Sir David Gray and the forthcoming Cup Final

[TheSouthMoroccan]

Just a thought but if we are winning, surely he has to come on for the last few minutes, a fitting tribute for his goal the last time round ?

[hibee]

Would be great to be in that position as long as he brings Lewis on with him!

[Magpie]

Is he still designated first team captain? If we win the cup I wonder if it will be him or Hanlon who lift the trophy.

[.Sean.]

Is he still designated first team captain? If we win the cup I wonder if it will be him or Hanlon who lift the trophy.
I was wondering this yesterday. I very much doubt he will feature but out of respect for the man nevermind the fact he is still club captain, I hope he lifts the cup with whoever is captain on the day - for me that should be Darren McGregor.

He won’t play but he will still play a major part behind the scenes in the run up

[AgentDaleCooper]

if we're winning, bringing him on at the 92nd minute would be special

[Alex Trager]

if we're winning, bringing him on at the 92nd minute would be special

Haha good shout.

I want Stevenson on as well

[hibbysam]

I was wondering this yesterday. I very much doubt he will feature but out of respect for the man nevermind the fact he is still club captain, I hope he lifts the cup with whoever is captain on the day - for me that should be Darren McGregor.

He won’t play but he will still play a major part behind the scenes in the run up

Not for me mate, Hanlon has been skipper all season, he should be the first up the steps should we win the thing again, would be fitting given the service he’s given us.

[JohnM1875]

I totally get what you're saying, but would SDG actually want such a token gesture? Seems like something you'd do for a retiring player etc. Not club captain who still has years left on his contract.

[Sammy7nil]

Only if we are three or four up :wink::greengrin

[Kaff]

Not for me mate, Hanlon has been skipper all season, he should be the first up the steps should we win the thing again, would be fitting given the service he’s given us.

I think Hanlon would want to share lifting the cup with SDG, it's his type of character and we're so lucky to have him Lewis, Daz and SDG at the club moulding the squad in that way.
I'd like it too, since Gray came to the club we've benefitted from his presence and by the looks of it he doesn't have much more game time for us so in a cup final squad if we're fortunate enough to win then it would be an iconic moment to have the same skipper lift the cup twice.

[Pretty Boy]

The issue of the trophy presentation will be something the players sort out among themselves as and when it arises.

As the club captain I'd like to see SDG share the honour with Paul Hanlon but if the players decide differently then so be it, it's their moment.

[Nevi_SOL]

Regardless SDG is the exact type of person you want on the pitch in the last 10 mins if we’re leading. Big Daz as well

[Dashing Bob S]

Might be an idea to work out how to beat a team who have had us on toast and already have silverware in the trophy cabinet before we indulge in such mawkish and extravagant sentiments.

[hibbysam]

Regardless SDG is the exact type of person you want on the pitch in the last 10 mins if we’re leading. Big Daz as well

Is he though? The only sign we’ve seen this season is against Celtic and he sold the jerseys.

[Northernhibee]

Not for me mate, Hanlon has been skipper all season, he should be the first up the steps should we win the thing again, would be fitting given the service he’s given us.

Yep, that would be hugely disrespectful to Paul.

[Hibee Mac]

If the players are thinking about any of this they're getting way ahead of themselves. We've got an important game Vs Aberdeen followed by a cup final Vs a team who have had our number this season, plenty still to get over the line.

[basehibby]

Not for me mate, Hanlon has been skipper all season, he should be the first up the steps should we win the thing again, would be fitting given the service he’s given us.

:top marksThis for sure. As for subbing anyone on for anything other than the express purpose of winning the game - no thanks unless we're at least three up with only a minute to go. SDG, Darren and Lewis will all be part of the squad if available and will play whatever part they are called upon to do - god willing that will include collecting winners medals at the end :pray::pray::pray: :cup:

[EdinMike]

I would want Lewis to cement his place as a club legend of double Scottish Cup and League Cup winner !

[Since452]

Obviously love Sir David but if he was anywhere near the park on the 22nd it would mean we've had a nightmare with injuries. I don't believe in sentiment in football, Gray has written himself into our history already. It's time for new heroes.

[Baader]

Like for like swap for Doidge and let SDG play striker for the last 30 seconds. But only if we're 2 up... 😁

[JimBHibees]

Is he though? The only sign we’ve seen this season is against Celtic and he sold the jerseys.

Sold the jerseys is stretching it a bit. Christie bought a free kick out wide from him. There were other players significantly more culpable for that ending up in the net.

[Brightside]

SDG would be embarrassed to read this tbh. He's got a bit more about him than John Terry.

[Clarence]

Let’s just worry about winning the hing rather than the celebration.

[hibbysam]

Sold the jerseys is stretching it a bit. Christie bought a free kick out wide from him. There were other players significantly more culpable for that ending up in the net.

Not getting into it, if he stood his ground we won the game, as it were he went steaming into a challenge and from there all hell broke loose. No doubt others were very poor, however without the free kick none of that happened and it was entirely preventable.

[overdrive]

Given that we can ‘only’ use 3 subs in the Scottish Cup (4 if it goes to extra time) rather than the 5 subs in the league, I’m not sure we can afford to be using subs for sentimental reasons.

[jeffers]

Not getting into it, if he stood his ground we won the game, as it were he went steaming into a challenge and from there all hell broke loose. No doubt others were very poor, however without the free kick none of that happened and it was entirely preventable.

So he’s more culpable for giving away a free kick that we had opportunities to clear than Paul Hanlon who passed it straight to Laxalt who then scored ?

[JeMeSouviens]

Only if we are three or four up :wink::greengrin

I was thinking 7 myself!

[superfurryhibby]

So he’s more culpable for giving away a free kick that we had opportunities to clear than Paul Hanlon who passed it straight to Laxalt who then scored ?

It was a poor free kick to give away by Gray, but saying he sold the jerseys is a bit shan. As you say, others contributed to us giving away the equalising goal. That's football.

[Spike Mandela]

Let’s just win the bloody thing. Don’t care if it’s Hanlon, Gray or Tam McCourt as long as a Hibby lifts it.:greengrin

If I was a betting man I would say Sir David Gray is too much of a gentleman to gatecrash Paul Hanlon’s moment.

[jeffers]

It was a poor free kick to give away by Gray, but saying he sold the jerseys is a bit shan. As you say, others contributed to us giving away the equalising goal. That's football.

Absolutely, it’s not too dissimilar blaming the person who conceded a corner every time a goal is scored from one.

[Diclonius]

No sentiment. Paul Hanlon has led this team through the season and to the final. If we win he should be lifting the trophy.

[gogs_t]

Here is an article my son wrote on this yesterday.

Well worth a read

https://conaltracey.wordpress.com/2021/05/09/why-paul-hanlon-deserves-to-captain-his-boyhood-team-to-cup-glory/

Hope the link works!

[hibbysam]

So he’s more culpable for giving away a free kick that we had opportunities to clear than Paul Hanlon who passed it straight to Laxalt who then scored ?

If you don’t give the free kick away, nothing else afterwards happens. The point was that he’s ideal for coming on if we are holding out, that game showed that’s absolutely not the case.

[WhileTheChief..]

If he doesn’t play he shouldn’t be going up to lift the cup. Remember John Terry doing that? Total cringe.

Besides, I think he has too much class to try and steal someone else’s moment.

[jeffers]

If you don’t give the free kick away, nothing else afterwards happens. The point was that he’s ideal for coming on if we are holding out, that game showed that’s absolutely not the case.

We’ll agree to disagree, football is all about reacting. No one will ever convince me that a player conceding a free kick is more culpable when play has continued than the one who passes it direct to an opponent and they then score.

[hibbysam]

We’ll agree to disagree, football is all about reacting. No one will ever convince me that a player conceding a free kick is more culpable when play has continued than the one who passes it direct to an opponent and they then score.

Was there a need to give the free kick away? It was in a nothing area with the boys back turned and cornered, it was stupidity, if you can’t see that then fair enough. Nobody is more culpable, however if he doesn’t give it away the goal doesn’t happen. We’re talking about Gray, and how useful he’d be coming off the bench to see a tight game out, if we want to talk about Hanlon then we can start a thread about that. He came on like a bull in a China shop and we lost a goal due to it.

[Stairway 2 7]

A discussion about two legends lifting the cup, turns into which one was to blame for an old goal 😆👌

[jeffers]

Was there a need to give the free kick away? It was in a nothing area with the boys back turned and cornered, it was stupidity, if you can’t see that then fair enough. Nobody is more culpable, however if he doesn’t give it away the goal doesn’t happen. We’re talking about Gray, and how useful he’d be coming off the bench to see a tight game out, if we want to talk about Hanlon then we can start a thread about that. He came on like a bull in a China shop and we lost a goal due to it.

We were sitting back, inviting pressure. He tried to make a challenge, it was careless. I’m not defending him for that, but they didn’t score directly from the free kick, we had great opportunities to clear it and failed. If you can’t see that, then fair enough.

[hibbysam]

We were sitting back, inviting pressure. He tried to make a challenge, it was careless. I’m not defending him for that, but they didn’t score directly from the free kick, we had great opportunities to clear it and failed. If you can’t see that, then fair enough.

I can see that and haven’t disputed that, but the point was that Gray is the best option (along with McGregor) for coming on and seeing a game out.... that’s the point I challenged and gave the Celtic game as the example, coupled with him playing zero football for months.

[jeffers]

I can see that and haven’t disputed that, but the point was that Gray is the best option (along with McGregor) for coming on and seeing a game out.... that’s the point I challenged and gave the Celtic game as the example, coupled with him playing zero football for months.

Fair enough. Fwiw I don’t disagree with you regarding bringing him on to see a game out, purely down to his lack of game time.