Tambo
04-12-2022, 11:11 AM
In the lead-up to Christmas, we are shining a light on Hibs players (past and present) to wear the numbers 1-25! Up next is a shirt that’s been home to Hibs legends – number fours; Paul Hanlon, Pat Stanton, and Franck Sauzée.
Paul Hanlon (2008 - Present)
Club Captain, fifth in the Club’s all-time appearance chart, and a Hibee through and through.
Edinburgh-born Hanlon joined his boyhood club from youth side Hutchison Vale. As a youngster, he starred in the middle of midfield before moving into the back line after Hibs focused on his defensive talent.
In January 2008, Hanlon made his senior debut for the Club at left-back against Inverness CT, and from there – between a loan spell at St Johnstone – began to break into the First Team set-up. Come the 2010/11 campaign, he became a First Team regular and actually had his first taste of captaining the side.
Alongside his defensive acumen, he also popped up at the other end with vital goals, including an injury-time equaliser away to Hearts in the 2015/16 Scottish Cup. We won the replay at Hearts and went on to win the competition.
He was appointed Club Captain in July 2021 and went on to make his 500th appearance for the Club in May 2022. To date, he has made 515 appearances for Hibs.
Pat Stanton (1963-76)
617 appearances, time at the Club as Manager, and now a Club Ambassador, by every meaning of the word, Pat Stanton is a Hibernian FC legend.
Pat became a Hibee in 1963 and made his debut later that year and remained a faithful servant of the Club for 13 seasons. Under Jock Stein, he helped the Club win the Summer Cup in 1964, and went on to captain the ‘Turnbull’s Tornados’ to a famous League Cup triumph over Celtic in 1972. Alongside this, he won the Drybrough Cup twice!
A versatile player who caught the eye in midfielder and defence, in 1970 was voted the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
He left Hibs in 1976 to join Celtic after making 617 appearances for the Club. He returned to Hibs in 1982 as Manager. At international level, Pat gained 16 caps for Scotland between 1966 and 1974 and was captain on three occasions.
Franck Sauzée (1999-01)
Known as "Le God" by the Hibs fans, Franck Sauzée quickly became a fans favourite and a cult hero at the Club.
The serial winner, who had 40 France caps to his name, certainly lived up to his reputation having joined with four Ligue 1 titles, two Coupe de France, a Ligue 2 championship, a Champions League winners medal.
The classy operator certainly didn’t disappoint during his three seasons as a Hibee. He captained the Club to promotion back to the Scottish top-flight, scoring 16 goals from centre-back in the process, before playing a key role in the Hibs team that finished 3rd in the league under Alex McLeish. He also helped the Hibees reach the 2001 Scottish Cup Final.
Becoming a Hibee in 1999, he became club captain and under his guidance, Hibs won promotion back to the Scottish top-flight.
Sauzée also loved an Edinburgh Derby, he was unbeaten in nine games against Hearts as player and manager. He bagged the winner in the 3-0 win at Tynecastle and scored a header in a 3-1 win whilst being knocked out!
Paul Hanlon (2008 - Present)
Club Captain, fifth in the Club’s all-time appearance chart, and a Hibee through and through.
Edinburgh-born Hanlon joined his boyhood club from youth side Hutchison Vale. As a youngster, he starred in the middle of midfield before moving into the back line after Hibs focused on his defensive talent.
In January 2008, Hanlon made his senior debut for the Club at left-back against Inverness CT, and from there – between a loan spell at St Johnstone – began to break into the First Team set-up. Come the 2010/11 campaign, he became a First Team regular and actually had his first taste of captaining the side.
Alongside his defensive acumen, he also popped up at the other end with vital goals, including an injury-time equaliser away to Hearts in the 2015/16 Scottish Cup. We won the replay at Hearts and went on to win the competition.
He was appointed Club Captain in July 2021 and went on to make his 500th appearance for the Club in May 2022. To date, he has made 515 appearances for Hibs.
Pat Stanton (1963-76)
617 appearances, time at the Club as Manager, and now a Club Ambassador, by every meaning of the word, Pat Stanton is a Hibernian FC legend.
Pat became a Hibee in 1963 and made his debut later that year and remained a faithful servant of the Club for 13 seasons. Under Jock Stein, he helped the Club win the Summer Cup in 1964, and went on to captain the ‘Turnbull’s Tornados’ to a famous League Cup triumph over Celtic in 1972. Alongside this, he won the Drybrough Cup twice!
A versatile player who caught the eye in midfielder and defence, in 1970 was voted the Scottish Football Writers’ Player of the Year.
He left Hibs in 1976 to join Celtic after making 617 appearances for the Club. He returned to Hibs in 1982 as Manager. At international level, Pat gained 16 caps for Scotland between 1966 and 1974 and was captain on three occasions.
Franck Sauzée (1999-01)
Known as "Le God" by the Hibs fans, Franck Sauzée quickly became a fans favourite and a cult hero at the Club.
The serial winner, who had 40 France caps to his name, certainly lived up to his reputation having joined with four Ligue 1 titles, two Coupe de France, a Ligue 2 championship, a Champions League winners medal.
The classy operator certainly didn’t disappoint during his three seasons as a Hibee. He captained the Club to promotion back to the Scottish top-flight, scoring 16 goals from centre-back in the process, before playing a key role in the Hibs team that finished 3rd in the league under Alex McLeish. He also helped the Hibees reach the 2001 Scottish Cup Final.
Becoming a Hibee in 1999, he became club captain and under his guidance, Hibs won promotion back to the Scottish top-flight.
Sauzée also loved an Edinburgh Derby, he was unbeaten in nine games against Hearts as player and manager. He bagged the winner in the 3-0 win at Tynecastle and scored a header in a 3-1 win whilst being knocked out!