Hibs’ veteran defender Alan Maybury is looking for the positives rather than the negatives when his team face on form Hamilton tonight in the play-offs first leg at New Douglas Park.
The Irishman also insists that Accies’ 3g pitch will not be a factor in the result.
Speaking ahead of the game, Maybury said: “This is an opportunity to stick our chests out and go and show what we can do. The fans will back us but only if we give them something to back, so it works both ways. We need them on our side to lift the whole place. Personally I have had no problems with the fans. I understand of results don’t go well then they are not going to be happy. But like I said we need to give them something as well. When we start games well and are on the front foot and going for it then they back us. When we score goals they back us, but if we come off after 90 minutes and we haven’t done that and we haven’t scored and it has been another disappointing result we understand.
“For fans the club it their lifeblood, they want to see their side do well and they are disappointed when it doesn’t go like that. They went their anger and disappointment and that’s fine. I don’t have a problem with any of the fans. But generally they back us and want their team to do well.
“But we need to give them something as well, we can’t just say we haven’t played well or we haven’t scored. They want to go home happy, I understand how it works.”
“The artificial pitch won’t be a factor. All the boys have played on it, we have done some training on it and we know what to expect.
“I think a few of the boys will have played on Hamilton’s pitch this season, either through the under-20s or they have played there before, so it’s not a factor. We knew whoever we were going to play would be on that surface so it was never going to be an excuse.
“People will argue it’s an advantage to play the first leg away from home but if you don’t get the results there is no advantage. I am just looking forward to the games, to me there is no real advantage.
“If we get a good result then we will come back to Easter Road and maybe kick on, but our record at the moment probably doesn’t suggest there is much of an advantage.
“I have played in big games but maybe at the top or when we were fighting for things. I understand the consequences of it, but I am certainly not having sleepless nights. I am well prepared, we know what to expect. We have to have confidence in our own ability and the ability of the group.
“So I would say I am not going into the game dreading it because if you are like that you are going to freeze and not play well. You need to go and play and express yourself and stick your chest out and be confident. For too long there has been a negativity about this club that needs to be lifted. I have said to the manager I am sick of it.
“I understand the consequences of these games but we have an opportunity to try and be positive and confident, and if we go into the game with that rather than a fear of failure, although I understand a fear of failure can be a driving factor, but I am not worrying about the game, it will take care of itself over the two legs.
Photo by http://www.jcmackintosh.com/
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.
