Fraser Fyvie focused on next target '“ not basking in Hibs cup glory

Fraser Fyvie insists every Hibs player must strive to ensure last May's Scottish Cup triumph doesn't prove to be the last glory day of their career.

Fraser Fyvie is one of the select number of players who have won both the FA Cup and Scottish Cup. Pic: SNS

The midfielder is aware that supporters are still basking in the glory of their team’s crowning moment eight months ago to the day. However, as Hibs prepare to embark on their cup defence against Bonnyrigg Rose at Tynecastle this afternoon, Fyvie is adamant that last season’s history-making victory is already a distant memory to him. Rather than dwelling on past exploits, he insists his full focus is on ensuring he adds to the two cup winners’ medals he has already collected with Wigan Athletic and Hibs.

“To be honest, it feels like ages ago to me,” he said of last year’s Scottish Cup triumph. “It’s done with. I don’t really look back on it much, to be honest. It’s in the past – we need to look forward to a new competition this year.

“We won the cup, we’re happy, but now it’s competition time again and we want to try and retain it. As footballers, you want to win trophies and win leagues. You want to be remembered by winning things. That’s what we’ve all got to strive for.”

As someone able to remain focused on the task at hand and block out all the background hullabaloo, Fyvie claims the fact Hibs are defending champions won’t be a major factor in his thinking as he prepares for today’s match against Bonnyrigg.

“I don’t think it feels any different going into it [as champions] compared to any other tournament,” he said. “As the manager says, it’s our cup to lose, if you like, so we’d obviously like to retain it. It’s a privilege to win a cup but the competition starts all over again so we’ve just got to look at the Bonnyrigg game as another one we want to win.”

There is a notion that Hibs may do well in this year’s competition simply because they are finally unburdened by the annual talk of a Scottish Cup jinx which had plagued them right up until the May 21 2016. However, Fyvie insists he didn’t even know that his club had been on a 114-year barren run in the tournament. “I never grew up as a Hibs fan, so the 114-year stuff didn’t bother me personally,” said the Aberdonian. “I didn’t even realise until we won it that it had been 114 years. I didn’t have a clue.”

The significance of what he’d been part of was hammered home by the sights in the Capital when Hibs paraded the Scottish Cup the day after David Gray’s stoppage-time winner against Rangers. Fyvie is hopeful that the effects of that day will act as a catalyst for more success for a team six points clear at the top of the Championship and closing in on a return to the Premiership.

“Dave scoring the goal was one of my main memories from the cup win,” said Fyvie. “And also looking up Leith Walk off the open-top bus and not being able to see a bit of street. It was just people everywhere. It was fantastic, unbelievable. I didn’t expect scenes like that.

“I couldn’t believe how many fans turned up and what they were saying to us. People were thanking us because it obviously meant so much to so many. Generations of people had passed without seeing us win the cup, so it clearly meant a lot to people that they were able to say they were there. It was crazy scenes. Even now, Hibs fans are still absolutely delighted with it.

“Obviously the fans have had a great buzz since we won it, and as a club we’re thriving off the success we had last year. For the players and fans, it’s given everyone the belief that we can kick on and win more cups and hopefully get promotion.”

Fyvie will hope to feature prominently against Bonnyrigg after playing the full 90 minutes of last weekend’s 1-0 victory at Dumbarton on his return to action following eight weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury. The midfielder admits he was surprised to start the game, having only trained for a few days last week. “It was good to come back and get going straight away against Dumbarton,” he said. “We got a good result and I played the full 90 minutes, so it’s all good. I’m quite a fit guy anyway. The gaffer pulled me in on Friday and asked if I thought I was fit to play and I said ‘yeah’. The plan at the start of the was to come off the bench and play 20 minutes, and then build up from there, but I ended up playing the full 90, so I can’t complain. I came through it unscathed and we got the three points, so happy days.”