Glory, Glory To The Hibees

Week Twenty-four: Sunday 11 – Saturday 17 March

I have often been accused over the years of being a little too green for my own good. Now I'm sure those who have directed such comments in my direction were referring to my naivety, not my dedication to Hibernian FC. Either way, who cares?

The fact is: if you have a love, a passion, a deep rooted care, for a football team then when they have won a national trophy, a major piece of silverware, then you really don't care about anything at all. Or, conversely, you care deeply about everything; it's just that nothing matters, nothing is a problem, all is well with the world.

So whether I am too naive for my own good, or whether I am too committed to my football team, Hibernian FC, or whether both and a whole lot of other faults thrown into the mix, I don't care. Not right now, at this particular moment. You see the Hibees did me, and all the tens of thousands of other Hibs fans in Edinburgh and all other parts of the globe, proud on Sunday 18 March 2007 by beating Kilmarnock FC 5-1 in the League Cup Final. Yes, 5-1!

We (Hibs) hadn't won a trophy for 16 years. We'd lost a couple of finals in that time, and a few semi-finals too. But no trophy for 16 years! Until now.

We were all nervous at Hampden Park, Glasgow, anticipating possible disappointment again. No need to worry. We were 1-0 up after 30 minutes and went in at half-time holding that lead. The second half was a stroll in the park, apart from a five minute spell when Kilmarnock got their consolation goal to make it 3-1. Other than that, our name was always on the cup.

I wasn't even going to go to the game; cash and time constraints convincing me that I couldn't afford to make the journey. But as fate/luck/karma would have it, I won two tickets and travelling expenses in a competition four days before the big day. I hastily booked a car and made travel plans. Driving up on the Saturday, driving back on the Sunday night.

It was worth every second of the trip to be there. Not just for me personally to see my team win a cup, but to be with my brother and my nephews at the game and share in the joy and euphoria with them.

It is because of my big brother that I support Hibs, and it is because of me that virtually all of my nephews support Hibs. There were four of them at the game with my brother and me, two of whom are too young to have seen, or remember seeing, Hibs last trophy triumph. I have seen how upset they have been when Hibs have failed in the past; I have shared their pain and felt responsible for their suffering, having convinced them to be Hibs supporters in the first place.

But on Sunday, before the game had even finished and it was clear that we had won, I felt only happiness to be part of something special in my life, my brother's life and the lives of my nephews. Hibernian FC - we love you.