Hibs report in the sun today

[beensaidbefore]

Anyone read it? Pleasant reading for a change, especially coming from Bill Leckie. Who was also spot on about the his comments on the Rangers debacle.

[Scouse Hibee]

Anyone read it? Pleasant reading for a change, especially coming from Bill Leckie. Who was also spot on about the his comments on the Rangers debacle.

Not even after I have wiped my erse with it!!!!!!

[beensaidbefore]

Not even after I have wiped my erse with it!!!!!!

That might make more interesting reading though!!!

[Scouse Hibee]

That might make more interesting reading though!!!

Mate keep your newspaper reading fettishes to yourself eh! :greengrin

[blackpoolhibs]

Anyone read it? Pleasant reading for a change, especially coming from Bill Leckie. Who was also spot on about the his comments on the Rangers debacle.

What did it say?

Just found it, :thumbsup:

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/4187629/No-fake-TV-glamour-just-genuine-Cup-drama-for-real-fans.html

[Phil D. Rolls]

when he piled in loan signings to sort out what had turned into an absolute gang,

Head nail hit on.

[Gatecrasher]

Tannoy and atmosphere crackling in tandem. The roar of the pie grease, the smell of the crowd.
And now, here they come — little guy versus big guy, one holding out for a hero and the other hoping against hope to bury a hoodoo.
Visibly tense. Openly emotional. Snarling faces launching into shuddering tackles when it's game on, smiles and handshakes when it's over.
This, right here, is how it's meant to be. THIS is football.

This is what we want more of :agree:

[Keith_M]

Makes a good read (sorry Scouse).

And no Old Firm fans in sight (with the possibly exception of the UJ waving prat).

[FastEddieFelson]

someone want to copy and paste?

[MSK]

someone want to copy and paste?

Published: 12th March 2012


THREE o'clock Saturday, terraces packed


Tannoy and atmosphere crackling in tandem. The roar of the pie grease, the smell of the crowd.

And now, here they come — little guy versus big guy, one holding out for a hero and the other hoping against hope to bury a hoodoo.

Visibly tense. Openly emotional. Snarling faces launching into shuddering tackles when it's game on, smiles and handshakes when it's over.

This, right here, is how it's meant to be. THIS is football.

Not half 12 or ten to four to suit the cameras. Not Monday night or Thursday teatime. Not all-seater sterility or pre-match fireworks that the action can never live up to. Not administrators or conspiracy theorists or EBTs or CVAs. Just mud, sweat, joy and pain.

All the things money can't buy. All the things we had as kids on churned-up public parks, on freezing mornings when we dreamed that one day WE might run out on an occasion as exciting as this.

All that was missing was the giantkilling. But even then, who with any sentiment in their soul could deny Hibs the chance to stop the clock ticking on THAT wait to lift THAT trophy?

This was the ultimate no-lose situation for a neutral, 90 minutes that perfectly defined the Magic Of The Cup.

The step along The Road To Hampden when, for the first time, you could actually see the floodlights looming.

The only time Roy O'Donovan's ever set foot inside Hampden was to have his heartrate tested. The second that final whistle sounded on Saturday, his pulse was already racing at the thought of going back for real.

In his sing-song Irish lilt, the man whose sixth-minute goal sent the Hibees on their way said: "It was when I was at Dundee United, a few years back now. They sent me there for an ECG — I'm not sure why, maybe I wasn't trying hard enough and they thought my heart had stopped!

"But now I can't wait to play there. It's going to be special — maybe more for this club than most.

"I've read all week about the Cup record and then on the bus to the game lads like Garry O'Connor and Ivan Sproule were telling me what it means to everyone.

"You could definitely feel the tension before the game, with the fans and the players. Now I suppose the pressure will crank up a bit more because we're in the semi.

"But it's something we need to handle. Records are there to be broken and hopefully we can break it at last.

"I get the feeling the Hibs supporters in the dressing room — and there are quite a few — are desperate to win the Cup, they're giving that extra couple of per cent because it's their hometown club.

"That's brilliant for the players around them, it gives us all a little extra too. Maybe this run could turn our season round." From the way they played in the first half here, though, it felt like things already ARE turning.

New boss Fenlon's transfer window re-shuffle, when he piled in loan signings to sort out what had turned into an absolute gang, is working.

In Norwich City right back George Francomb, they have a youngster of real quality. Paul Hanlon's at last being used at centre back and is forming a decent partnership with James McPake.

In midfield, Jorge Claros has steadied the ship, while O'Donovan and Leigh Griffiths were just too good up front for Ayr's back line.

Mind you, they got a helping hand along the way when ref Steven McLean awarded an 18th-minute spot-kick for the kind of penalty-box wrestling at a corner that happens a dozen times in every game.

Ayr's take is that it wouldn't have been given at the other end. I have to say they're probably right.

To be fair, though, McLean was pretty duff for both teams all afternoon. As a whistler young enough to be a player, he has a great opportunity to forge a bond with the guys he's in charge of, but instead he seems to try and act older and it gives him an officious air that rubs people up the wrong way.

As Griffiths smashed home that free gift of a spot-kick so hard it brought the stanchion behind the goal down and with it the net, a green flare was let off at the Hibs end; on the touchline, United boss Brian Reid was enveloped in a red mist.

He probably knew that, despite having 72 minutes to go, time was already all but up for a bunch of part-timers who'd punched above their weight all season in knockout ties.

They'd knocked out Caley Thistle, Hearts and St Mirren before taking Killie to extra time in the League Cup semi. They'd seen off Livingston and Falkirk, both after being drawn away from home, to get to the last eight of the Scottish.

Even here, they had their chances to pull off one last shock. At 1-0, Michael McGowan's free kick from out on the right fell to Chris Smith, who headed straight at Graham Stack from five yards. Then, early in the second half, Geggan again saw the whites of the keepers gloves but nodded straight at him.

That's how close they came. That's why the home fans in a noisy 5,991 crowd were left giving their men a defiant ovation while the travelling support were singing Sunshine On Leith.

That's why one jubilant visitor danced across the pitch in a green tutu while Ayr diehards were hanging over the barriers screaming abuse at the ref.

That's why, by the time the Hibs bus pulled away from the main stand, all that stood in their way was one little boy, standing at the end of the street waving a black and white chequered flag almost the size of himself.

As they smiled through the glass at him, they were praying their race is far from run yet...

[FastEddieFelson]

thanks

[R'Albin]

This is what we want more of :agree:

:agree:




All that was missing was the giantkilling. But even then, who with any sentiment in their soul could deny Hibs the chance to stop the clock ticking on THAT wait to lift THAT trophy?



This bit gave me goosebumps :thumbsup:

[mickki40]

At last proper writing

[Green Man]

I hate the Sun, it's a terrible paper, but I do enjoy Bill Leckie's writing. I remember a few years back he visited all of the Scottish league grounds in one season, his column made for good reading every week.