Former Hibs star on the incredible off-field antics of Martin Boyle and Jason Cummings

Former Hibs star Marvin Bartley has lifted the lid on a couple of incredible stories involving two of his old Easter Road colleagues which took place within three months of each other back in 2016.
Former Hibs striker Jason Cummings and current star Martin Boyle. Picture: SNSFormer Hibs striker Jason Cummings and current star Martin Boyle. Picture: SNS
Former Hibs striker Jason Cummings and current star Martin Boyle. Picture: SNS

In his first year at Easter Road, Bartley was part of the side who reached both the Betfred Cup and Scottish Cup final despite playing in the second tier.

Prior to the Betfred clash with Ross County at Hampden, the side were taken to Spain for a pre-tournament camp. It was there he got a glimpse at the wild side of Jason Cummings, the star striker who was as noted for his antics off the field as his performance on it.

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Bartley told Open Goal: “Before the Ross County final we got taken to Marbella. One of the days, [manager] Alan Stubbs says that we’re going for some food and drinks as well.

“So, some of the lads are having red wine with their meal. I’m looking around and there’s Cummings, Stokesy, Martin Boyle James Keatings and someone else sitting together. And they’ve all ordered shots. And it’s not just a shot each. They’ve got a tray of shots in the middle of the table.

“We were there for about two hours and these boys must be four or five trays of shots in. So we had to walk back to the coach and this table have turned on each other. They’re all arguing, they’re all saying s**t to each other.

“We get on the coach and they’re still arguing – Cummings and another one. They start getting in each other’s faces like, ‘I’m going to knock you out’. So they’ve pushed each other in the face and staggered back a bit. I’ve jumped up to grab this boy and Cummings’ throws a punch and hits me in the face. I’m like ‘what is going on here?’

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“Paul Hanlon has then got up and pinned Jason to the seat. They’re all arguing and Stubbs has finally said that’s enough.

“So when the coach gets back, Cummings is like ‘f**k you lot, good luck in the final’. He’s the star boy at this time, basically saying good luck without me. He’s on the phone to his agent trying to get a flight out of there.”

Though Hibs wouldn’t get their hands on silverware in the Betfred final, losing 2-1 to a late goal, they would more than make up for it by beating Rangers 3-2 to end their 114-year wait for Scottish Cup glory.

Understandably, the players celebrated particularly hard after that victory – some more so than others.

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Bartley continued: “We celebrated for a good week. About three days later I get a call from Martin Boyle asking me to come get him from town.

"So I’m driving up and down George Street and I’m like, ‘where is he?’ I cannot see him. I must’ve gone round about three or four times.

"I see a body just lying in a doorway. I’m looking at it thinking that must be him, it’s got to be. So I check and it’s him all right. He’s stolen somebody’s sunglasses, he’s got a tie round his head, and he’s absolutely steaming.

"So I picked him up, got him in the car and then got him home.”

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