Hibs boss talks Sir Tom Farmer's lasting legacy as he recalls special Scottish Cup moment with club saviour

David Gray counts handing the Scottish Cup over to Sir Tom Farmer as one of his fondest memories in football. And the Hibs boss said he’d been deeply saddened to hear of the former club owner’s passing today, at the age of 84.

Cup-winning captain Gray, reflecting on the loss of a man whose £3 million takeover in 1990 saw off the twin threat of a Hearts takeover and/or a plunge into insolvency, recalled a special personal encounter with Farmer in that magical May of 2016. Speaking after today’s 3-1 away loss to Celtic, the Easter Road gaffer said: “He saved the club at a time when he really needed them to do that. My relationship with him personally, it wasn't as if I've seen him all the time, not at all.

“But I did have one real positive meeting with him and introduction with him, which was straight after the cup final, for everything he's done for the football club. I've seen him on the Sunday, and it was a nice moment to be able to present the Scottish Cup to him for everything he's done as a Hibs supporter and everything he's been through.

Trophy moment was payback for all the Scottish Cup pain

“All the times he's probably seen Hibs not win the Scottish Cup and all the pain he went through with that as well ... so that was a real privileged moment for me to be involved with the club on that day. I know how much it meant to absolutely everyone that day who was involved with the club, but no more so than him, I'm sure.

"Really sad news. He's not kept particularly well for a wee while now, but for everything he's done for the football club, saved the club at a time of need. It's a sad day for everyone involved in the football club and the thoughts are with his family at this time.”

Celtic claim victory despite early Martin Boyle goal for visitors

Gray couldn’t fault his players for effort at Celtic Park today, the visitors taking a first-half lead through Martin Boyle. But two goals conceded just before half-time effectively put them behind the eight ball.

"I think the timing of the goals was key as well,” said Gray. “To be 1-0 up coming here, you know when you do get chances here you have to take them.

“We did that to find ourselves 1-0 up in the game. I thought the shape was good, the discipline was good within it. It was a big ask of the players though, because physically Celtic are always going to be good with the ball, and it was a lot of concentration and effort to get to that point.

“It wasn't as if my goalkeeper was having to make save after save, so up until that point, like you say, it was really positive. And then the goals we lose are poor goals.

“But also the timing of it as well, so to be 1-0 up with five minutes to go before half-time, to then be 2-1 down before half-time, it was difficult for the players because. Then naturally you're going to get that bit of a body blow at that point.

Hibernian boss preps team for ‘biggest week of our lives’

Gray now takes his men to Paisley for Wednesday night’s clash with St Mirren, before rounding the season off at home to Rangers next Saturday. They remain in third place, with their fate in their own hands.

“That has to be the key message because there's absolutely no time to feel sorry for ourselves at all,” he said, adding: “I think there will always be lessons for every game we play, but it's still very much in our hands.

“I'm quick to remind the players that we've got two games to go regardless of what anybody else does, whether that’s tomorrow or the coming games. If we do what we can do and go and get six points, we will finish third. You don't want to have to rely on anybody else.

“So that's the message to the players now and every single member of staff as well, that we go into this week on Monday, the biggest week of our lives for everything we've done this season. For all the ups and downs and the adversity we've been through that's moulded this group, I think it has made the group stronger because of that.

"We need to make sure that we give absolutely everything to finish it off as strongly as we can because it is well in our hands and it's a reflection on how good the group's been. But it's the final push now from every single person.

“Whether it be a staff member, a player in this dressing room, whether you're disappointed because you've not played today or how well you've played today or not played well, no time to feel sorry for ourselves to make sure we get ready for Wednesday night. It's another cup final and it's a game that will be a difficult one because it's the one team in the league we've not managed to beat this season, so the players want to try and put that right as well.

“They're off the back of a positive result today, so it's everything to play for. All these games are so exciting moving forward.”

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