Butchers, Bristol, and oversized bottles of sherry: Hibs' eventful Anglo-Scottish Cup run of 1977

Chairman Tom Hart, left; Tony Higgins, and first-leg goalscorer Arthur Duncan

The penultimate effort was the Texaco Cup, which was initially staged to help promote the American petroleum firm's purchase of the Regent chain of petrol stations. It was held between 1970 and 1975 and contested by teams not involved in Europe and although clubs from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland took part in the first two editions they eventually pulled out as a result of political pressure.

The sponsorship run ended in 1975 with crowds dwindling and interest in the tournament on the wane. Despite that, a new competition which bore a striking resemblance to the Texaco Cup was established and started the same year.

A total of 16 English clubs competed in four groups of four, with the group-winners advancing to the quarter-finals. Eight Scottish clubs played a two-legged knock-out round and the tie-winners advanced to the quarter-finals where they would be drawn against English opposition.

Bukta's debut

Hibs had not taken part in the Texaco Cup, mostly because they were regulars in Europe at the time, but did feature twice in the new tournament.

The Hibees' Anglo-Scottish bow marked the debut of the Bukta kit as the Easter Road side became the first top-flight club in Britain to wear sponsored jerseys. Ayr United were the opponents on August 10 1977 and goals from Bobby Smith and Ally Scott gave Eddie Turnbull's side a 2-1 win with Walker McCall on target for the visitors. The return leg on August 22 finished 2-2; Smith and Des Bremner on the scoresheet for Hibs and McCall and Davie McCulloch netting for the Honest Men.

The 4-3 aggregate win sent Hibs through to the knockout stages where they were paired with Blackburn Rovers. Hibs again triumphed 2-1 in the first leg courtesy of strikes from Ally MacLeod and Jim McKay, and Tony Higgins' 25-yard rocket effort at Ewood Park sent Hibs through to the semi-finals to face Bristol City.

Despite losing 2-0 to Partick Thistle at Firhill in the first leg of the quarter-finals, the Robins advanced to the last four by beating the Jags 3-0 at Ashton Gate.

The beautiful game?

Swirling winds at Easter Road limited the amount of football on show in the first leg on October 19 1977 and former Morton striker Don Gillies headed the opener for Alan Dicks’ side from a Jimmy Mann cross on 37 minutes.

With the wind behind them in the second half Hibs took just 60 seconds to pull level. Ally McLeod’s corner was headed across goal by Higgins and Arthur Duncan rose to bullet a fine header beyond Robins ‘keeper John Shaw.

Then things got ugly. Higgins was cautioned for a foul on Trevor Tainton but Gerry Sweeney escaped punishment for similar on Martin Henderson. Gerry Gow then followed Higgins into the book for a rash challenge on McLeod and with just under 20 minutes to go, Norman Hunter was sent off for a crude lunge on McLeod.

Former Hibee Peter Cormack was also dismissed after headbutting Des Bremner and when Geoff Merrick felled Higgins in the box with six minutes remaining it looked as though Hibs would win.

However, McLeod's penalty was poor and Shaw saved easily. Jackie McNamara then had a lobbed effort cleared off the line but there was still time for Tom Ritchie to come dangerously close to snatching an unlikely win for the English side.

'Bristol Butchers’

Apoplectic Hibs chairman Tom Hart branded the visitors the “Bristol Butchers” and was fully prepared to pay the £2,000 fine for withdrawing from the competition unless the tie was awarded to his club but his Bristol City counterpart Stephen Kew warned the English side would want six times that amount to cover gate money from the second leg plus expenses already incurred in travel and accommodation for the first leg.

Hart said: “We would rather pull out than risk injury to our players in Bristol. Hibs cannot afford to have anyone sidelined for weeks at a time, and that must be a possibility judging from the way these players behaved in an away game.

"I don’t expect Hibs to be awarded the game in view of the 1-1 score on Wednesday night but in the circumstances we will not be going through with the return match.”

Oversized sherry

However, the game did go ahead and Hart travelled the 400 miles to watch his side lose 5-3 at Ashton Gate in driving rain. Forty-nine free kicks were awarded – 25 against Hibs – and five players were booked including McLeod and Higgins for the visitors.

A Tainton goal, Sweeney penalty, and a strike from teenager Kevin Mabbutt had the hosts 3-1 up at half-time with Henderson on target for Hibs. A McLeod free kick and Henderson’s second levelled scores in the second half before Ritchie and Mabbutt sealed Bristol City’s place in the final.

After the match Hart, firmly esconced in the boardroom, issued a statement via a steward admitting that he had perhaps said too much before the game. Every Hibs director was gifted an oversized bottle of Bristol sherry by a local drinks firm and, licking their wounds, Hibs returned to Scotland.

City went on to win the cup, beating St Mirren 3-2 in the final.

Hibs’ league fortunes changed before the end of 1977 and they lost just five matches in 20, eventually finishing fourth.

As for the Anglo-Scottish Cup it limped on until 1981, with Hibs making a brief appearance in the 1979/80 edition where they were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by St Mirren. The Buddies went on to exact revenge on Bristol City, winning the final 5-1 and becoming the only Scottish team to ever win the competition.

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