fletcher, Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson, Kenny Miller, Garry O’Connor … the list goes on. It’s strange because when that Golden Generation came through we had no decent training centre like they have now.

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There’s only been Josh Doig, Kevin Nisbet and Martin Boyle who have coined in decent money in the last three years. And there’s nobody in the current squad that you’d say will break a million. Player trading should be a priority at clubs like Hibs. In fact every Scottish club. Celtic have mastered it. Aberdeen have had some huge sales recently too. But right now nobody is going to pay money for guys that have been struggling in a team near the bottom of the league.

Two things need to change: they need to sign a better quality of player and they need to start producing their own stars of the future again. Going back to the 15 soon to be frees and there’s only two first teamers I would be temped to hand new deals.

Nohan Kenneh, Luke Amos, Harry McKirdy, Max Boruc, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Lewis Miller and - the big one - Boyle - are nos for me. Boyle has been a brilliant servant for Hibs over two spells. But he is at the stage of his career he needs to play every week and it’s not happening. If there’s an option for him to start a new life in Australia, where he has a good reputation, then I think he’d take it. Martin made Hibs a lot of money three years ago when he went to Saudi. He’s also a big earner so Hibs would maybe see a chance to bring two players in if they freed up that wage.

Then there’s Miller. Hibs have a year’s option on the Australia international. But you know what? I’d still let go. He spends too much time winding up the opposition. If a January offer came in then they should bite the hand off and go sign a better right back. They already have one in Chris Cadden anyway. And he is one of the 15 that I’d actually offer new terms. Cadden has had a couple of unfortunate injuries but is a very steady right back and can play one up in right midfield.

Rocky Bushiri is the other that I’d be swayed into handing a new deal. I wasn’t a fan but the centre half’s bounced back from being kept in Siberia the first part of the season with some huge performances in recent weeks. Rocky has big b***s put it that way because he has had a lot of critics.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens to Junior Hoilett and Dwight Gayle. Both have shown signs of their class since joining on year-long deals in the summer but their age is against them. That leaves four youngsters. Unfortunately Josh O’Connor went to Dundalk on loan and got injured. He’s 20 now and not made an impression on the first team. He really needs to be playing so it’s maybe time the big lad moved on. Kyle McClelland the same. I’d be tempted to give Murray Aiken, who has been playing for Airdrie and done well in midfield, and Reuben McAllister, on loan at Cove and with a terrific left foot, new deals though.

That’s 15: new deals for two senior players and two kids and thanks but goodbye to the rest. Then it’s about using the freed-up wages wisely. Over to you Garvan.