John McGinn is desperate for his brother Paul to lift the Scottish Cup with Hibs on Saturday just like he did five-years-ago.
Paul was a surprise signing by Jack Ross after a career playing his trade for Queen’s Park, Dumbarton, Dundee, Chesterfield, Partick Thistle and St Mirren and many Hibs’ fans questioned the decision to bring him into the squad.
Photos Ian Jacobs
Since then however he has been a mainstay in the Hibs’ defence that has finished third in the table for the first-time in 16-years and reached the Scottish Cup final.
‘Super’ John said: “Paul makes me extremely proud. When he signed for Hibs, underwhelming would be an understatement to describe the reaction from the supporters.
“It’s just nice to be sitting here knowing how big a part he is of that squad. There were plenty of critics and doubters throughout his career but I think he’s playing the best football of his career. Nobody has worked harder to get to this stage and hopefully he can do himself justice next week.
“So many people have told him he’s not good enough or he can’t step up a level. He’s not a badge kisser, he’s not for show. He’s just a brilliant teammate. His attitude boots me and Stephen out the park. If we try and run with him in the summer we can’t keep up with him.
“He’s an amazing athlete. When he was younger playing right-back for Queen’s Park when Andy Robertson was left-back, you’d never expect the two of them to have the journeys they have.
“Paul’s doesn’t quite match a Champions League winner’s but it just makes me proud because he could quite easily have chucked it. He could quite easily have thought he’d got his degree, he’d work outside of football.
“He thought he’d keep grafting at it, do the postman’s run on the Saturday morning before Queen’s Park and Dumbarton. I’d have never have done that but now he’s taken his game to that level where people will start looking at him thinking he can play and Hibs are lucky to have him.
“Thankfully the supporters realise that. For him I still don’t think he believes in himself as much as he could. He’s spoken before about it not being in his nature and teaching that into him is pretty much impossible – although I am trying! Hopefully he can start showing that arrogance with a wee stepover next weekend!”
“For Paul I’m just desperate for him to experience what I experienced. I know it’s going to be slightly different. Before the restrictions announcement on Friday there would have been more people in Asda Toryglen that Saturday afternoon thanks to the Scottish government. It was a ridiculous decision.
“The disappointing thing is gut-wrenching watching the semi-final and the final and there are no fans. I hope St Johnstone aren’t celebrating but if they were to win it can you imagine how their fans feel after a double win and there was no-one there to see it. It is a complete gutter but it is something we need to deal with.”
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.
