'You make it sound as if I was hopeless apart from THAT one header!' - Hibs boss on Scottish Cup love affair
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The observation is intended as a compliment. And David Gray, a man not entirely comfortable with praise, is joking in his response to a question about his entire career almost being defined by THAT day at Hampden in the May of 2016.
“It's interesting that you've just said it like that because it's almost as if I was hopeless apart from that one header!’ said Gray, with a laugh, the Hibs boss – whose forever love affair with the Scottish Cup was set in stone when he scored the winner to end a 114-year hoodoo – adding: “When you go through your career as a player all you think about is the next thing all the time, trying to be the best you can be.
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Hide Ad“You have many highs, many lows throughout your career. I've always thought about my time during adversity, so when I had injuries in my career. Or starting off where I started off (Manchester United) and it all is going forward, then you get a few setbacks and don't quite end up where you think you could end up.
“I think everything happens for a reason. So when I think back over the course of my career and what I was able to achieve, I think I'm a very lucky boy.


“It's something that took a lot of hard work to get to. It doesn't happen by accident; it comes by just hard work and determination and pushing through things. I think everything was sort of geared up for that moment for me - and I was very fortunate to be in that position.
“I’ve still got my medal, don't worry. I’ve got lots of memorabilia from that day, to be honest, because of everything involved in it. Memories that will live with me forever.
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Hide Ad“Having kids now as well, I've got my wee man watching it on YouTube every other day, which is brilliant. He doesn't believe me that I once played football. I promise you I did at one point!”
The still-new head coach, in his first year as gaffer, leads his team out to face West of Scotland Premier League leaders Clydebank at Easter Road tomorrow. The first step, he hopes, on a road that will end in a return to Hampden. And possibly the chance to lift the Cup as a manager?
The former club captain said: “I've never thought that far ahead, definitely not. It's all about taking care of business tomorrow, first and foremost, and then once we get to the next one, hopefully we get to the next one, and then we'll start moving from there.
“No, I don't think it's about making it about me at all. The reality is that because I was part of a team that was fortunate enough to actually achieve something here in a cup competition, I'm able to say that it is achievable. We've done it.
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“And it is an ambition of the club every year. And how good it can be when that happens.
“It's the greatest moment I've ever experienced on a football pitch, personally. But also for the club, for the supporters, for everything that's involved with it. They're great moments to be involved in. And as players, that's what you look back on.
“Now that I've retired from playing, I look back on what I've achieved in my career. Obviously, you want to play at the highest possible level. But you also want to be thinking about things you've won.
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Hide Ad“And if you've been fortunate enough to do that, it's a very lucky position to be in. And I feel very privileged to be able to do that. Especially when you think back to some of the great players who maybe didn't win anything in their careers.
“So to be able to say I have, I think is fantastic. Obviously, we're a long way away from that at the moment.
“I think any time this fixture comes around in terms of the Scottish Cup, I'll always get asked about it, whether it be with fans, whether it be with yourselves, I think. And naturally, that's a massive part of my life and my career when I was at this club.
“But I think at this stage, where we are right now, it's just about making sure the players are ready for what they expect going into the game. And as I've already said, it is a genuine opportunity to try and win something.
“This game is a fantastic opportunity for Clydebank, too. But we need to make sure that this is the end of the road for them.”