The need to mix sport, politics and show-business was not only accepted but embraced at Easter Road yesterday as former Scottish Government minister Kenny MacAskill and 'Proclaimer' Charlie Reid launched the formation of a new organisation that aims to help Hibs supporters buy into the club.

Even as they called on the rest of what he described as 'the Hibernian family' to re-unite and join them in the venture, Reid admitted he would have preferred the entire club, rather than merely 51 per cent, to be made available to supporters, but his endorsement of this plan was clearly seen by the club as vital.

Hibernian Supporters Limited is designed to allow individuals the chance to make what, by stock exchange standards, would be modest investments of £225 a year, which can be paid up in monthly £18.75 instalments but be part of a group that would have an increasingly meaningful voice in the running of the club as it works towards an accumulated shares target of £2.5 million.

Though now out of office local MSP MacAskill naturally retains the politician's fondness of a sound-bite and as he called on supporters to rally round he explained why he felt it was necessary to do so to avoid the club falling into the wrong hands.

"There is no sugar daddy out there, but there are a lot of sharks," said the former justice secretary.

"This is about moving towards what we believe, fan ownership, doing it at a realistic pace, taking into account the situation we're in, having to keep the show on the road, having to realise that there are financial challenges for every club in Scottish football."

As a high profile, long-term critic of the club board, however, it was Reid's presence that was more significant since his is a voice supporters are thought likely to listen to and his credibility was only enhanced in that regard yesterday by the fact that he suggested that this could and perhaps should have happened as much as two decades ago.

However with the club effectively having invited supporters to put up or shut up he also explained that he felt he could no longer merely barrack from the stands.

"This is what I've wanted for the last 20 years, really, community involvement and fan ownership of the club," said Reid.

"If then, asked to get involved in that, I'd said no, I think I would be just another person on the sidelines complaining and doing nothing. You've got to be actively involved in change."

In saying so he indicated that personal preference for the supporters to own the entire organisation, albeit he admitted he "would be lying if I thought there was a perfect model.".

"I'm a collectivist. I believe Hibs is best run by the support," he said.

"My ideal would be that the entire club, 100 per cent, is run by supporters. That isn't on offer at the moment, but there is clearly a change underway.

"Supporters who are suspicious and maybe felt alienated from the club, they've got to take a serious look.

"They've got to ask: 'If we're serious people and we want to change it, how can we stand on the sidelines?'"

Reid added that he felt this should have happened a long time ago.

"I remember sitting with a board member about 18 years ago, discussing exactly this, progressively buying into the club," he said.

"At the time, it was deemed unrealistic. I don't know why. I think this has always been a good idea.

"I'm delighted that it's come now. You can argue that it's long overdue, but it's here now, so let's engage with it."