Hibs brothers Jacob and Oscar MacIntyre speak on first-team hopes, rejection, and family influence

Brothers Jacob and Oscar MacIntyre harbour hopes of following in the footsteps of Paul and Stephen McGinn by playing in the same Hibs team, after overcoming similar setbacks earlier in their careers.

The pair signed long-term deals in the summer and have both been involved with the first team although only the older Oscar, who turned 18 earlier this month, has got gametime so far. Both players were key members of the title-winning under-18s last season and this term have been regularly participating in senior training and impressing for the Hibs under-19s in Europe, and hope to realise their joint ambition sooner rather than later.

While Oscar made his first-team debut in last season’s final-day victory over St Johnstone, and appeared in the pre-season and mid-season friendlies against Norwich City, Middlesbrough, and Raith Rovers, Jacob is yet to make his senior bow although he has been involved with the first team on matchday.

Both players have also experienced rejection, Jacob from Hearts and Oscar, initially, from Hibs but they insist that it only served to strengthen their resolve and desire to knuckle down and be the best they could.

Oscar, left, and Jacob MacIntyre harbour ambitions of playing together in the Hibs first team

“When I was around nine I went on a six-week trial with Hearts and after only three weeks they told me I was not good enough. I didn’t really let the rejection from them get to me at the time because I was so young and simply went back to playing with my mates,” Jacob explains.

“I was then invited here to Hibs for a six-week trial, and I can remember sitting in the changing room and being really nervous because of what had happened at Hearts and because I didn’t really know anyone. However, I eventually relaxed, it went well for me and I made a lot of good mates at the club.”

Things didn’t go as smoothly for Oscar, who came to Hibs relatively late compared to his younger brother via a spell with Spartans after he didn’t make the grade at the first time of asking.

“I was on trial at the same time as Jacob, but I didn’t get in. I was happy for Jacob whilst obviously disappointed for myself. It was hard getting that knock-back, but it pushed me on and I realised I had to knuckle down and take football more seriously than I had been doing until then,” he recalls.

The MacIntyres take part in a first-team training session at East Mains

“I went away, joined Spartans and won the Scottish Cup there. Then when I was 14, I got another chance to come back to Hibs for a trial and I made the most of it the second time around.”

Oscar has made his name as a left-back while Jacob is recognised as an all-action midfielder – but he was often found at right-wingback for the under-18s when they won the league title. Far from it being an unusual positional switch, the younger MacIntyre reveals that it wasn’t an entirely unfamiliar role.

“I’ve always been a left-back. Even when I played for the Lasswade school team when we won the league title, league cup, and reached the Scottish Cup semi-final, I played in that position,” Oscar explains.

“I only became a midfielder by accident,” Jacob explains. “I started off playing as a striker, then right-wing back, and then right centre-back. We were playing a game against Hamilton and incredibly all of our midfielders got injured so I went in there for the final 20 minutes. I must’ve done really well because that is where I have been ever since.”

Sporting excellence runs in the family with cousin Robert MacIntyre, a well-kent face on the professional golf circuit who won his second European title at the DS Automobiles Italian Open in September following a play-off with US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick, keeping a keen eye on his relatives’ progress while parents Boyd and Stephanie also ensure the brothers remain fully focused on their fledgling careers.

Oscar continues: “Bob is always sending us little messages of encouragement and to congratulate us when we do well. I can remember going to Oban during the holidays when we were really young to see him and he would always be out playing golf with his dad. We would go there for Christmas, and he would be out golfing even on Christmas day. He was always playing and improving. Our parents are always on at us as well to ensure we always giving everything.”

“If we haven’t done well in a game, then they will tell us and that allows us to work on it for the next game and to improve. It’s always been about having the right attitude and working your hardest every day. We’ve all seen good players growing up that don’t give their all, they slack off or have a bad attitude,” Jacob adds.

Oscar agrees: “Seeing those players being released over the years keeps you on your toes. You know you cannot have too many days where you are off it if you want to be successful at this club, so you need to make sure you are progressing every day.”

While some might think it hard for teenagers to stick to the strict regimen and make the sacrifices needed to progress to the top level of football, both MacIntyres insist the thought has never crossed their minds, with both doing extra when they can.

“I don’t think it’s that hard because you look online at any job and there are certain things that you will have to do to be a success at it. Sometimes we see our mates staying up late and eating whatever but for the sake of a few delicious minutes it’s not worth it,” Jacob reasons, while Oscar adds: “We want to be the best we can be. I had a day off yesterday, but I still came in to work out in the gym because my focus is on giving this chance everything.”

The original version of this article appeared in HQ magazine, available from the Hibs club shop