The weekend of 21/05/16 - Memories a year on

Apologies for the inevitable length of this but I'm sure people will understand. Immediately post game there was a lot of emotion kicking about so I thought it would be good now to share your memories a year on with a bit hindsight and perspective.

I remember just being determined to enjoy the day. I hadn't enjoyed the morning of 2012 as I had been out until all hours the night before and had a grim hangover and in 2013 I had really thought we had a chance and had been pretty annoyed we just didn't turn up. Got on the bus and had a chat with a few of our regulars and everyone seemed a lot more confident than me. At the club pre game I started to get the cup final feeling; a few pints and a game of 25 a side football in the sun seemed to help.

By the time we got to the ground there seemed a real nervous tension in the air, I think a lot of people realised this really was our best chance to do it and if it didn't happen then, when would it? That translated into an absolutely sensational atmosphere, everyone played their part but the guys with the section lads with the drum really kept things going.

The early goal was just crazy. I posted a couple of weeks before the game that I just wanted to have the feeling we could win it. In the 3 finals I had seen, 01, 12 and 13 we had been dead and buried pretty early on. Stokes goal gave me that feeling and I remember turning from my seat in the north to look at the east stand and it was just bedlam. After Rangers equalised I had a bit of an argument with a guy behind me who was moaning constantly about us 'sitting in'. I tried to explain to him what Stubbs was doing but he was having none of it. After Halliday scored I admit to thinking that was it, I was disappointed but I'd had my moment of feeling we could win it so I tried to console myself with that.

It sounds like bull**** but about 2 or 3 minutes before Stokes equlised my Dad and I said to each other that Rangers were out on their feet and we were going to win. I was desperate for Boyle to come on and run at them. The equaliser was great but I never celebrated straight away as I was sure the ref was going to disallow it because of Tavernier moaning about a push. When Henderson was lining up to take the corner for the winner I'm sure I wasn't alone in uttering a prayer under my breath. When the ball hit the net I went absolutely mental for about 10 seconds. Guy I had argued with was hugging me, guy next to me jumped on me, I pushed about 4 people out the way to hug my Mum who has taken me to games since I was 3 then I just turned to jelly. I turned and faced the back of the stand and couldn't watch. When the cheer went up when we got a free kicm in the middle of the park that everyone thought was for Rangers a guy behind me physically grabbed me, turned me round and screamed at me 'you don't want to ****ing miss this'. The scenes acter the final whistle happened. It's a shame 1 or 2 spoiled it but on the whole it was a great spectacle. My abiding, somewhat random memory, was the 'Spirits in the Sky' flag appearing from the south upper. I thought that was was a nice touch.

I didn't really anjoy the Saturday night all that much. I had a few drinks and a sing song but I was almost on a comedown from the sheer euphoria of the afternoon. I ended up in bed about midnight and slept well.

Sunday I headed to the Harp & Castle for just after opening. Had a kick about outside with a group of guys who hadn't been home. Met up with close and extended family and friends at the Links, cracked open the champagne and had a great day surrounded by great people. Generations of families that I have known for years were with me. Ended up in the Alhambra before the Police called a halt about 10.30. Staggered home and toasted the weekend with a whisky or 2 and watched the game again.

Best weekend of my life.

I remember the feeling I had in the build up to that corner as Fyvie picked up the ball in the middle of the park very clearly. It was the closest we’d ever been to the thing in my lifetime. The momentum in the stands, in our play. I remember thinking and feeling oh **** something's going on here, something's happening. All the emotion, all the pain and experience growing up together with Hibs came pouring out. Incredible euphoria, men and woman in tears. It was enough to take your breath away the size of the moment we’d just seen. I think I went straight to my dad. It was chaos everywhere, hands on heads all around us just not believing that this was it.

IF you were on the pitch I imagine you had a smile from ear to ear.
IF you were on the pitch I imagine you felt like a king.
IF you were on the pitch I imagine you felt something no other scottish football fan can claim to have felt in our lifetimes, or maybe will again.

As we all did.

I remember singing GGTTH and when we reached the line and when I dream of bygone days, being unable to get the words out.

Back we came, the supporters bus jumping. And back through gorgie we came, thumping the windows at anything resembling maroon. A Hibs fan at haymarket, lifted his kilt to us. I don’t think there was a statue left in Edinburgh without a Hibs scarf round his neck. And we bounced on Leith Walk like nothing mattered. Something very special had happened and so much had been lifted by that day. We were laughing and high on it all still with a sense of disbelief at what we were experiencing.

In the past we would often refer back to JC and the players, as the turning point. Where we headed on the downward spiral. Now? None of it matters. None of it. An incredible cathartic experience. The slate almost entirely wiped clean. With that has come a clear head, clarity and vision, provided by Leeann Dempster.

The feeling in our group has been brilliant ever since that day in May and David Gray. We have a great group. In my own experience, we have had friends of friends supporting two or three different clubs join us before/during/after games with the feeling around the place being so good. 1000 days unbeaten in the derby. Another trophy in the cabinet. Record season ticket sales. The party goes on

I am so happy to have been there, but I missed the players dinner(and the parade) the day after because I had to go back to Newcastle and work. :(

I'll never forget the absolute disbelief when that 3rd goal went in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pretty Boy

It sounds like bull**** but about 2 or 3 minutes before Stokes equlised my Dad and I said to each other that Rangers were out on their feet and we were going to win.

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Certainly not bull, PB.
These were the exact words I spoke to my mate Mick a few minutes before the equaliser. They had 'gone' completely and, although I expected extra time, I just knew we were going to win. :greengrin


GGTTH

i was nervous until we got to the club before the game, and at that point it genuinely seemed like everyone believed we were going to win it. For once we knew we had their match.

After the opening goal, for once we had a chance, I had finally seen us take the lead in a Scottish cup final. That's all you can ask for, is to be in with a chance.

After we scored I just kept shouting 'We've f***ing done it' probably to the annoyance of most around me who were bricking it. I just knew we weren't going to concede. I was also one of the first around me to realise we had been given the free kick so was basically celebrating while everyone else was wondering WTF was going on.

Post match, I've never seen scenes like it. In Asda, Champagne bottles taken off the shelves and sprayed everywhere. Drink by the barrowloads being consumed. My bus left without me, and sitting thinking 'how do we get home' and then it drove past. Ended up having to run 5/600 yards to where it had stopped, with my crate of beer, and got cramp half way.

The bus home was utter carnage, drink flying everywhere, bodies falling about all over the place. Our driver refused to go through Gorgie lol. Back to Leith we went, and pubs were rammed by this point. We got a call to say they had just seen the team bus go through Restalrig on the way to the ground, so we ran round to see the team arrive back.

THE GREATEST DAY!

Has it been a year? This hangover should clear up any day soon I hope.
Ggtth

I loved the Sam Martinez quote about the first goal being his favourite.

When the first goal went in it was the first time in my life that I'd genuinely believed that we might win the cup. Getting to the other finals and then this one, I hadn't really ever truly believed that we would do it but going 1-0 up early in the game was a totally unique feeling. It was unusual, unnerving and I didn't really know how to deal with it.

Hibs being Hibs, they then spent an hour and a bit making it all that little bit harder for us, and when Halliday's goal went in that all-too-familiar feeling of "here we go again" returned.

But when we equalised there was a renewed sense of hope. From that goal onwards we were the team with the energy and desire to go out and get the winner.

I don't know what fans of any other club will experience that can compare to the feeling that any and every Hibs fan felt when the winner went in.

I've never known what cast-iron confidence feels like, especially not when it comes to Hibs. But I knew, just knew, that we'd done it. It was almost as if there were a couple of minutes just put there for us to compose ourselves before what came next.

Obviously the next few minutes, hours, days and weeks were very special and we all have our own unique stories. But more than that I have absolutely loved being the Scottish Cup holders, I've loved every single minute of it and I'll enjoy every single minute of the next week up until someone takes it off us next Saturday afternoon.

It has been a very special year. But now we must go on and win a few more......

I'd been at the Falkirk game the weekend before and was totally gutted after it. That one really hurt. I'd spent the whole week feeling a mixture of gutted about the previous weekend and to be totally honest, dreading the coming weekend.

I actually slept fine on the Friday night, probably because I was still down about the weekend before. I started to get ready and my dad asked me if I was nervous. My reply to him was "let's just go, get this over with and get home." I just didn't see any way that the players would have been able to pick themselves up after the previous weekend, I know I certainly hadn't.

Drove through to Hampden, parked the car up and started to walk to the stadium. Walking down the hill from Holy Cross Primary School you can see the main entrance at Hampden with the two badges up. I've no idea why but I think then it hit me that we had a chance. I turned to my dad and told him we were going to win 1-0.

Walked down to the stadium, took my seat and just soaked in the atmosphere. As PB said, the atmosphere was outstanding. I think by the time kick off was upon us every Hibs fan had realised that we were in with a great chance and could more than match this Rangers side.

I had also like PB mentioned to a few people that I just at least wanted that moment to celebrate a goal that meant something, even if we didn't go on and win it I wanted to celebrate a goal that gave us a chance. When Stokesy tucked away the first I went absolutely mental. Only the second Scottish Cup final goal I'd seen us score, the other being a fairly meaningless one against Hearts. I thought to myself we might actually go and win this thing. My logic being that we would most likely score again leaving Rangers needing 3 to beat us in normal time.

The equaliser went in for Rangers and I remember being disappointed but fairly relaxed about it. We were playing well.

Half time came round and I was saying how we really should have been ahead and I hope we don't come to rue the missed opportunities we had. It was the first time I'd seen us turn up in a Scottish Cup final.

Second half began and Halliday hits the back of the net with a wonder strike. I've got to say, when it went in all my optimism had drained out of me. Here we go again was the overriding feeling at this point. I was gutted. The best opportunity we'd had in my lifetime and it was slipping away in front of my eyes.

Couple of subs came round and while Jason hadn't had the best game I was pretty annoyed to see him being taken off. We needed a goal and for the last couple of years JC had been our man when we needed them, especially against Rangers.

We started taking the game to Rangers and then Fyvie watched the ball out for a corner. Henderson whips the ball in, Stokes wins the header and hits the back of the net. Bedlam. Game on. I knew they were there for the taking. The guy beside me gave me a massive hug and I remember him saying to me "lets just get to extra time". My reply was "**** that, we're winning this."

Time started to run out to win it in 90 minutes, but I still fancied us. When Fyvie moved the ball out wide and Stokes took on Tavernier time seemed to stand still. When the ball left his boot I thought it was in, we'd done it. Fotheringham got a hand to it and then I thought from my seat that Keatings really should have got to the ball after the save, he was nowhere near it in reality. :greengrin

Then Henderson steps up over the corner again. I knew if we were going to do it in 90 mins that it would have to be now. The corner was delivered in what felt like slow motion and I remember watching Gray get away from his man. The ball was heading straight for him. All he had to do was get a clean connection. And boy did he do that. Absolute bedlam ensued, I remember my brother and dad hugging and I ended up over the top of them.

Once the initial bedlam had died down it hit home. We were going to do it. I had tears in my eyes but I had managed to hold it together. I had butterflies in my stomach. We were going to win the Scottish Cup.

I watched Henderson run away just before the whistle went and went absolutely mental. I'm not sure I truly believed we would win it at any point and I'm not sure I could quite believe what had just happened.

I still managed to hold it together fairly well until about 2 or 3 minutes after the final whistle. I turned round to see an older guy in the seats behind me who looked like he was on his own. He was standing with the biggest smile with tears streaming down his face. He was holding a photo of his dad who he said would be the happiest man in heaven. At this point I stopped managing to hold it together and the tears were flowing.

Sunshine on Leith was incredible. The journey back to Edinburgh was incredible. I went to the Persevere and was in there until about 12. I ended up home fairly early as the emotion of the day had caught up with me and I was absolutely gubbed. I'd always imagined when Hibs finally won the cup that I'd be out for days.

Woke up the next day and it all didn't seem real. I watched it back on the Sky+ and got ready to head out to the parade. Parked up the car on Ferry Road and walked down to the bottom of Leith Walk at the Kirkgate. Getting to the end of Great Junction Street and looking down Leith Walk and seeing that many people was incredible and something I could never have imagined.

It was and most likely forever will be the best weekend of my life. Watched Time For Heroes earlier and it still takes my breath away watching SDGs header hit the back of the net. :agree:

Having watched the Sky coverage several times in the past year, thought today I'd do it different.

Watched the full Hibs TV coverage for the first time and that put a totally fresh perspective on the game. Of course, the totally biased commentary from Cliff and Gregor make it a truly memorable experience. And also brings back the Hibs TV greatest comment of all time just after the final whistle. Gregor utters the immortal phrase ”no danger". Inspired words that are only rivalled by the Rangers TV comment "Aw Naw!" As SDG's header nestles in the back if the net.

I may have listed the following previously but hey, why not again on the anniversary.
This was a short summary of the game I wrote for my work's quarterly newsletter in June last year.

Event – Scottish Cup Final
Date - 21st May 2016
Venue – Hampden Park, Glasgow
Teams – Hibernian v ‘The’ Rangers

I made the journey through to Glasgow for the 5th time in my life to see if Hibs could end their ever increasing hoodoo of years having not won the Scottish Cup, for what was now 114 years. 10 previous finals since 1902 and every one a defeat – some close and some really embarrassing defeats as well.
So, took my seat that sunny afternoon with very little optimism for the day.

3rd minute came along - and shock of shocks – Anthony Stokes scored the first goal for Hibs. I’d never see this in a previous final. Maybe today was going to turn out different!!

26th minute – ‘The’ Rangers equalize – and yes – as is often the case an ex-Hibs player scores the goal. Thought – oh no – here we go again. And I was right…………

64th minute – ‘The’ Rangers go in front with what has to be said was a good goal – 25 yard strike from outside the box that went straight as an arrow into the back of the net. Ah well I thought, at least this time we’ve played reasonably and could be beaten by a “wonder strike”.

Then the atmosphere of the game changed. Hibs made a couple of substitutions. ‘The’ Rangers started to look a bit leggy and tired. Those fresh legs seemed to turn the tide for Hibs.

80th minute – a corner for Hibs. Simple cross in from Henderson. Stokes outmuscled Tavernier, rose above him, stretched his head and neck muscles at the ball and towards the goal – BOOM!! –the ball was in the back of the net. We had equalised. Again this was a new sensation in a Scottish Cup Final. We had a chance again. All the play seemed to be in our favour in the next 10 minutes or so.

Injury time came and it looked liked extra time was inevitable. Stokes once again took the defence apart cutting inside, shot and it was saved by the keeper but it went for a corner kick.
92nd minute – Corner to be taken again by Henderson. Deeper into the box this time. Everyone runs towards the ball. The Rangers players all miss it and our club captain “Sir” David Gray is the only one to connect. The ball bullets of his head. The keeper makes a frantic dive to stop it but doesn’t. The ball hits the back of the net. Myself and 21,000 Hibs fans jump up for joy, We’d scored. We were leading again. There’s only 90 seconds to go. Surely we can’t lose it now. Had 114 years of pent up angst come to an end. I burst in to tears like a big baby.

Pull yourself together Bruce. This is Hibs that are playing. We invented the fine art of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. We had done so the week before in the Premiership playoffs.
That 90-120 seconds seemed like 90-120 minutes as everyone around me looked on in disbelief hardly being able to register what was happening or about to happen.
94th minute – The final whistle went. Hibs had won 3-2. Hibs had won the Scottish Cup. Hibs never win the Scottish Cup but bloody hell, we just have……I burst into an even more emotional state of teary delight. I couldn’t believe it. Had honestly thought that I (along wth many others) would never see this day in our lifetime. It had finally arrived. Life felt good. I was there when Hibs went up to lift the Scottish Cup, I was there!!!

As for the pitch invasion by the fans afterwards – that’s another story. Not as bad as the press have depicted it but can truthfully say it didn’t involve me in any way. I stayed in my seat and watched it unfold. GGTTH

About this time last year we got done to Leith Walk. Carnage. We were standing outside enjoying the party when one of our group spots a phone on the ground. Somehow despite the thousands of feet and smashed glass and spilt drink it is pristine.

A wee bit later the phone rings. Its owner has gone up to George st but will come back. About 20 minutes later this guy - who has ran most of the way - turns up and can't believe he's got his phone again and it still works.

He was a very happy Hibby!

Sometimes it doesn't need many words. I can't for the life me recall what I did when Gray scored, but I'd do anything to have it back.

The greatest moment ever.