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View Full Version : The Scottish Cup Factor and the Resiliance of Hibs Support



Dashing Bob S
03-01-2017, 09:01 PM
Still having a big impact on us as a support. Our uninspired first half of the season would have had me on the hotline to the Samaritans in previous seasons, but we seem to have brushed it aside. All we can talk is about is the introduction of the pacy winger, the goalscoring midfielder, the return of three star players, and the fact that we're still out in front.

Gates are massively on the up, and the Dundee United game is heading for a sell-out or near sell out.

I'm not a skoosher by any means, but it's as good a time as I remember to be a Hibby.

Sir David Gray
03-01-2017, 09:09 PM
Can't wait for every game to come and I'm really looking forward to Friday night.

The cup win has changed a lot about the club.

hibby6270
03-01-2017, 11:26 PM
In my lifetime, there have been what could be called "feel good eras" where we looked like we could win anything at times. I refer to Turnbull era, Sauzee/Latapy era, Mowbray era and - I believe if it had been allowed to flourish - what would have been the Collins era.

All of these brought a degree of success to the club by way of winning cups, getting to finals and winning the League we are currently in and so it follows there was a feel good factor around at the time.

The current feel good factor will IMO only ever be surpassed if we ever win the Premiership title. However, the way we as a club have always been (sellers and short term deals), couple with the way Scottish football has become in a financial sense, it's a pipe dream to ever think we'll seriously contend for a Premiership title.

The Scottish Cup win will for me, forever be a feel good feeling, simply because we eventually won the damn thing after so many disappointments over 114 years. If we never win it again in my lifetime, I won't really care. But the good thing about Hibs is, we'll always give it a damn good try and somewhere along the line we will play attractive football that will keep the crowds coming.

We have a hard core support of around 9-10,000 who will turn up regardless, myself included. That will never change. If we can hold on to a couple of thousand of those extras who are attending now, we should continue to prosper. GGTTH

Andy74
03-01-2017, 11:33 PM
This is us being resilient is it? Last week the manager was for the sack and the majority of the team were duds.

I get what you mean in the wider sense though - the support is holding up well. There's also a lot to be said for the interest in being genuinely involved in a title challenge.

tamig
03-01-2017, 11:35 PM
In my lifetime, there have been what could be called "feel good eras" where we looked like we could win anything at times. I refer to Turnbull era, Sauzee/Latapy era, Mowbray era and - I believe if it had been allowed to flourish - what would have been the Collins era.

All of these brought a degree of success to the club by way of winning cups, getting to finals and winning the League we are currently in and so it follows there was a feel good factor around at the time.

The current feel good factor will IMO only ever be surpassed if we ever win the Premiership title. However, the way we as a club have always been (sellers and short term deals), couple with the way Scottish football has become in a financial sense, it's a pipe dream to ever think we'll seriously contend for a Premiership title.

The Scottish Cup win will for me, forever be a feel good feeling, simply because we eventually won the damn thing after so many disappointments over 114 years. If we never win it again in my lifetime, I won't really care. But the good thing about Hibs is, we'll always give it a damn good try and somewhere along the line we will play attractive football that will keep the crowds coming.

We have a hard core support of around 9-10,000 who will turn up regardless, myself included. That will never change. If we can hold on to a couple of thousand of those extras who are attending now, we should continue to prosper. GGTTH

I don't think anything will ever surpass 21/5/16. Nothing.

Sir David Gray
03-01-2017, 11:42 PM
I don't think anything will ever surpass 21/5/16. Nothing.

Winning the Premiership title would be a far better achievement but I don't think it would match the emotions of that day.

Dashing Bob S
03-01-2017, 11:53 PM
Interesting thing for me is that the hunger of the club to win the Scottish Cup increased over the last decade. We were regularly getting into finals and semis, which hadn't really happened before during my time following Hibs. While the Yams and media etc were still smug about our failure, they neglected to see the bigger picture - that we were seriously knocking on the door much more convincingly than previously, and failing bigger, if you like.

Now we are aware that we're a big club in the context of Scottish football, and not jinxed in a way that many (including myself on occasion) believed us to be. We should be and now expect, rather than hope, to be competing strongly for European slots and domestic cups in the future.

hibby6270
04-01-2017, 12:15 AM
I don't think anything will ever surpass 21/5/16. Nothing.

Totally agree.
Have seen us winning League Cups, 1st Division Championships but none have been as dramatic as 21st May.
Maybe if we ever got in to a position to win the Premiership on last day of season against the Yams (if it was between both of us for the title) that might be up there but there's no way the SPFL computer would schedule it that way.:greengrin

Smartie
04-01-2017, 12:17 AM
I have to say I disagree with the main point being made.

I've seriously questioned the resilience of the Hibs support over the past month, and wondered whether our lack of resilience might be our undoing this season.

We weren't a bad side as a result of having a few iffy results with a depleted team, like some people made out. Similarly, a couple of decent results that have seen us go top again don't make us a great side all of a sudden. We have a decent squad with a few weaknesses that if we improve, should be enough to see us promoted. If we don't, we might not. And that's before we factor in what the likes of United might do.

The Scottish Cup win might in some ways have been the worst thing that could have happened in terms of our aspirations this season. It has given certain factions within our support a sense of entitlement, a sense that because we've sold a lot of season tickets and have a bigger budget than anyone that we just need to turn up and beat teams 4 or 5 nil. I don't think it's a million miles away from the sense of entitlement that made Easter Road a difficult place for our own team to play for many years as we declined and ultimately ended up in the Championship, just because we had a bigger budget than, say, ICT, St Johnstone or Ross County. We have no divine right to beat anyone.

Even if we were to "skoosh" the league, we'd do it in spite of dropping the odd point at home, losing the odd big game, missing the odd chance and the odd player having an off-day. Remember the Stranraer defeat in the context of our dominant First Division performance the last time we went down. Now most of us seem to be over the idea of "skooshing" the league, we can be a bit more appreciative of a dug-out victory like the one owe got on Saturday or accept that getting a point this Friday might not be a bad result. And we can learn that the most important ability of all is the ability to bounce back - we dropped points against Raith but the combination of a fighting win at Falkirk and United's result at Dumbarton sees us back in the driving seat.

Lennon has come in for some criticism, some of it justified. But the thing about Lennon, the thing we're probably yet to see, is that he knows what it takes to win Championships. He's done it throughout his career, and he'll know how he needs to guide this group of players to victory. And it's not done by pissing your pants every time you drop a point, making knee-jerk decisions or prioritising aesthetics over results.

It feels good right now, no question. Saturday did us all a lot of good. But there will be ups and downs between now and the end of the season, and if we're to succeed the team and manager will need us to be with them all the way, even when it gets tough.

It's easy singing when you're winning.

monktonharp
04-01-2017, 01:55 AM
a lot of your points are true Smartie, in my opinion but I don't think the current fans can be classed as unresilient. the turn outs for lots of our away games have been fantastic, Ayr,D.Utd and Falkirk as well as ST Mirren and Morton (freebie of course) but they have been resilient. moaning at times, but iirc it was at some poor home performances.the Dumbarton game was a shocker but we won easily in the end. Also, I totally agree with D.Bob stating that we were knocking on the door for that cup. If we get there often enough our day will come and it surely did. we will be back there, in the not too distant future as far as I am concerned. we will also be there at the ned of the day for winning this league, not by a distance but we will see what United are capable of on Friday.

jockodile
04-01-2017, 04:32 AM
We never got much sledging in the press about our awful record until Dundee United finally ended their duck against Rangers with Brewster's goal.

naturally once it went past 100 after the Celtic final it gave them easy copy and helped heap on this monkey on back situation. This was a real stick to beat us with.

by keeping regular appearances in semis however you do give yourself a chance. I'd long thought once we finally did the SC we would prob win it again within a few seasons, it was the drought that gave us the problem.

Dundee FC last won the cup in 1910. Will be interesting to see if newspapers ignore this for upcoming tourney or they become they new 'cursed'

Pete
04-01-2017, 06:56 AM
All you have to do is look at the numbers.

Anyone who says that the cup win hasn't helped things has rocks in their head.

Keith_M
04-01-2017, 08:52 AM
IMO, the high numbers this season are a result of two factors:


1) Finally winning the Scottish Cup has re-activated the interest in the club of a lot of people that had drifted away.

2) Hibs started the season as favourites to win the league.


The first has had the biggest effect on attendances but I think the second might have increased numbers over last season even without the cup win (though not to the same degree).

I'm not sure about the 'resilience' part though.

superfurryhibby
04-01-2017, 10:29 AM
The resilience of the support is beyond question.

It is based on much more than the predictable and justifiable responses to what has been a mostly underwhelming season thus far. Expectations are high after the appointment of a big name manager (in the context of Scottish football) and the majesty of our seasons ending in May.

Hibs fans understand the importance of this season. We are backing the team in number rarely seen over the past 50 years, investing heavilly in the share issue and HSL etc. Realistically, fans can't do any more than they are doing just now. The players and management need to deliver. They have the tools to do the job, now it needs the execution!

hughio
04-01-2017, 12:00 PM
The resilience of the support is beyond question.

It is based on much more than the predictable and justifiable responses to what has been a mostly underwhelming season thus far. Expectations are high after the appointment of a big name manager (in the context of Scottish football) and the majesty of our seasons ending in May.

Hibs fans understand the importance of this season. We are backing the team in number rarely seen over the past 50 years, investing heavilly in the share issue and HSL etc. Realistically, fans can't do any more than they are doing just now. The players and management need to deliver. They have the tools to do the job, now it needs the execution!

:aok:
I believe Mr Lennon knows what is needed and will execute it.Otherwise he knows he will be deemed a failure and HFC will suffer a huge body blow.
The goodwill factor from Cup victory and the obligitary buying of season tickets related thereto won't be there next season.

NAE NOOKIE
04-01-2017, 03:11 PM
If there is a resilience within the Hibs support its not so much the eight or so thousand who are prepared to stick with the club as match attending fans when the going gets tough, its the thousands who are prepared to back the club when there's the slightest bit of encouragement like the team playing attractive football or in this case a cup win.

But like all clubs in order to keep things going we need to live up to expectations .... the Yams are a prime example of this. They sold loads of STs on the back of their plea to fans to save the club and retained those ST holders by winning the league, they kept them on board by having a relatively successful league campaign on their first season back in the premier league and there's no doubt the interest in their new stand will enable them to hold on to most of their ST holders for next season. Their problem will come if they have a bad season in 17/18.

Its the same with us .... The feel good factor around the cup final has been huge for Hibs, win the league and we will be very unlucky not to have record ST sales for 17/18 .... how we then make that carry over to the 18/19 season will be the problem.

Dashing Bob S
04-01-2017, 03:18 PM
I have to say I disagree with the main point being made.

I've seriously questioned the resilience of the Hibs support over the past month, and wondered whether our lack of resilience might be our undoing this season.

We weren't a bad side as a result of having a few iffy results with a depleted team, like some people made out. Similarly, a couple of decent results that have seen us go top again don't make us a great side all of a sudden. We have a decent squad with a few weaknesses that if we improve, should be enough to see us promoted. If we don't, we might not. And that's before we factor in what the likes of United might do.

The Scottish Cup win might in some ways have been the worst thing that could have happened in terms of our aspirations this season. It has given certain factions within our support a sense of entitlement, a sense that because we've sold a lot of season tickets and have a bigger budget than anyone that we just need to turn up and beat teams 4 or 5 nil. I don't think it's a million miles away from the sense of entitlement that made Easter Road a difficult place for our own team to play for many years as we declined and ultimately ended up in the Championship, just because we had a bigger budget than, say, ICT, St Johnstone or Ross County. We have no divine right to beat anyone.

Even if we were to "skoosh" the league, we'd do it in spite of dropping the odd point at home, losing the odd big game, missing the odd chance and the odd player having an off-day. Remember the Stranraer defeat in the context of our dominant First Division performance the last time we went down. Now most of us seem to be over the idea of "skooshing" the league, we can be a bit more appreciative of a dug-out victory like the one owe got on Saturday or accept that getting a point this Friday might not be a bad result. And we can learn that the most important ability of all is the ability to bounce back - we dropped points against Raith but the combination of a fighting win at Falkirk and United's result at Dumbarton sees us back in the driving seat.

Lennon has come in for some criticism, some of it justified. But the thing about Lennon, the thing we're probably yet to see, is that he knows what it takes to win Championships. He's done it throughout his career, and he'll know how he needs to guide this group of players to victory. And it's not done by pissing your pants every time you drop a point, making knee-jerk decisions or prioritising aesthetics over results.

It feels good right now, no question. Saturday did us all a lot of good. But there will be ups and downs between now and the end of the season, and if we're to succeed the team and manager will need us to be with them all the way, even when it gets tough.

It's easy singing when you're winning.

All very good points you've made there. I think we've moaned about the club and gone a bit drama queen (a defeat means we're condemned to this level of football forever, while a win equals skooshing) but we've fundamentally stuck with the club in numbers since the Scottish Cup win.

If we win promotion next season, the support pretty much takes care of itself. It's the season after that that will be the difficult one - where we stop going forward and perhaps find our level. I expect a similar thing to happen to the Yams. It would nice if we could consolidate and keep the additional support, and even build on it.

GreenNWhiteArmy
04-01-2017, 05:57 PM
I have to say I disagree with the main point being made.

I've seriously questioned the resilience of the Hibs support over the past month, and wondered whether our lack of resilience might be our undoing this season.

We weren't a bad side as a result of having a few iffy results with a depleted team, like some people made out. Similarly, a couple of decent results that have seen us go top again don't make us a great side all of a sudden. We have a decent squad with a few weaknesses that if we improve, should be enough to see us promoted. If we don't, we might not. And that's before we factor in what the likes of United might do.

The Scottish Cup win might in some ways have been the worst thing that could have happened in terms of our aspirations this season. It has given certain factions within our support a sense of entitlement, a sense that because we've sold a lot of season tickets and have a bigger budget than anyone that we just need to turn up and beat teams 4 or 5 nil. I don't think it's a million miles away from the sense of entitlement that made Easter Road a difficult place for our own team to play for many years as we declined and ultimately ended up in the Championship, just because we had a bigger budget than, say, ICT, St Johnstone or Ross County. We have no divine right to beat anyone.

Even if we were to "skoosh" the league, we'd do it in spite of dropping the odd point at home, losing the odd big game, missing the odd chance and the odd player having an off-day. Remember the Stranraer defeat in the context of our dominant First Division performance the last time we went down. Now most of us seem to be over the idea of "skooshing" the league, we can be a bit more appreciative of a dug-out victory like the one owe got on Saturday or accept that getting a point this Friday might not be a bad result. And we can learn that the most important ability of all is the ability to bounce back - we dropped points against Raith but the combination of a fighting win at Falkirk and United's result at Dumbarton sees us back in the driving seat.

Lennon has come in for some criticism, some of it justified. But the thing about Lennon, the thing we're probably yet to see, is that he knows what it takes to win Championships. He's done it throughout his career, and he'll know how he needs to guide this group of players to victory. And it's not done by pissing your pants every time you drop a point, making knee-jerk decisions or prioritising aesthetics over results.

It feels good right now, no question. Saturday did us all a lot of good. But there will be ups and downs between now and the end of the season, and if we're to succeed the team and manager will need us to be with them all the way, even when it gets tough.

It's easy singing when you're winning.

Literally couldn't agree more. Excellent points

where'stheslope
04-01-2017, 07:58 PM
The Scottish Cup was long long awaited, and a great boost at the time, but a Cup can be won in 7 games!

The League is a different matter as there are 36 games to negotiate before you become Champions, and over the months every team gets knocks and freak results for and against.

To many, on here in particular thought this season was about turning up and winning the League, and as we have seen we are not getting everything our own way.

The fans have been coming out in great numbers, but are quick to turn on the team when a result goes against us.

All I ask is the fans don't let the heads go down back the team, even in defeat, as this can be transferred to the team that the fans are with them for the whole journey not just one game!!!!

basehibby
05-01-2017, 02:48 AM
The impact of the cup win has been enormous - crowds are up by 50% or so which is a massive boost to the club and makes ER a better place to play and watch football. There are still the inevitable moans and groans from the stands when things aren't going our way with maybe a slight over-tendency to assume we should be cuffing teams all the time in this league etc - but that's football and football fans, and the general level of gum bumping and gratuitous player slaughtering is down I would say, so feelgood factor is definately there.

It's up to Lennon and the team now to use that backing and make sure we get back up this year and so keep the bounce going and growing.