Friends and relatives of Hibs’ fans have it easy this Christmas with a choice of gifts from Hbernian Retro plus a couple of club related books including one written mainly by the supporters themselves.
Author Andy MacVannan is too young to have seen many of the truly great Hibs’ sides play, including the Famous Five or Turnbull’s Tornadoes but many of the contributors of his book, ‘We are Hibernian’ did, and this book would make the ideal present for fans of all ages.
Enchanted by stories of Hibernian told to him by his father, Andy MacVannan experienced his first Hibs game at the age of ten in 1980. Hooked on the phenomenon of football, he became an avid supporter of the Hibees, regularly attending matches both home and away.
In We are Hibernian Andy sets out to explore the emotional and enduring connection to Hibs that unites all fans. Over the course of a year and a half, interviewing supporters from all walks of life, he discovered that football is far more than a game, and that Hibernian lies at the crux of many different friendships and communities.
Andy recently took time out from his busy schedule to tell the Edinburgh Reporter about his reasons for writing this book: “I suppose it goes back to reading a book about music and the life of bands on the road – tour stories etc. I thought that it would make good reading to hear about the stories surrounding fans watching their team, travelling to games and the like. However, it probably developed into a study of family connections to the club or even how it is that people supported them in the first place.
“There are many different angles on that in particular. I tried to steer away from too much about actual football memories as there is so much out there already. You will know yourself that it usually the characters in the crowd or even the wide open expanse of the old East Terrace that stick in your mind. So I think that was an angle I wanted to record before it is lost forever.
“I hope that will give you something to work with and many thanks again for doing the review. If there is anything else you need information on then do not hesitate to drop me a line.”
‘We are Hibernian’ explores the sights, sounds and memories of fans who have taken the journey to watch the team that they love. Supporters from all walks of life bare their souls with humour, emotion and sincerity.
This book celebrates the story behind that unforgettable moment when Hibernian entered the childhood of its fans lives and why, despite their different backgrounds, these loyal fans still support a sometimes unsupportable cause together.
Is it what happens on the field of play or the binding of tradition, memories and experience that makes Hibs fans follow their team through thick and thin? Featuring interviews with many different fans, this book takes you on a journey to discover why football is more than just a game and why Hibernian is woven into the DNA of each and every one of its supporters.
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.
