Living the dream - Exclusive interview with Hibs wunderkind

Rory leaning on advice of senior pros in breakthrough season

Club's youngest ever debutant in action.

Between the one-on-one tutorials with Lewis Stevenson and the gym work needed to develop the raw physical strength required in grown-up football, it’s a wonder Rory Whittaker has time to stop and reflect on his swift promotion to the first team. In the few free moments available to the fullback, however, he’s clearly making a point of savouring every second.

The youngest debutant in Hibs history when he came off the bench against St Johnstone at Easter Road back in October, the 16-year-old has since played Scottish Premiership football at Ibrox and Celtic Park. He’s also been trusted to start a couple of games, most recently in last weekend’s 1-0 away win over Livingston.

While many of his old school friends will currently be preoccupied by prelims, Whittaker is facing a different sort of test every time he steps on the training pitch with the senior pros. Some of whom have been his heroes since those first Easter Road visits – back when he was just a kid, as he puts it - in the company of dad Gordon, brother Lyle and his equally Hibs-daft Uncle Keith.

He’s come a long way since his first academy session at East Mains, a day that remains memorable mainly for spotting David Gray and Darren McGregor in the flesh. And, as you’d expect from someone who has covered so much ground so quickly, he remains eager for more.

Affable and articulate, Whittaker conveys both a sense of focus and a slight touch of still being awestruck as he admits: “It’s quality, being in a dressing room with guys I grew up watching. Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson have been especially good to me.

“Lewis in particular, playing as a fullback, he’s been great to me, working on my defence and telling me what to do. I’ve done quite a lot with Lewis after training. It’s so good of him to give up that time for young lads. He’s done it with other players, as well. Even just training with him is quality.

“Definitely, I saw what he did for Josh Doig – and a few other players. I see myself trying to get into that first team, get that right back position. Lewis has been a great help, a very experienced player who can help me off the park, help me in the gym, on the park doing technical stuff.

“His best piece of advice came before my first start. He just old me to brave. He said: ‘You know you’re good technically on the ball, you’ve got composure – but be brave, do what you would do in a normal game. Don’t be shy to go on and demand a standard. It doesn’t matter what age you are.’

“Lewis and the gaffer both made it clear that I should go out and be loud, be vocal, be demanding, no matter what age I am. But Lewis has really helped me with that step up to first team, no doubt.”

Expanding on the need to shout instructions, encouragement or even complaints at established pros, Whittaker admitted: “That’s probably the hardest part, because of my age. But I do try to talk a lot on the park.

“Elie Youan was really good to me in my first start (November’s 2-2 away draw with St Mirren), playing in front of me and talking to me, going back and forth between us. To be fair, there were a lot of guys talking to me in the dressing room before that first start – but I just tried to get myself in the moment, enjoy myself, go out and show the fans what I’m capable of.

“It’s great to have a coach who believes in me. He demands a lot from me. He says to me: ‘I don’t care what age you are. Be good enough and you’ll play.’ That’s all I need to go out and try to impress, try to grab that starting position at right back.

“Obviously I need to work on my physicality, but that will come. I’m trying my hardest in the gym, I’m on a plan which is really beneficial to me. It’s not going to happen in the space of two weeks but hopefully, by the time I’m 17, 18, that’s when it will show.”

What Whittaker is doing should, quite frankly, be impossible. Where there is a coach willing to promote youth and a youngster with the chops to cope, however, impossible is just an opinion. Especially when the kid in question is motivated by a dream nurtured and encouraged since his first days as a fan.

Recounting his journey to this point, Whittaker said: “I remember my first session here was in the summer. We went in during the day and there were first-team boys around. Darren McGregor and David Gray were here – players I’d been supporting from the stands.

“I always liked to go to as many games as I could, especially the derbies, when I was younger. I started coming when I was about six, coming along with my dad, my uncle, my dad’s mates, loads of people. Lots of my mates are Hibs fans, as well, so when I got older, I would go with them. Now I’m playing for the team. It’s what every young boy wants. A dream.”