Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

Hibernian 0 St. Mirren 1

An unsatisfactory result by most standards for the Hibs today then and a double disappointment after finally last week relinquishing a superb unbeaten league run this season. Well all good things come to an end and how, let down as we might feel, can say they’ve never been taken to extremes of expectancy by Hibs only to have their dream dashed? For those of us who have been following this club for any time at all it has been a default condition over the years, we’re Hibbies and we expect and quite often accept this as part of the ride whilst following the Green Jerseys.

I get annoyed when Hibs capitulate from these fine positions they get into, I feel as desperately disappointed as anyone else. That said a certain maturity in dealing with it comes about after much experience of another bad day at the office. To be fair I’m not able to be at Easter road often enough to actually watch and feel the ebb and flow of the game. It’s quite easy to be more balanced about such situations overlooking them at a distance - quite another to watch a poor and seemingly unnecessary and inexplicable performance unfold. Having added that caveat I am almost more disappointed with some supporters rants during and immediately after the game than the team’s deficiencies…almost.

Today I found myself listening to the Internet radio coverage and flicking through the Hibs messageboards whilst the game was going on, picking up on snippets added by stay at home and distant Hibbies. Some of the comments I read make me wonder if some of these people actually support this team at all? It’s each to their own of course and I take the point that people pay their money and deserve their say just like anyone else, but some of it is just totally ridiculous and in particular very fickle. After the twelfth minute today when St. Mirren went ahead due to an apparent defensive mix-up between centre back Jones and Makalamby in goal one fan opined that this was ‘unnacceptable’. Take that apart for a second and what oes it actually mean? Does it mean that it’s unacceptable for any team to score a goal against Hibs? Manager John Collins has expressed at various times that it is important to realise and understand that there will be setbacks - during games and in the team’s general progress but that point does not appear to have been ‘acceptable to some’.

Further chagrin tonight then as I read that Clayton Donaldson is ‘pure and utter keek’ whilst his strike partner Curier is a ‘carthorse’. Luckily I was able to see these guys take the pitch for Hibs quite recently and whilst always saying that it is impossible to judge a player on one performance the evidence I saw with my own eyes would be contrary to those extreme views given. Of course Jones should ‘go - and take Makalamby with him’. Next game, a different day and different performance their praises will be getting sung no doubt… What’s the answer here? I’m not sure. I do believe generally that Hibs should open the purse strings a little, within reason. I’m not however suggesting a wholesale hiking up of the wage structure that would see the bulk of the type of the quality in the team getting a big overhaul. We need a lot more patience yet, the board still have to convince me on the extreme prudence though, but that’s another debate. Speaking of patience I really think I might resort to my old routine of waiting to hear what supporters have to say on the day after - or better still Monday - rather than on a Saturday evening.

Any football supporters, not just Hibs, are liable to get a little angry when their team underperforms and disappoints come match day. It’s a passionate game and it just wouldn’t be the same without that. It’s not a notion that fans should ’sit down and shut up’ but I have to ask this one final question. Does our club have some of the moaniest, critical and negative individuals of any team you’ve witnessed? I’ll leave you to decide.

Stuart Frew