John McGinn names Hibs memory he'll never forget as Premiership rivals who paved star's path to Leith named
The Aston Villa midfielder has shone at Hibs and is now a Premier League captain.
Two Premiership rivals had the chance to tie him down - but Hibs taking a chance has left John McGinn forever in the club’s debt.
The midfielder was left in no man’s land after time at St Mirren, out of contract and injured, after a bizarre training ground incident where striker Steven Thompson accidentaly pierced his thigh with a spiked pole. His boyhood club had withdrawn a contract offer and an American chance at Houston Dynamo collapsed, with Dundee United pulling back on their initial interest.
McGinn then joined Hibs 10 years ago and in three seasons, had won the Championship and Scottish Cup, before clinching a move to Aston Villa. The Villans captain is now a leader at Premier League level and fully-fledged Scotland star, but Hibs hold a special place in his heart. As part of a new documentary - McGinn: The Story So Far - he has shared the moment that means so much to him from time in Leith.
Why did John McGinn sign for Hibs?
He said: “I had obviously just been injured with the pole incident, which was spoken about a few times. A massive training ground accident stopped a couple of moves down to England, I had to reassess. Actually at the time I was out of contract, they were due compensation, no one would pay the compensation. I then went back to St Mirren and their contract was off the table, which was a bit of a hammer blow.
“Probably the lowest point of my career, especially at that time. So I had absolutely nowhere to go. I phoned Owen Coyle, who was at Houston Dynamo, and I went to train there for 10 days. I agreed to sign for Houston Dynamo, but that fell through due to some red tape.
“So I came back and Hibs came in. I nearly went to Dundee United in the top division but then after I'd agreed to sign there, they just turned their phone off, somehow. So I thought I was going to Dundee United. They didn't call for a couple of days and then I went to Hibs with Alan Stubbs.
John McGinn on Hibs
“That was an amazing part of my life. I had to move at mum and dad's house into a flat in Edinburgh, met some friends for life there. I absolutely loved my time there and we managed to get some success. We achieved winning the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years and that is a memory I'll never forget. So I'm very grateful to everyone, both at St Mirren, and at Hibs.”
McGinn is a Scotland hero and is desperate for a win over Denmark at Hampden tonight, that would seal qualification for the World Cup in America, Canada and Mexico next summer, the nation last at the major tournament in 1998. He said after a loss at Greece: “We have had so many highs and lows as a group and what this group gives is absolutely everything.
“We never give up. We didn’t give up on Saturday night and we proved there is still loads of fight left in us. We know what’s at stake on Tuesday night. Three points. The World Cup. And that’s just absolutely everything.”