‘Size doesn’t matter ... ‘ Hibs boss delivers Saints warning

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery insists size won’t matter in tonight’s Viaplay Cup quarter-final at Easter Road – because high-flying St Mirren can claim to be a bigger club than their hosts.

Addressing the idea that their support based and tradition should make Hibs favourites in a home tie, the new gaffer said: “We know that Hibs is a big club – and that comes with a responsibility that players have to take on when they pull on the shirt.

“But the reality is, right now, that they’re a bigger club than us. They’ve had a better start to the season than us.

“They’ve got more points on the board than us in the league competition, so I’m sure they’ll come here full of confidence.

“There are big clubs like Chelsea all around the world, clubs that spend huge amounts of money, but they’re struggling to get results at the minute.

“So that doesn’t really matter, what people think outside of the club.

“We can only concentrate on ourselves – and that’s a pressure, an expectation, that any player has to carry when they play at a so-called big club.

“We know that we’ve got a good squad. But we know they’ve had a really good start.

“So I’m sure they won’t be thinking that we’re a bigger club than them.”

Happy to see Christian Doidge and Elie Youan get some game time as subs in the weekend win over Kilmarnock, Montgomery said his squad is looking stronger already, explaining: “Christian has had his stitches out, which is good.

“That was quite a horrific injury, so I’m glad we didn’t have any setbacks for him at the weekend.

"And Élie was fine last week. His shoulder was a little bit sore but he’s 100 per cent good to go now.

"With the squad we’ve got and the strength we’ve got, it’s never about playing the same players every week.

"If there’s any doubt or the player isn’t 100 per cent then for me it’s no risk because we’ve got players good enough to come in and replace them.

"To be able to bring strong subs off the bench as well is always good, especially late on when games are becoming stretched and the opposition is getting tired - to have players coming off the bench like we did at the weekend, and like we will against St Mirren, is what you want as a coach."