Hibs’ club captain David Gray insists that he remains focussed and is ready and fit to play if called upon.
Gray has started three of the Betfred League Cup group stage matches taking over from Paul McGinn whose outstanding form resulted in a Scotland call-up and he is determined to fight for his place in the team.
Speaking at he pre-match press conference yesterday Gray said: “I’m desperate to play and I am fit and ready to play if called upon. I’m training all the time which is fantastic which for me is a massive plus on how it’s been for the last couple of seasons.
“I need to be as focused as I can and if an opportunity comes up I need to take it, but the boys that are playing at the minute have been really good defensively.
“At the start of the season we were keeping a lot of clean sheets and there was a real effort to stop goals going in and I think we are getting back to that now.
“The competition for places is really good and I need to be patient as I fully understand the position we are in.
“I’m striving every day in training to try and get back and be as good as I can for the team. The appetite is still definitely there to continue playing for as long as I possible can.”
Gray insists that the victory over Dundee two weeks ago will have no bearing on today’s fixture. He continued: “One thing we are definitely not doing is thinking because we beat them the last time it will be an easy game. The score was 4-1 but everybody watching the game would understand that it was a difficult game and we fully expect another one tomorrow.
“That’s one thing we have to guard against and make sure that everyone is aware of it. The last game is irrelevant and it’s a completely different situation.
Gray was also quick to pay tribute to the contribution of Chief Executive Leeann Dempster who announced her departure from the club last week.
He added: “This happened out of the blue. She’s made this decision for her own personal reasons but the lads are all disappointed to see her go. I’m gutted. But I’m sure she’ll be successful whatever she does next.
“You just need to look around. When I first joined the club we barely had enough players to fill a five-a-side team, let alone a full first team. The club had just been relegated. It was a complete rebuilding job.
“You see the players who got added, the structure that’s now in place and that has been reflected in the success we have had, winning the Scottish Cup, getting the club back to where we should be in the Premiership. And we have had a few good nights in Europe as well.
“She leaves the club in a very good place and that’s credit to the work she has done.”
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.
