Hibs defender delivers 'go to war' rallying cry as Gray's men seek breakthrough victory

When Jack Iredale says he’d “go to war” with the new team-mates he’s found at Hibs, the central defender is obviously indulging in a bit of typical sports hyperbole. But his central point is rooted in the reality he’s found at East Mains and Easter Road.

The versatile defender, revealing how a players-only dressing room summit had set the scene for Tuesday night’s show of character in the 3-3 home draw with Aberdeen, has been around the game long enough to know what he calls a “bad egg” when he sees/smells one. The Scottish-born Aussie detects no whiff of surrender in the air at Hibs.

Admitting that continually losing sloppy late goals was always going to raise questions about the character and mental strength of a group still stuck at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership, Iredale said: “I can understand that. But at the same time, I've got no questions about the character in that team.

“That's a changing room of boys that I would want to go to war with.

“In terms of character in that team, we've got leaders in there. I'm trying to be one myself, but we've got multiple leaders in there that we are relying on.

“I think Joe Newell especially, as captain, has been exceptional for us this week, especially with the messages that he's given us and the way that he's led. I think his performance on Tuesday night showed that. And if we're following Joey into battle, then everyone's right behind him - and the manager as well.”

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Offering more insight into Newell’s role in turning things around, at least partially, after last weekend’s dismal defeat in Dundee, Iredale said: "Joey's a really upbeat character. He's a really positive guy.

“And I think that's super important. You don't want to be walking around feeling like there's a dark cloud above you. And I can imagine that he's been going through a tough time as well as captain of this club.

“But just the way that he's kept us together as a group, I think, is massive. I won't say too much, but we had talks amongst ourselves without the coaching staff in the changing room. And he led that.

“And then we went out on Tuesday and delivered that performance. And I think you see it live. Everyone reacted really well off it.”

Honest opinions

Asked if the player-led conversations could occasionally veer towards the brutal end of straight-talking home truths, Iredale insisted: "I wouldn't say brutal. I think it was just honest. That's the word I'd use.

“I'd say it was honest. It wasn't a crisis talk. It was just us as a group knowing that we are the ones that can get ourselves out of this position. But also, just to really stick together.

“You've seen on Tuesday the way that the game went. Going ahead with a really strong performance at the start. Going behind twice, but then coming back from behind twice as well. You saw the reaction from everyone.

“I think that was just the general gist of it. It was an honest chat. Stay together and keep moving forward.”

A deadline day signing who moved back to the country of his birth after spending five years down south with Carlisle, Cambridge and then Bolton, former Morton defender Iredale – deployed on the left side of a back three but equally comfortable at full-back, he insists – had to wait for his chance to break into the Hibs team. He made three SOS appearances from the bench, covering for two sudden injuries and one red card, before getting his first start on Tuesday night.

The 28-year-old found it much easier to find his feet from the beginning of the game, especially in a solid first-half showing by the home side. He also seems to be at ease with the pressures of playing for Hibs – which isn’t always the case with new signings who have kicked around England’s lesser divisions.

"The experience I can draw upon is playing for a big club like Bolton in a team that expects you to win games,” he explained, the former Socceroos Under-17 player adding: “And that's no different to playing for Hibs in a team and a club that expects you to win games.

“So I've dealt with being in games where it can feel like it's on top of you. You learn just to be able to manage yourself through those certain situations and minutes. And know that if you keep doing certain things, certain things are going to happen.

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“I've played over 250 games now. I've seen a lot of things. And I think the last two years that I had down in England especially have really helped me to try and be helpful up here.

“Every footballer is going to go through adversity. Every team is going to go through a patch where they're not winning games.

“You get through it by doing we're doing. We're sticking together. I've got no doubt that we're going to turn things around. And I really think it's going to happen soon as well.”

Optimistic talk is cheap. But Iredale can claim to have a pretty good decent record when it comes to predictions.

Reliving the emotions of watching Nicky Cadden score with a stunning free-kick for the first of his team’s two injury-time equalisers against the Dons, he revealed: "I was on the bench at that time, but I said to one of the lads, I said: ‘He's going to put this in the top corner here.’ I wish someone else had heard me say that!”