When were you at your Peak Hibs moment …?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

For me it was probably when I sat Uni and rarely missed a home game and the takeover solidified my love of the club. I attended relatively late at 17 but was always Hibs. I lost my dad the same year or the takeover and it felt like a form of grief the prospect of losing the club.

what with a young family and commitment and being away from work my peak Hibs period is in the past and unfortunately my boys haven’t yet taken to Hibs. My eldest was caught by BT Sport reading Harry Potter…

that’s not to say I might not peak again but I be surprised.

What do you reckon is your peak behind, in front or are you riding the crest of the Hibee wave?

wonder if the club or any club has studied this and influencing factors. A winning team certainly helps!

Edit: On reflection when I went down to London and came across London Hibs that was another peak moment and of course the euphoria around the other greatest game in Hibstory in 2016 I’m thinking more sustained peak.

[linlithgowhibbie]

Definately the Turnbulls Tornadoes period when as a 17-21 year old single lad with money to spend on saturdays on beer, footie and pubs before and after games.
Even on wednesday night trips to away games. In these days if you wanted a ticket for Wembley my only way was to get "points" from attending Carlton Branch meetings every month and away games every fortnight and if you didn't miss a game or meeting for 2 years you had a chance for the Wembley match.
All this was made easier due to having such a great team to support and great mates to go with.
Happy days indeed.

[Billy Bunter 07]

Started first year we came back up under McLeish home and away for years. Stopped a bit under Williamson for a few reasons but went back peak under Mowbray and JC.

[ancient hibee]

21/05/2016

[hibsfan7]

the 21st of may 2016 nothing comes even close to that day

[Yorkshire HFC]

When I was aged 15 - 25 - when I started going with friends rather than my dad, when I was at college and early working years in Edinburgh - great times with friends following mainly Alex Millers team - probably about 1980 - 1990. Then I left Edinburgh and have only really followed remotely since then, only going to maybe one game a season nowadays.

I'll always be a Hibs fan but now it's not the same as going to loads of games with friends or family.

[Hibs4185]

On the pitch 21/5/16

[Jones28]

My stag do at ER, against QOTS in March 2017. Booked it months in advance thinking it could be the league clincher.

Still basking in the glow of the Scottish cup.

Micky Weir gave me marriage advice - don’t.

LD was a star, got photos with Lewis and John McGinn. Fantastic day.

[Mcbizz1998]

Collins up until the cup final was probably my peak time supporting Hibs. You can bookend the peak with the CIS cup and the Scottish cup. In between that was mostly grim with Fenlon, Calderwood, Butcher etc.

Still a season ticket holder but rarely attend any away games, I could see something close to the peak returning if David Gray can continue with what he has started.

[MacGruber]

Hibs have only had a handful of good teams during my time supporting, the first of those teams was my posters on the wall period so would say that was my peak time looking back. Obviously Alex Miller isn't overly fondly remembered but he built a very good attacking team late in his tenure. Wright & Jackson upfront, Crunchie McAllister right wing, Michael O'Neil left with McGinlay in the middle and Harper about breaking through. Hunter at the back and Leighton in goals.
Had some good teams and memories since but that was my original Hibs team.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Hardly missed a game between about 1985-2000, obviously Scottish Cup Final win and the following day were the ultimate though. Numerous European adventures along the way too.

[DIXIHIBS]

Mid 80s to mid 90s was my peak supporting time. Never missed home/away. Euro trips, pre-season to Isle of Man,Magdeburg, Oldham,Villa etc. Still a ST holder and a few away games every season but not as obsessed as then. Unfortunately my peak time coincided with a generally poor team.

[Bostonhibby]

1972-1985 (when I left Edinburgh) seen some great football and results in the early part. Could honestly say we were about 95% home and 80% away in those day then life gets in the way......

Been relatively fortunate as I've been to 6 cup wins, enjoyed the George Best roller coaster, seen nearly all the tornadoes games and had plenty European adventures.


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[GreenNWhiteArmy]

Season ticket with parents through most of the 90s then stopped with playing Saturdays myself but would get to the odd Sunday or midweek game

Had season tickets with pals during Mowbray/Collins and Yogi times

Then kind of dropped off for a bit but I'd say my most sustained period was 2015-2020. Home and away, league and cup during the championship seasons but with my own kids coming along (girls, aren't too fussed for the football unfortunately) I've been limited since then

Hoping to become a regular again over the next season or 2

[BILLYHIBS]

21/5/2016

Thought my heart was going to burst and my brain became twice the size of my skull

Only relief came when the Ref gave an obvious The Rangers free kick to Hibs with seconds to go

[Fifeshirehibs]

Into year 60 supporting and 44 going. Peaks that Day in May clearly. Best display Hibs 6 Sporting Lisbon 1 sadly no footage apparently exists of this game , Turnbull was a football genius. Was at 0-7. There was also a stunning game at Ibrox ended up 3- 1 to Hibs , Marinello played through the middle and was world class, strangely don't think we ever played him there again.

[Pretty Boy]

Probably about 2004 to 2010.

I wasn't living in Edinburgh at the time so every week was an away day. I got into a group with another couple of Aberdeen based Hibs fans and we were trains, buses or occasionally hire cars to wherever Hibs were playing. I think we only missed about 3 or 4 games in that period. A highlight was sleeping on a bench in Buchanann Street Bus Station after the Danny Galbraith game at Celtic Park because we'd missed the last train, gone to the pub and then missed the last bus, went to a club and decided just to kip out and wait for the 1st bus. Once I moved back to Edinburgh I had a streak of about another 3 seasons when I didn't miss a game at all until I took the huff with Pat Fenlon, decided to swerve a home game v Dundee Utd which of course we went on to win. Got back on track for another few years, and really loved the Championship spell bizarrely, before kids came along and curtailed away days a bit.

I find as I've got older the actual football seems to matter a lot more. Back then we were crap for long spells but it didn't seem to bother me too much as it was all about the day out with pals, the beers and the sing song. Now the football is the main event so I find myself far more nippy and doom and gloom.

[eastterrace]

Into year 60 supporting and 44 going. Peaks that Day in May clearly. Best display Hibs 6 Sporting Lisbon 1 sadly no footage apparently exists of this game , Turnbull was a football genius. Was at 0-7. There was also a stunning game at Ibrox ended up 3- 1 to Hibs , Marinello played through the middle and was world class, strangely don't think we ever played him there again. Was at those games as well don’t think ever see a Hibs team like that again.

[BILLYHIBS]

Hibs 6 v 1 Sporting Lisbon was a fantastic second half display of attacking football down the slope a joy to behold

Pat Stanton said that the best he had ever seen Hibs play in Europe was the 1-2 in Lisbon

[Mon Dieu4]

95 to about 2010 I never missed a home game, peak was probably the first division under McLeish, only game I missed that season was the second Stranraer away game, I've never come remotely close to almost attending every game in a season since

[blackpoolhibs]

I was at all of the biggest games we've played since i started going late 60s, but my one high point has to be Hampden against Dunfermline in the final we won 2-0.

It was the first game i went with my son, and the last one with my dad.:thumbsup:

[Smartie]

To echo PB's comments - I was probably at my peak when I stayed in Dundee (1995 - 2004).

My brother tells a story about us missing the Killie game at the end of the season we were relegated because he managed to crash the car into our local bank. I think he'd been to every game that season up to that point and I'd not been to far off that.

Rather than coming back and going with my brother, later in my time in Dundee (by which time my brother had other priorities) I had a mate I'd travel the length and breadth of the country with watching Hibs. After I'd moved to Leith in 2004 though we sort of grew apart, albeit I still went home and most away games for many years after that.

In terms of "engagement" I probably peaked again during our most recent spell in the Championship. The year we won the Scottish Cup was ridiculous, a proper rollercoaster mixing handsome cup wins against decent team with dreadful losses to terrible teams on terrible pitches in terrible grounds on league duty. I felt like I kicked every ball with the team for the few years we were down there, such was my desperation to escape that bloody league. The climax of that second season with the playoff loss to Falkirk then the Scottish Cup win couldn't have been more ridiculous and utterly appropriate.

Since then I've lost interest a bit, parenthood coming along for the first time in 2018 being the main factor and I've drifted in and out for some time.

Right now, I'd say I'm looking forward to Saturday's game about as much as I've looked forward to a game in years. In the scrap for 3rd, there being a "Hearts angle" to the battle for 3rd, Hibs playing good stuff at times, knowing the team will compete every time they take to the field? Lovely, what it is all about.

[Musselbound]

I wasn't at the game in 2016 so as a single event I'd have to go for the League Cup final wins in 1991 and 2007. The significance of the first one passed me by a wee bit as I hadn't been supporting Hibs for long. What I remember most of that day was the size of the Hibs crowd.
In 2007, I was living in Spain and came over especially for the game.

As a decade, it would definitely be the 90s. I went to most of the home games and quite a few aways as well. Not something I could afford to do these days!

[He's here!]

Probably about 2004 to 2010.

I wasn't living in Edinburgh at the time so every week was an away day. I got into a group with another couple of Aberdeen based Hibs fans and we were trains, buses or occasionally hire cars to wherever Hibs were playing. I think we only missed about 3 or 4 games in that period. A highlight was sleeping on a bench in Buchanann Street Bus Station after the Danny Galbraith game at Celtic Park because we'd missed the last train, gone to the pub and then missed the last bus, went to a club and decided just to kip out and wait for the 1st bus. Once I moved back to Edinburgh I had a streak of about another 3 seasons when I didn't miss a game at all until I took the huff with Pat Fenlon, decided to swerve a home game v Dundee Utd which of course we went on to win. Got back on track for another few years, and really loved the Championship spell bizarrely, before kids came along and curtailed away days a bit.

I find as I've got older the actual football seems to matter a lot more. Back then we were crap for long spells but it didn't seem to bother me too much as it was all about the day out with pals, the beers and the sing song. Now the football is the main event so I find myself far more nippy and doom and gloom.

When I first started getting taken to games by my dad I was too wee to really understand the flow of the game and I just remember mostly being surrounded by anger! As I got a bit older the game was pretty much the entire focus of my week and I agonised my way through every kick of the ball. As I grew up and the pub/pals entered the equation I probably watched most games half drunk. Having come out the other side of that when I started taking my kids to games I realised when watching things stone cold sober how little actually happens for vast spells of many football matches and to be honest I find time often drags. Half an hour each way would work better for me!

[Bostonhibby]

I was at all of the biggest games we've played since i started going late 60s, but my one high point has to be Hampden against Dunfermline in the final we won 2-0.

It was the first game i went with my son, and the last one with my dad.[emoji106]Feel the same about that game, a perfect story when you consider what went before. Huge Hibs crowd for a win that is right up there with the best of them for me.

A bit of a lost few days as well[emoji16]

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[Trinity Hibee]

For me 2004-2018

Mowbrays team got me fully hooked, even though I’d had a season ticket a couple of years earlier when McLeish/Sauzee was manager, up until Lennons time. Had a season ticket for that entire period when winning/losing ruined the weekend at that point.

Since then and since Covid I’ve not been as fanatic, partly due to the last few years being pretty dire on the pitch and getting older with different priorities.

[Since452]

Mowbray/Collins Teenage Kicks/Alive and Kicking era for me. Young, vibrant team, brilliant football, great music, some cracking nights out after games. Always fancied Hibs to beat anyone but always a stinker thrown in. Loved that time as a young lad in my early 20's.

[CallumLaidlaw]

Funnily enough, 2015/16 season was the season I attended my most hibs games. I think I attended 49 games that season, we played a total of 54 in all competitions. So it culminated very nicely. Have never quite got back to that level of home and away since. Tends to be all home and about half the away games now. While it was crap being in the championship, the different grounds made a nice change.


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[HoboHarry]

Similar to others, the League Cup final 2-0 win against Dunfermline. Had only just got back from my first stint living abroad with my wife to be having been away during the takeover stuff going on. First football (soccer) game my lady had ever seen in her life and we won a trophy. She just assumed that was normal and we'd see lots of trophies :greengrin. Even the dog was wearing a Hibs top....

[Dashing Bob S]

Have to say every time I walk into that stadium. For some reason it’s never lost its magic despite doing it many times for many years.

[Just_Jimmy]

2007 league Cup final

The result of a few years of sensational football and home grown talent that I felt connected to like never before.

First trophy I'd seen us lift in my lifetime, that i could remember anyway.

2016 was phenomenal but 2007 was really my peak, right age, team commitment level.



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[Paulie Walnuts]

2015-2018.

I’d seen us have good teams before but was only 13 when Mowbray arrived and 16 when we won the cup under Collins. It was all fairly grim after that. The 2015/2016 season provided me with my first properly enjoyable Hibs team as an adult where I would go home and away most of the time. Obviously it culminated in a cup win, but following that we had the Championship season which whilst not a classic, was spent in a euphoric cup holder bubble whilst having a genuine belief, almost verging on certainty that we were going to retain it. 2017/2018 then saw potentially the most enjoyable Hibs team in my lifetime.

The football generally went a bit downhill at that point with a succession of either poor managers or in Jack Ross’ case, a decent manager but mind numbingly boring, culminating in Nick Montgomery who is without a doubt the worst Hibs manager I’ve seen in Butcher, both in terms of what he delivered in terms of results for the squad he had and making watching Hibs incredibly unenjoyable.

Hopefully the next few years will be more 2015-2018 as it seems incredible we’re already a decade on from signing the likes of McGinn.

[Jones28]

Have to say every time I walk into that stadium. For some reason it’s never lost its magic despite doing it many times for many years.

:agree:

I've always loved the walk to the ground, catching glimpses of the stadium and the crowd swelling the closer you get. I'll never not find that a bit special.

[danhibees1875]

2003-2019

Season ticket holder from 03, went to a decent handful of away games across the early years then it became home only from when I went to uni in 2009.

Had started to fall away a little bit by 2019 but Covid really done a number on the habit of going to the games every Saturday. It was no longer a priority and now that I've got a child it's further down the list and more of a rare occasion- I've still got my season ticket but think I've been about 10 times since Covid hit (admittedly we couldn't attend for the first year or so due to restrictions).

[Bushwoof]

Like most on here, peak Hibs sees to be late teens/early 20s. I was the same, from 86-94 or so despite not having a ST I went to just about every home game and plenty away too, including a cup tie at Brechin which still remember because it was so grim that during a break in play Kano turned round to us to say "this is sh**e lads". Had some great days too though, and there were some 'almost legends' in the team e.g. Collins, Mickey Weir etc. It was made better by the fact that you could turn up, pay on the day, and go and stand at the usual spot (under the gantry in the East) where you knew you'd meet the same bunch. You were never alone.
I used to go with a Celtc supporting mate - if Hibs weren't at home and Celtc were then we'd go to parkhead instead. Was at the infamous Mark Walters debut there, where, without a word of a lie, there were people selling crates of bananas outside the ground. At the end of that season my mate saw the light, sacked off the Celtc and became a fully fledged Hibby, it was just such a better place to be. Happy times!

[marinello59]

Have to say every time I walk into that stadium. For some reason it’s never lost its magic despite doing it many times for many years.

:agree:
The buzz from seeing the stadium as you approach it then passing through the turnstiles has never left me, never will.

[Skol]

Your first cup win is hard to beat. The semi final against rangers was a pretty special night. As was the final. Both were nervous affairs. The post match celebrations were incredible. The skol cup win is hard to beat

2007 was fab and to be there with my son for his first cup,win was special

We were again there for the Scottish cup in 2016 which was again a unique occassion. However I stil, think back to the skol cup and the first time I had seen a trophy listed. At the time hearts hadn’t lifted a trophy in my lifetime.

[gbhibby]

1967 to 1975 Naples, Sporting Lisbon, Liverpool, league cup win 2 Drybrough Cup wins,7 past Hearts without reply,was at them all, European football every season thought it was always going to be like that.

[ancient hibee]

It’s difficult when you’re thinking of sustained periods rather than one particular time.

For me the last two seasons of the Famous Five and getting their autographs after the game.
The Joe Baker years especially after Bobby Johnstone came back.
The short Jock Stein spell.
The Bob Shankly(a grossly underrated manager) seasons not properly supported by the ownership.
The short time Willie MacFarlane was in charge.
The first half of Eddie Turnbull’s spell.

These were all my favourite periods. Since then it has been mainly memorable games culminating in the Cup Win.

[Bridge hibs]

I think 78 onwards, walking up those steps to see a massive terrace was magical, folk say they were born a hibee and thats probably true so I would have been the same when that Midwife slapped my erse in Elsies when I popped out.

I was just a seed then but I had slightly ripened by age 11 albeit still a bit green, how fitting. Highs and lows ever since which has included 3 cup wins and many more runners up prizes.

Aye **** it, more of the same hibs 💚

[matty_f]

Probably now, to be honest - I think since going to the games with my son and my dad, I have felt more invested each season and Hibs are a huge part of my life now.

[SickBoy32]

Probably 2004-19 , like others teenage years / early 20s undoubtedly the ‘golden time’ to be following the club. Fortunate in the sense that these years coincided with the Stubbs / Lennon era who were both magnificent managers for us.

Covid, the introduction of VAR, and having a bairn recently have all had their own impact for me personally.

Love Hibernian unconditionally, but have definitely fell out of love with football generally. A stale, sanitised, corporate snooze fest most of the time IMO.

[danhibees1875]

Probably 2004-19 , like others teenage years / early 20s undoubtedly the ‘golden time’ to be following the club. Fortunate in the sense that these years coincided with the Stubbs / Lennon era who were both magnificent managers for us.

Covid, the introduction of VAR, and having a bairn recently have all had their own impact for me personally.

Love Hibernian unconditionally, but have definitely fell out of love with football generally. A stale, sanitised, corporate snooze fest most of the time IMO.

We have very similar timelines. You make a very good point about football generally and how little it appeals outside of Hibs - If I happen to be out with some friends and there's a game on then I'll watch it, probably needing a wee bet to give any interest though. Otherwise though I can't say I'm remotely bothered.

I used to watch a range of football on the TV. These days if my wife suggested going to the shops on the same day as the world cup final I'd probably think "aye, they'll be quiet actually" (she actually quite enjoys international football so she'd probably force me to watch the game).

Anyhoo, on the early morning shift with the little one, followed by a family outing to various shops to get jobs done so I can get into town for the game today and looking forward to lunch with a mate, a few drinks, and 3 points for the Hibees.

[Nicho87]

Apart from the most obvious date

Mines was Mowbray era.

Was only 17-18 myself and was great to see players coming through you could almost see yourself in, naive, fearless, stupid!

The brand of football was really eye catching. I’ve said before but for some reason I always remember being 2-0 at half time at home to Kilmarnock and there was absolutely no panic at all. The team knew and the fans knew we would batter them second half.

Hibs won 4-2

We took some pastings as well and our record at tynie under Mowbray wasn’t the best. One win I think 2-1 midweek game.

But the attacking intent was great when you consider just the season before we had Williamson in charge and preparing to send off Whittaker and Riordan for a seasoned pro in Bobby Mann.

That’s my peak Hibs time

Closely followed by McLeish but didn’t go to many away games during that era as was too young

[greenpaper55]

Barcelona 4-Hibs 4 in the early sixties ! Think about that ? And we won the return .

[lyonhibs]

:agree:

I've always loved the walk to the ground, catching glimpses of the stadium and the crowd swelling the closer you get. I'll never not find that a bit special.

Absolutely. Especially as I get to do it much less frequently these days. The sight of us running out onto a sunny ER pitch in our home kit never ceases to make me feel good, even when we're *****

[we are hibs]

That period between 2004-2007 was a one off. The old East stand at fever pitch for a big game and that young Hibs team at their best was about as good as it's been. Some of the football at times was actually unbelievable. Proper one touch attacking football played with energy and purpose.



Since then I remember walking out the St.Johnstone semi at Tynecastle under Stubbs in 2016 thinking that this was a proper team. We didn't play particularly well that day but you could just tell there was something special happening and the buzz as everyone left the ground. I also remember standing in a queue for about 2 hours a few weeks later for tickets for the derby cup replay which stretched all the way into the West Stand. That season is probably the one that sums up Hibs more than any other. A complete rollercoaster from start to finish.

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[Broken Gnome]

I've never been a regular away goer, but the Mowbray period up to early 2008 was the main period you'd want to see Hibs play every week. Big crowds, good teams, few disasters obviously but there was a proper buzz about things.

The moment that all seemed to fade was that Dunfermline replay. There was a horrible mood round the club, people were beginning to lose faith, the better players were on their way out with signs that we'd be left with a vastly inferior team... The early Collins and Hughes teams had their moments obviously, but that felt the trigger for a decline that lasted near on a decade.

[Cooshed Kid]

1st January 1973. No clearer "peak" has been achieved for Hibs in my lifetime. I had a New Year's lunch with my parents at home then eagerly awaited the football on the radio. Did it start at 4.10 PM? David Francey's dulcet tones announced something about 5 - nil and as it was an away game, I thought, OMG, how have we conceded 5? 😫 And then we scored OUR 6th and I realised I had misheard and then the 7th and for 24 hours we were on top of the division and I was on top of the world.

So, I trekked along to the East Fife game at ER a few days later expecting more of the same, got drenched and, far worse, saw poor John Brownlie's leg broken and all of Hibs' title dreams begin to come crashing down. We had peaked quite brilliantly but far too briefly.

[DIXIHIBS]

1st January 1973. No clearer "peak" has been achieved for Hibs in my lifetime. I had a New Year's lunch with my parents at home then eagerly awaited the football on the radio. Did it start at 4.10 PM? David Francey's dulcet tones announced something about 5 - nil and as it was an away game, I thought, OMG, how have we conceded 5? 😫 And then we scored OUR 6th and I realised I had misheard and then the 7th and for 24 hours we were on top of the division and I was on top of the world.

So, I trekked along to the East Fife game at ER a few days later expecting more of the same, got drenched and, far worse, saw poor John Brownlie's leg broken and all of Hibs' title dreams begin to come crashing down. We had peaked quite brilliantly but far too briefly.

Similar to myself. Was at my grannies on NYD as too young to go to tynie myself. Got home to watch the vidiprinter on Grandstand and saw the score. Hearts 0 Hibernian 7 (seven). Loved the way they spelled out (seven) just in case fans thought it was a mistake. Heady days for young hibbies.
Edit. It was called the teleprinter in those days.

[cheltenhamhibee]

21/05/2016

At 90+2 🇳🇬🇳🇬

[cubehindthegoal]

Seen a lot of ups and downs. But, something about Sauzee and Latapy times did something for me .. Scott Brown too made me feel that when he played for us … there was something that reminded me of what Hibs had been, and can be, in those times. The past great players we had .. watching Duncan and O’Rourke and Brownlie and Stanton .. well .. so many … they brought back that feeling, of “great” players in the green and white.

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

For me, the peak for going to games was between season 88/89 to 92/93. All home games and most away games on the Whelehen bus and a couple of european trips to Hungary and Brussels to boot.

It was also a time when there was a good crowd of us who would go to games and have a drink before and after the games, a dozen or so. Most of the guys still go, but not as often or they go as families now. We've all grown up since then. 3rd pillar along in the east stand was out place to meet at the game.

[surreyhibbie]

Peak time for attending was every home game for 2.5 seasons up until Easter 1976... Had been going a lot before then, and again most games from then onwards till I left to move down south in 1981.

Very few games since but May 2016 was a highlight of my life.

[chasitup]

Probably late 80's for me. Used to go along to the old East with my best mate who is sadly no longer with us. We loved the sways, when crowds were big enough. Not too many of those then.

[Bishop Hibee]

1986-1994. Missed a couple of home games at most and went to loads of away games. Did 43 games out of 44 in the league one season. Had No 1 son in ‘95 and cut back on the away games after that. 1991 League Cup Final was the peak.

[Phil MaGlass]

1979-81, two years in which I never missed a home or away game, borrowed a couple of coins fae ma mums purse,sold my school dinner tickets to pay for the football, probably explains why I stayed a short ar5e, remember goin down to Berwick for a cup game think we won? Jumped the wall at Dunfermline. I was a regular on Mauds bus. Scarves off boys. Promotion against Partick? That was my peak. Pitch invasion. Good old days