Hearts hero wants Jambos to 'put nail in coffin' of David Gray & recalls derby goal that got Hibs boss sacked
Neil Critchley and David Gray face off for the first time in this weekend’s Edinburgh derby
Former Hearts fan favourite Ryan Stevensen says all of Neil Critchley’s players should be going to Easter Road with the ruthless intention of getting rival boss David Gray the sack in this weekend’s Edinburgh derby with Hibs.
Stevenson, who played 116 league games for the Jambos, understands how high the stakes are in the Edinburgh derby and believes that a home defeat to Hearts would be the final nail in the coffin of David Gray’s rein in the capital after less than five months in the dugout.
The 40-year-old reminisced on his memories of scoring the winning goal for Hearts in a 1-0 Scottish League Cup quarter-final victory over Hibs in 2011.
Hibees boss at the time Pat Fenlon had been under huge pressure heading into the game and two days after the defeat he was sacked.
Stevenson feels that a similar outcome on Sunday afternoon would lead to history repeating itself 13 years on.
In an interview with the Daily Record, he recalled: “I got Pat Fenlon sacked as Hibs boss. Correction, my Hearts team did. It’s just that I was the one lucky enough to score the goal in a 1-0 League Cup quarter final derby win at Easter Road back in 2011.
“Nobody gave us a chance because we were bottom of the league. But we turned up and did a number on Hibs in their own backyard. Fenlon was under huge pressure going into the game. Two days later he was given his jotters.”
Stevenson added: “You can probably tell where this is going… If I was heading across the city on Sunday morning I’d be going there wanting to get David Gray the tin tack. It’s a horrible thing to say. Brutal actually. It might not sound like it, but I like Gray. He comes across well and he’s extremely well thought of in coaching circles.
“But you’ve got to be ruthless in this business. And there’s no doubt he’s under huge pressure. Forget everything else on Sunday - all Hearts players should want to do is win and put a nail in Hibs’ and Gray’s coffin.
Hearts ended their eight match-winless streak in the league by hammering St Mirren 4-0 in the first game of the Critchley era.
The Jambos leapfrogged their bitter rivals in the league table after the win and could now leave Gray in a perilous position if they repeat the trick on Sunday.