"You want to show all these people that you can play": Shannon Leishman on the big crowd derby experience

Long-time Hibee Shannon Leishman was keen to show off her talent to the big Edinburgh derby crowd on Sunday – and hopes they will come back.
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More than 7,000 fans turned up for the second Edinburgh derby of the season, with thousands from the green side of the capital. However, many of the defender’s teammates were unable to make it out onto the pitch due to the current injury crisis. That gave the 26-year-old full-back a unique chance to demonstrate her talent as a footballer to thousands as Hibs came away with a 1-1 draw.

“These are the types of games where you get an opportunity”, she told the Edinburgh Evening News. “You are playing in front of a lot of supporters. You want to go prove yourself to the manager, you want to show all these people that you can play. We do have a very good squad and as you can see the squad is small, but we are such a together group which showed on the pitch and kept everyone going.”

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After another big crowd at the weekend, both Edinburgh derbies this season are now ranked first and second in the biggest-ever crowds an SWPL match. Both sets of fans were in full voice as they backed their teams throughout the game to try and get local bragging rights. Leishman, an acaedemy graduate who progressed to the first team in 2017, hopes Sunday’s game will attract more fans to come back and watch Hibs in other matches, starting with Wednesday’s visit of Aberdeen to Meadowbank.

Shannon Leishman has been at the club for over a decade after graduating from the academy. Credit: Michael HulfShannon Leishman has been at the club for over a decade after graduating from the academy. Credit: Michael Hulf
Shannon Leishman has been at the club for over a decade after graduating from the academy. Credit: Michael Hulf

“You always want to back your supporters and you always want to hear them singing your name,” she added. “It’s always a good thing and it makes you go that five minutes, 10 minutes extra. I find when you are playing you sort of block it out and try and hear the person next to you, the person in front of you. It is really good, we want all these people to come back and watch us.

“It's a good crowd, and a good atmosphere, so it's always great to play in front of all these people. You always want supporters to come back so if you put on a good game and a good show you want them to come back.”