Hibs post-split fixtures revealed - potential final day Euro decider, Edinburgh derby, Celtic and Rangers set

Hibs will be forced to face Falkirk away from home for a THIRD time this season, as the Scottish Premiership post-split fixture compromise impacts on the Easter Road side’s European ambitions.

But David Gray’s men have also been handed the incentive of a potential home Euro showdown on the final day of the season, as Motherwell – currently their closest rivals for that final guaranteed crack at UEFA competition – head to Edinburgh in the closing act of a dramatic campaign.

The SPFL have just announced the full fixture card for the final five rounds of competition. And Hibs having to go to the plastic pitch at Falkirk Stadium, instead of hosting the Bairns at home, is a definite disadvantage.

As expected, the first weekend of post-split action will put the final derby of the season in the spotlight, with Hibs welcoming Hearts to Easter Road for a 4.30 pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports, on Sunday, April 26. David Gray’s men host Celtic for a second time this season the following Sunday, while they’ll travel to Ibrox on Wednesday, May 13.

But it’s the head-to-head rivalry with fourth-placed Motherwell and fifth-placed Falkirk where the SPFL were always going to have an issue. Having been forced to play St Mirren away from home three times last season, Hibs have again found themselves on the receiving end of a head-to-head imbalance.

They’ll travel to take on Falkirk on Saturday, May 9. Before rounding off their campaign against Motherwell at Easter Road – in a game where everything could still be at stake in the race to finish fourth - on Saturday, May 16.

Hibs have taken just a single point from two visits to Falkirk this season, drawing 2-2 back in September and suffering a 4-1 loss on their most recent visit. The home advantage enjoyed by the Bairns is underlined by the fact that, when the teams met at Easter Road in December, Hibs ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.

Full fixture card revealed

As The Evening News revealed last month, the official line from Hampden is that no team should EVER have more than three home games – or fewer than two, which also matters - during the final five fixtures. That’s one of the SPFL ‘golden rules’ applied every year.

It’s also a priority to ensure that, wherever possible, every team finishes the 38-game season having played 19 home and 19 away fixtures. But there is an inevitable compromise struck every year, with teams regularly facing a 20-18 home-and-away split one way or the other.

In every single season since the split was introduced, meanwhile, at least one team has been forced to play three away games against one specific opponent. As mentioned, Hibs were in this position last year, Gray’s men shrugging aside any feelings of injustice to make the most of their third trip to Paisley by securing third place on an uproarious night of celebration.

Heading into this year’s split, Hibs had already played Hearts, Motherwell, Celtic and Falkirk away twice. League authorities also take into account derby politics, title races, relegation battles and – crucially – the race for European places.

Hibs were never going to be forced to play Hearts away for a third time this season, while there was also zero chance of Celtic being handed an advantage in the battle for the top honour by hosting Hibs for a third time this season.

Motherwell currently sit three points clear of Hibs in the race for fourth place. Only the Scottish Premiership’s top four are guaranteed a place in the early rounds of UEFA competition next season, although the team finishing fifth will gain entry should Celtic go onto win the Scottish Cup.

That could be a factor, too, with Falkirk – who have just beaten Motherwell - only five points behind Hibs at the moment.

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