Sixth or Seventh.

[Spike Mandela]

Now that it looks certain that our best finish this year is sixth or seventh what would you prefer?

I know we should probably aim for our highest possible placing but I would actually prefer another crack at Hearts at ER before they head off on their potentially long adventure holiday in the lower leagues.

[RCNG]

7th. Too poor at the moment.

[Sir David Gray]

Sixth.

It's still very poor but why anyone would rather we finish lower down the league is beyond me.

I don't care about getting a fourth derby.

[BVB Hibs]

There's some merit to finishing 7th as opposed to 6th. Finish 6th an chances are we'll go through our final 5 games without many points. Bottom six gets us another Derby and a couple of games that are winnable. Come out of the final 5 games with 3 wins and a draw (or there abouts) and it's more likely to excite fans to renew or buy season tickets. We all know how fickle some members of the hibs support can be, and if they're given a reason to cheer we're likely to get some more cash in the bank to spend on players in the summer.

That being said, I'd still prefer the higher placing.

[The Sea-gull]

6th every time. We need to stop the rot of finishing bottom 6. Would be 4 years in a row if we finish there again this year. It is not good for confidence within the club and external reputation for us to be bottom 6 all the time. Also, a bottom 6 place means we could end up in a scrap to avoid play off and while I can't see us finishing 2nd bottom due to too many other teams below us having to go on a run to make this happen, a place in the bottom 6 when every one plays everyone would make it possible. Those talking about us relegating hearts and the getting a 4th derby, think of this, imagine hearts coming to er post split already relegated with pressure off them and a chance to consign us to play off spot.

[edwards]

On the second half display yesterday we are capable of finishing sixth, the first half

[Ronniekirk]

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On the second half display yesterday we are capable of finishing sixth, the first half

Butcher has said he wants top 6 and told the squad that's the challenge from that point of viewI think it's important he shows he can motivate the squad to achieve that I am content if we can play like we did in second half and cut out defensive errors .If we do that and st Johnstone don't go on a three game winning run think we can make
6 the but another Derby would do for me as would be nice to beat them three times in one season for a change ,given we won't be playing them for a while

[Scouse Hibee]

6th of course.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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There's some merit to finishing 7th as opposed to 6th. Finish 6th an chances are we'll go through our final 5 games without many points. Bottom six gets us another Derby and a couple of games that are winnable. Come out of the final 5 games with 3 wins and a draw (or there abouts) and it's more likely to excite fans to renew or buy season tickets. We all know how fickle some members of the hibs support can be, and if they're given a reason to cheer we're likely to get some more cash in the bank to spend on players in the summer.

That being said, I'd still prefer the higher placing.

The prize money for 6th would provide more cash than selling a few extra STs on the back of a win or two against the likes of Partick.

[basehibby]

I can see the sense in this question - of course for the sake of posterity, 6th (or better which looks very unlikely) would always be the better outcome. BUT, in terms of potential feel good factor and entertainment we MAY be just as well off in the bottom 6 this season.

Top 6 finish - as one of the less talented teams we may well struggle to get any morale boosting wins on the table

Bottom 6 finish - would mean one more derby at ER - one more chance to rub salt in their wounds - and also, looking the strongest team of the section, would be more likely to string together some decent results and finish the season with the wind in our sails.

It's a close run thing - but, being the over optimistic fool (ie typical football fan) I am I will plump for the former - in the hope that Butcher and Malpas can push for 5th and give us something to shout about in the top 6, and just because 6th (or 5th!) will always look better than 7th (or worse!) in the pages of history.

[Onceinawhile]

6th, if nothing else it's still quite tight in the bottom six and a few results could see us dragged into a play off. I don't think it would happen, but I'd prefer the certainty. Would also be worth more to us.

[StarMan10]

Top 6 every day of the week. Blood a few of the youngsters in the final 5 games aswell

[PeeJay]

Only a club with a loser mentality would prefer 7th over 6th ... all this nonsense about us rubbing salt in their wounds: is that the height of our ambition?

[Sir David Gray]

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Only a club with a loser mentality would prefer 7th over 6th ... all this nonsense about us rubbing salt in their wounds: is that the height of our ambition?

I think it's pretty embarrassing hearing people talk about how they would prefer us to finish 7th instead of 6th.

We are a big club in Scotland and to have our club finish in the bottom half of the league in four consecutive seasons is completely unacceptable.

[Alex Trager]

Personally I am of the opinion if we get top six, fifth is not out of the question at all. ICT are not unreachable

[B.H.F.C]

Absolute no brainer. We need to try and finish as high as possible. Enough is said about a piss poor mentality at the club but how can anybody complain about that if we have supporters who would rather finish a place lower than possible?

[Gus Fring]

Sixth. If we lose every game we're still sixth. If we get 7th and we lose every game we could be in the playoff.

[Sean1875]

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Absolute no brainer. We need to try and finish as high as possible. Enough is said about a piss poor mentality at the club but how can anybody complain about that if we have supporters who would rather finish a place lower than possible?

Exactly **** Hearts. If we want to sign some decent quality players surely it will effect our chances if they look at our league form and see that we've finished in the bottom 6 of the league for the last 4 years running? Finish as high as possible, show future players that were an improving team and get an extra bit of money into the coffers at the same time.

[Green Reaper]

No brainier for me, top 6 is an achievement (albeit small for a club our size) compared to previous seasons. We will get more money through league placing and better crowds against top 6 opposition. We will have a target of trying to catch 5th spot. 7th is not positive thinking and having another derby does not do it for me. I hope the last derby we have for a while will be beating them at that shambles of a stadium in March. Let's be done with negative thinking and look to finish as high as we can. I also feel the most important factor in selling season tickets for next season will be who TB/MM sign to improve the team

[Saorsa]

Cannae think why anybody would want tae finish in the bottom 6 instead of the top 6. I still think we'll finish 7th but I'd rather finish 6th and be safe. If we finish in the bottom 6 with the results we've been getting there's still every danger of getting sucked in tae the play offs.

[Eyrie]

Has to be sixth.

After all, if seventh is preferable then why not eighth? Or let's go the whole hog and finish eleventh so we can lose in the playoffs and have four derbies in the 'Champion'ship next season (although with our luck the Yams will be liquidated and we'll still miss out on playing them).

[Franck Stanton]

There is no guarantee that the 4th league derby would be at E/R - it wouldn't be the first time we have played other bottom 6 teams away 3 times in a season and, given the financial plight of our neighbours it wouldn't surprise me if the powers that be gave them a 3rd derby at swiney to help them out. IF we have a chance at top 6 then we must take it, - no brainer as far as I am concerned.

[Billy Whizz]

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There is no guarantee that the 4th league derby would be at E/R - it wouldn't be the first time we have played other bottom 6 teams away 3 times in a season and, given the financial plight of our neighbours it wouldn't surprise me if the powers that be gave them a 3rd derby at swiney to help them out. IF we have a chance at top 6 then we must take it, - no brainer as far as I am concerned.

We're due 2 at home post split. It will be a bit complicated for us as we will possibly play someone away 3 times or someone at home 3 times
If we finish top 6 the fixtures would be against
Celtic - played them at home once/away twice
Aberdeen - home twice/away once
Dundee Utd - home twice/ away once
Motherwell - home twice/away once
Inverness - home once/away twice
So its not clear how it would work, but we could get Celtic at ER for a 3rd time, as well as Inverness at home
Bottom 6
Kilmarnock away twice/home once
Ross County - Home twice/away once
St Mirren - Home twice/away once
Partick Thistle -Away twice/home once
Hearts - Away twice/home once
So we've played 3 of the bottom teams away twice already, so
So should get Hearts/Partick at home, and away to Killie 3 times

[Elephant Stone]

5th.

[Saorsa]

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5th.

it's no cigars you've been smokin' then

[The Green Goblin]

Definitely 6th for me. As far as getting it right up our "neighbours" goes, a result which confirms relegation for them on 30th March will do me fine. Hearts will soon be forgotten or non-existent and the sooner we then get on with looking up and focus on improving ourselves for next season and beyond, the better. As far as the remaining games go, the prospect of playing Utd, Aberdeen, Celtic and Motherwell looks much more interesting and the crowds should be bigger for those games. Finally, I don`t want there to be any chance whatsoever of us having to avoid the play-offs.

Plus, don`t the club get more money for finishing 6th rather than 7th?

[Michael]

I can't imagine the prize money difference between 6th and 7th being huge. The final derby of the season would (probably) be at home if we finish in the bottom half, so with the possibility of it being the last one for a while it could have a large attendance. With this in mind, would finishing 7th be more profitable than 6th? And, if we won the derby plus a couple of the easier games it might benefit season ticket sales a lot more than getting hammered each week in the top 6.

I'd still much rather finish 6th though either way!

[Hibby70]

11th then lose the playoff. After all the Championship will be best league next season I've heard.

Failing that 6th

[Jim44]

6th or better for me please...... for all the right and obvious reasons. I want to avoid 7th., again for obvious reasons but also because a final ( bottom 6) game against the Jambos could give the them a chance of relegation with a real softening consolation of beating us, taking some of the edge off their hurt at going down. Don't underestimate how much beating us is top priority for them. Medals Locke has already said that avoiding relegation to us must be avoided at all costs.

[The Green Goblin]

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Medals Locke has already said that avoiding relegation to us must be avoided at all costs.

It would be funny if they decided to scuttle their own battleship and lose the game before they play us if that was still a possibility. Either way, it could be the last derby - barring freak cup draws - for a good few years, so it`s a must win for us.