Hibs striker Jamie Gullan wants Hearts to stay up to save the derbies

Hibs striker Jamie Gullan hopes rivals Hearts stay up – so he can play in the derbies next season.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 27: Jamie Gullan is pictured during an Hibernian media access, at the Hibernian Training Centre, on February 27, 2020 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

The 20-year-old got his first taste of the fixture with a late substitute appearance in the midweek 3-1 defeat at Easter Road on March 3.

The Jambos are facing the drop after SPFL clubs voted to end the season, with either league reconstruction, or a decision to somehow conclude the Premiership season, needed to spare the Tynecastle club from the drop.

Asked whether he would prefer if reconstruction could spare Hearts, Gullan replied: “Yeah, derbies are the games you enjoy playing in and the fans love going to them.

“It would be a miss for next season, but you’ve just got to get on with it if it doesn’t work out that way. Derbies are good to play in so it would be bad in that sense, but also you can’t really do anything about it.”

Gullan followed up his derby appearance with his first start for the Hibees the following Saturday against Aberdeen at Pittodrie. A 3-1 defeat may not have been the result he wanted, but it was nonetheless a day to remember for the academy graduate.

“I found out I was starting the day before and straight away you think, ‘right, it’s time to prove yourself’,” he said.

“I knew there was no pressure because Jack Ross is not the kind of manager to put pressure on you, he just lets you play.

“I knew it would be a tough game against two big centre-halves, but I was buzzing for it and couldn’t wait to get going.

“It was a massive moment for me to get my first start because I’d waited a long time for it.

“Although the result was bad, for me personally, it was brilliant to get out there and start my first game.”

Hibs led at the interval thanks to Christian Doidge’s opener, but a red card for Steven Whittaker in the 55th minute saw the Dons come from behind to win.

“I thought we were playing really well and had control of the game,” Gullan recalled. “They weren’t really creating much. I missed a chance, and we had another chance, so we could’ve easily had two or three in the first half.

“Obviously the sending off changed the game, but it was always going to be tough against Aberdeen.

“They were always going to throw everything at it, and on the day we just couldn’t hold up to that, but it was a good experience.”

Gullan was the player to be sacrificed following the red card with his first start being cut short after 57 minutes.

“I looked over and kind of knew it was going to be me, I had that feeling,” he said. “The manager said it was nothing to do with how I was playing, it was just tactical. For 60 minutes I was happy with the way it went. 

“It was a shame to go off and see Aberdeen score three, but it was a good day.”