Hibs chief teases 'special build-up' to mark biggest Easter Road home crowd in more than 30 years

Hibs will welcome their largest home support in more than 30 years when they host St Johnstone in Friday night’s cinch Premiership meeting.

The match was already an historic event for being the first top-flight game in Scotland to be played with a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in use but the club’s decision to sell tickets for £10 and £5 has ensured a sell-out. An estimated 19,500 Hibs supporters will be inside Easter Road for the fixture.

Hibs twice had a home fan total of 16,500 for Edinburgh derbies against Hearts in February, and also in December 2017 but the last time they had such a high turnout of home fans was for another Capital clash, on January 4, 1989 when a crowd of 27,219 watched Hibs take the bragging rights courtesy of a 13th-minute Eddie May strike.

Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell welcomed the sell-out, adding: “Everyone at the club is excited for what will be an historic night for Hibs and Scottish football. To have over 19,500 Hibs supporters inside the stadium, the largest number of home fans inside Easter Road for over 30 years, is absolutely magnificent. I'd like to thank the supporters for embracing the special ticket offering and the return of Friday night football.

"Behind the scenes we've been working incredibly hard to produce a memorable, special build-up to the game that really marks the occasion. With the introduction of VAR, a sold-out Easter Road, and the pre-match build-up, I hope it's a game that lives long in the memory for our supporters,” he added.

Demand from home fans for tickets for the historic clash was such that a request from St Johnstone chiefs for more away tickets was turned down by the Easter Road side. As a result, just 1,058 Saints fans will be in the ground.

A statement from the McDiarmid Park side read: “Despite our best efforts, our request for extra tickets has been rejected. Hibs have informed us they plan to use the upper section of the [South] stand for home fans due to increased demand at their end.

"While we understand their decision, we are disappointed more St Johnstone fans will be unable to attend the match on Friday. We thank all St Johnstone fans who have sold out our allocation and we look forward to seeing you in the away end on Friday night.”