Hibs manager Terry Butcher says that he was extremely honoured to be invited to Dan McMichael’s Rededication Service at the Eastern Cemetery on Saturday morning where the life of the last Hibernian manager to win the Scottish Cup was celebrated.
Speaking to Hibernian TV, Butcher said: “It was a marvellous occasion – it wasn’t sombre at all, it was very uplifting.
“Pat Stanton, Sir Tom Farmer, the Chairman and the all the directors were there plus there were hundreds of fans.
“The St Patrick’s Branch had done a fantastic job in raising the funds; it is a beautiful headstone and it’s fitting that his grave should be marked in this way.
“Addressing everybody at the service was difficult having only just joined the club, but it gave me a tremendous sense of pride to be there.
“I did say that he (McMichael) is only a stone’s throw away from the stadium, so maybe I can have a few words with him when it comes to how to win the Scottish Cup.
“He was a real legend, character and a club man as well – I want to incorporate all those attributes into my management style and into the way that I lead Hibs.”
“This is a huge club that is very family orientated. There is a special togetherness with the club, the organisation and the Hibs brand.
“You do really get a sense of history when you look around the Training Centre and the stadium – they are filled with historical pictures.
“When you come to this football club, I think it is a big responsibility given its history and what has happened in the past.
“It is our turn now to write our names into the club’s history and make sure we go down in history as a good side in a good era for the club.
“So we are carrying on the mantle of what the club means to so many people; it means a heck of a lot to a lot of people.
“That’s not just in Edinburgh and in Leith, but all around the world. It is a responsibility, but it is one that I enjoy taking on board and saying this is our time now. We want to give the Hibs fans of today a lot of pleasure.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
