'I haven't heard Sunshine on Leith since my dad's funeral - and he would have LOVED this Hibs win.'

Well that was unexpectedly emotional. Genuinely moving in a way that football, famously described by a wise man as the most important of unimportant things, tends to be – often when you least anticipate it.

Listening to Sunshine on Leith being belted out around Easter Road this afternoon, a rare honour afforded teams after only the genuinely impressive victories, plenty will have been touched by the love-in between players and supporters. The thousands who interrupted their second half viewing to applaud in memory of late chairman Ron Gordon, two years gone this month, know how much this will have meant to have widow Kit and son Ian – both in attendance for the game.

And then there are the personal stories that make the moment special. Common enough tales of familial duty and cross-generational love.

Dad wasn’t a Hibs fan. Not really. But he was a season ticket holder. Travelled through from darkest Lanarkshire to take his grandson to the games just so they could spend time together.

When we laid him to rest just over a year ago, then, the club anthem simply had to be part of the service. As it is for so many families.

The boy was here with his uncle today. Thoroughly revelling in a victory that Granda, who spent a lot of time in the company of absolutely fanatical Celtic supporters, would have adored; oh the mischief he would have made back on ‘enemy territory’ …

For thousands in attendance, the sheer joy of celebrating an all-too-rare statement victory – David Gray’s predecessor arrived and left Easter Road without once getting to sing along to the Proclaimers favourite – would have been mingled with genuine relief, yes, over their team surviving just the eight minutes of injury time AND a disallowed Celtic goal. But there will have also been pride in the performance of a team who have turned their season around.

Thirteen games unbeaten, the first time any Hibs side has put together that sort of a run since 1978, Gray’s men have shed all memories of that horrific start to his first campaign in management. So what did today’s win tell us?

Bowie is the real deal

Former Raith Rovers and Fulham striker Kieron Bowie arrived at Hibs in the summer with bold ambitions, talking optimistically about using this move to establish himself in the Scotland senior squad. Already star man for the Under-21s, that hardly seemed far-fetched.

After everything he’s been through with injury, finally making a first start for the club was always going to be a special occasion. The way he absolutely dominated one-on-one – and the occasional two-on-one – battles with the Celtic defenders gave the home side a platform to take the game to the champions.

Knowing that your striker is going to hold the ball in, tie up at least one opponent and then find a team-mate means midfielders can play on the front foot. Confidence in the front man’s ability to make something from very little encourages those forward runs.

May day victory

Eddie May spent part of today on the phone to David Gray, with the assistant determined to contribute despite suffering broken ribs and other minor injuries in a midweek car crash, the gaffer revealing: “Aye he was calling, although he was probably just slightly behind. Watching on TV, he’s slightly behind where he would be live …

“It's a special one for him as well. We get so caught up in what we're doing on the day to day, every single minute, every day. Things like that really put things into perspective. That was very much for him as well - and the players are aware of that.”

A magnet for madness

Rocky Bushiri attracts incident the way honey attracts flies. Whenever something is happening, the big man is inevitably to be found at the heart of it.

Never mind the goal-line clearance. Or even the half dozen other blocks, clearing tackles or vital interceptions he made. The sheer drive and aggression he brings to the game is a joy to watch, for those who like their defenders to defend first and ask questions later.

The entire back three probably deserved to finish the day with a clean sheet. Jordan Smith won’t enjoy watching Celtic’s goal back. Given the goalkeeper’s performances to date, though, few will begrudge him a single mistake – especially as it didn’t prove fatal.

Celtic’s complaints ring hollow

Hibs fans will have little sympathy for Brendan Rodgers after the Hoops manager argued that the Celtic ‘equaliser’ couldn’t possibly have been ruled out on the basis of a definitive verdict. Cry me a river, right?

Gray joked that he was glad the linesman had made the bye line perfectly straight, while admitting: “It’s those fine margins and we maybe get the run of the green today, a split second if he gets to the ball early and the ball stays in, it’s an equaliser and then all the momentum would have been with Celtic.

“So we know that was a massive moment in the game. Sometimes you need that little bit of luck, a little bit of fortune along the way - but I think today our boys fully deserved that break.”

Given the number of free-kick decisions disputed by the home side, not to mention the Myko Kuharevich penalty appeal and the time added on at the end of the 90, few in the home ranks will feel that referee Steven McLean and his team were especially lenient towards Hibs. Which is as it should be. A level playing field … with neatly drawn lines.

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