HIBERNIAN will unveil Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas as their new management team today after Malpas turned down the opportunity to succeed Butcher as the manager of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The Easter Road club were granted permission to speak to Butcher about the vacant post last Wednesday but it took until yesterday for a six-figure compensation deal between the two clubs to be settled upon.

Butcher and Malpas, who have six months remaining on their contracts, were still to finalise personal terms last night but Hibs were confident that would not prevent them calling a media conference for this afternoon where the duo will be unveiled. Steve Marsella, the Inverness coach/scout, is also expected to join them in the coming days.

Butcher, who turned down an approach from Barnsley in January, becomes Hibs' seventh manager in just over seven years and will try to resurrect the fortunes of a side who have lost their last four games without scoring. His first game in charge will be away to St Mirren on Saturday, November 23. Rod Petrie, the Hibs chairman, said: "We are grateful to Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the professional and courteous way in which the discussions between the clubs have been conducted."

After Inverness' 2-0 win over Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday - a match Butcher watched from the stand - Malpas had suggested he could be tempted to remain in the Highlands and take charge. Kenny Cameron, the Inverness chairman, confirmed that such an offer had been made to the former Scotland internationalist but that he had turned it down.

"It is a major disappointment to the club and its supporters that they [Butcher and Malpas] have taken this decision," he said in a statement. "I'd like to put on record our appreciation of the excellent job they have done at Inverness since Caley Thistle provided them with the opportunity to join the club in January 2009.

"Maurice was offered the manager's role but declined. We would, however, like to record our appreciation to him for taking the team on Saturday in what was a resounding victory. On the field, skipper Richie Foran and the players showed great heart and character. We have a special group of players here and we intend to keep them at this club. Our supporters were excellent, as usual, and we now ask for their patience regarding the team management scenario."

Cameron insisted there would be no "knee-jerk reaction" in the search for Butcher's successor. Already the likes of Barry Ferguson and Craig Levein have been linked with the vacancy but, with no game for 12 days, Inverness will not be rushed into any appointment. "This is the fourth time that Caley Thistle have found themselves in the situation of having their manager head hunted by another Scottish Premier club, with Steve Paterson, John Robertson and Craig Brewster being the other instances," he added. "What it does show is Caley Thistle have a tradition of getting their selection process right and the club has continued to progress. It is our aspiration to maintain this sequence.

"In the past couple of days we have been inundated with indications of interest and we are positive this will now escalate. The supporters can be assured that the board will work its way through the options, arrive at a short list and proceed to interview. There will be no knee-jerk reaction and we are confident of appointing a manager of the calibre we require."

Butcher succeeded Craig Brewster in January 2009 but was unable to save the club from relegation to the first division. They came back up as champions and have remained in the top flight ever since, finishing fourth last season and reaching the semi-finals of the League Cup. Butcher departs with Inverness again facing another League Cup semi-final with Hearts and second in the SPFL Premiership table.