Why Hibs need £5 million UEFA Conference League progress - Gray lays bare ambition of Ron Gordon's vision
European nights at Easter Road a must - report and video bulletin from Warsaw
Hibs boss David Gray insists European group stage football is where the Easter Road club want and need to be operating, if they’re to fulfil the vision of late chairman Ron Gordon. And he’s in no doubt that tomorrow night’s UEFA Conference League contest against Legia Warsaw in the Polish capital represents the biggest game of his short managerial career.
Hibs trail 2-1 after last week’s loss to Legia at Easter Road. But Josh Mulligan’s late goal might just have changed the momentum of a play-off that had appeared to be slipping away from the Edinburgh side, despite Gray’s men creating a plethora of chances.
When it was pointed out to Gray that the finances on offer – starting at around £5 million for involvement in the Conference League proper – make this a crucial game in the bigger picture of Hibernian FC, the former club captain agreed: “It is. I think it's where the club wants to be working, it’s what everything has been geared towards, with the support from the Gordon family, the vision of what they want to do. Moving forward, it’s for nights like the last couple of big European games at Easter Road.
“One of the ambitions, I remember Ron always saying, was he wants to see his team performing in Europe in front of a sell-out crowd at Easter Road, knowing the atmosphere and the match day experience and everything that comes with that. And why would you not?
“If you're investing in something like this and you understand the passion the family's got towards the football club, you want to see your club and your team playing at the highest possible level. And this is the highest level we can possibly play at, in this moment in time.
“We're one game away from potentially extending that. We’re one goal down with 90 minutes of football to be played, but still very much alive in the tie and in a very good position.”
Asking if he considered this to be the biggest game he’d been involved in since taking over as manager last summer, Gray didn’t hesitate before declaring: “Certainly. I think probably because of the nature of being a manager, I think your next game is always the most important one, because it can quickly change in every direction.
“I understand why you'd ask the question though, in terms of the magnitude of the game and what's at stake, because of the rewards at the other side of it.
“I've thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself in Europe, seeing different ways of playing, learning different players that maybe I haven't seen play before, watching them in styles and how they play in different ways. I'm really looking forward to the game, and I think because of the rewards at the other side, it makes it the biggest game.
“I know the players are certainly looking forward to it as well. So hopefully it should be a brilliant game, I'm looking forward to it.”
One of the recurring themes of this European campaign has been the passionate support of Hibs supporters, who won new fans with their non-stop noise away to Midtjylland, kept their end up amid the bedlam of 25,000 Partizan fans in Belgrade – and turned up to roar on their home heroes in all three Easter Road fixtures to date. Clips have gone global as fans around the world recognise a proper support base who genuinely love their club.
Easter Road faithful making a name for themselves
Gray, who expects the 1700 in attendance tomorrow to make their presence felt, believes the noise and colour produced by those punters occasionally gets overlooked, saying: “I think it is a very special club and a special place, obviously. I think when you're living and breathing it every day, you probably take it for granted.
“I actually thought about that when I was trying to bring players to the football club, trying to get them to look at the size of the club. Even Edinburgh as a city, I take it for granted because I grew up in Edinburgh, how actually nice the place is and the things round about it and why people want to come and live in Edinburgh.
“I think when you're living it and breathing it every day you can maybe underestimate exactly the size of this club. When you see those scenes of our fans, you see how big it is.
Away support flying flag for club all over Europe
“Especially away fans. I’ve spoken a lot about playing in the Brondby game (back in 2019). I’ve spoken to a lot of people who probably can't even remember the game - but they had a brilliant week, the whole time they were away.
“Then if you go to Villa Park a couple of seasons, 5-0 down, the fans that we took to Villa Park and the noise they made for 90 minutes during the game. And then Sunshine on Leith after the game – that was something that will live with me forever.
“Being so heavily outnumbered and then even the Villa fans clapping the Hibs fans out of the stadium whether that was 8-0 at the time. It shows you the size of the club, what it means to everybody.
“As I said, this is a brilliant journey to be in Europe. It's what everybody deserves because what we've done last season – and it’s what everybody's aiming towards. The fans fully deserve it as well.
“For the football club, the rewards at the other side is what we're all doing it for. As players, it's to try and play at the highest level.
“As a coach, I'm exactly the same, no different. I want to test myself at the highest level and try and be as successful as I can for this football club and ultimately, that's what everybody's doing it for.”