Hibs’ long-serving defender Lewis Stevenson wants to finish this season’s league campaign on a high but anticipates a tough game against Celtic at Easter Road this afternoon.
Victory at Pittodrie for the first time in nine years secured third place but Stevenson believes that the club has not had the credit they deserve for this achievement.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of the game Stevenson said: “It’s going to be tough. Celtic played well on Wednesday night and the pressure is off them with nothing really to play for, but they still have some top top players.
“We want to finish the league season on a high. It’s been a fantastic season and sometimes I think the team has not had the credit it deserves. Other teams have been talked about and it’s kind of overshadowed our performance but to get into the cup final and finish third for the first time in 16-years shows how far we have come and how well the manager and his staff have done.
“Since he (Jack Ross) has come to the club whether I’ve been playing or not been playing he has been fantastic. I don’t think anyone within the Training Centre has got a bad word to say about him.
“Organisation wise, tactically motivationally, man management he is up there with the best I have worked with. He is a massive part of how much success we have had this season.
“I’ve played in some great teams here and some not so good as well but this team is up there with the best I’ve played with.”
It will be an emotional 90-minutes for Scott Brown, one of Lewis’s former team mates who will play his last game for Celtic after a wonderful career with the Glasgow giants.
Stevenson added: “It’s quite nice that he end his career at Celtic at Easter Road but he’s not retired. I think he will have a few games left in him at Aberdeen. He’s been a fantastic captain and a fantastic person. What he has achieved at Celtic is unbelievable. He was brilliant for me when he was here. He helped me in the changing room and is just a fantastic player. I’ve always had a soft spot, even when he went to Celtic, a rival club, I’ve always wanted him to do well.
“I think he’s only two or three years older than me but by the time I came through here he had already played about 100 games.
“He must be the most successful Scottish player, winning wise at least since I’ve been playing. He has that switch from being a jokey figure that would do anything for you until he gets on that pitch then he is steely and determined. I’ll congratulate him after the game about how well he 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.
