It's a good start
Although it's not his top priority, adding 'Hibbyness' isn't too bad an idea to kick Stand Up And Be Counted with....

THERE HAS RECENTLY BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION on the Hibs.net messageboard about the so-called ‘Hibernian-isation’ of Easter Road as part of the Stand Up And Be Counted (SUABC) campaign. While realising that this is by no means the most important aspect of this campaign, it is nonetheless worth considering. The reason that I don’t believe this to be one of the more important aspects of the campaign is simply that Easter Road already holds a great resonance amongst the Hibernian fans, as was so brilliantly illustrated by the Straiton affair.  However the SUABC campaign presents an opportunity for the club to make the Holy Ground of Easter Road even more special to Hibernian fans. The ‘Hibernian-ising’ of the stadium could prove to be a great way for the club to publicise the campaign amongst the supporters. It could also prove to be a way in which the club can further involve fans in the running of their club, and the building of bridges is surely a key to the success of this campaign.

The SUABC campaign has also said that it would also benefit by paying tribute to past heroes of the club, which would not only please the fans but would root the campaign in Hibernian traditions, thus giving the campaign a more tangible and real appearance, rather than it being perceived as a remote marketing campaign.

One of the major talking points on the Messageboards is the naming of the new stands at Easter Road. This understandably provokes a lot of debate, as it is simply impossible to pick the three most worthy Hibernians of all time. This therefore would provide an ideal opportunity for the club to use the membership scheme that has been mooted as an idea for involving the fans within the club. By having a vote amongst new Hibernian members it would not only help to solve the naming dilemma, but also it would provide a useful illustration of how the membership scheme can work.

Under construction - Hibernianisation left out (hibs.net)

Once the stands are named, the various suites within the ground can also be named and decorated with appropriate memorabilia, which would of course help to add to a sense of identity. Outside the stadium it would be very fitting, especially given the untimely death of Joe Baker, for statues to be erected as a lasting memory to Hibernian greats. Admittedly this would be expensive, but it would not have to be done overnight. A gradual fund raising scheme could be used to help fund what would be a very popular move. And what better way would there be to celebrate and emphasise the clubs commitment to Easter Road for many years to come.

One aspect of the new campaign that seems to have gone down very well is the ‘Behind The Goals’ suite in the Famous Five stand. The apparent early success of this move is surely indicative of a potentially lucrative way in which the club should move in. Having maybe three or four different bars in the stadium, each slightly differently themed to cater for all tastes within the support; a traditional football pub, an upmarket hospitality suite and everything in between.

These are just a couple of suggestions as to how the ‘Hibernianisation’ of the ground could add to the SUABC campaign as a whole. However, what is clear from the early debates surrounding this campaign is that there is a multitude of ideas out there just waiting to be picked up. Lets just hope that the right ideas implemented, and that they will contribute to the success of the Stand Up And Be Counted campaign.

Scotland's Under-21 side failed to make it through to the finals of the European Championships last night at Easter Road.  Despite Hibs' Garry O'Connor opening the scoring after ten minutes and then having a few further clear cut chances, they 'wee Scots' lost out 2-1 on aggregate to Croatia in front of an impressive 11,992 crowd.  The game sees the end of Captain Ian Murray's Under-21 Internationals career and he'll be hoping for a step up into the full squad when they meet Italy in a friendly next February.

Meanwhile Jarkko Wiss' Hibs career could soon be over.  The Finnish midfielder has been given permission to talk to his hometown club, Tampere United, regarding a move in the January transfer window.  Signed in 2001 by Franck Sauzee, Wiss has never really been taken to by all Hibs fans with opinion firmly divided on his value to the first team, despite being a regular under Bobby Williamson for long periods.  The departure of Wiss could pave the way for another new face to Easter Road although the Hibs boss is keeping his cards very firmly to his chest on any moves that are being considered.