CAN WE PLAY YOU EVERY YEAR?
Gray: Cup glory came after we beat Hearts two years ago and we did it again last season on way to semis so I can’t wait to face them this time
DAVID GRAY is nearing his comeback after two months out – but if he never kicked another ball for Hibs he can rest assured he has already headed the one that matters more than any other.
The captain’s place in Leith folklore was sealed the moment he scored the goal that ended his club’s 114-year wait to lift the Scottish Cup in 2016.
But just because a moment is historic by no means makes it history as practically every day he receives at least one reminder of just how much joy he has given the green half of Edinburgh.
Stopped in the street or accosted at the airport on his way to an Icelandic holiday with his wife Hayley, there are few places he can go without a well-wisher taking him back down memory lane.
But the best one recently came in the shape of a letter from eight-year-old Calan Clarkson.
Just a regular wee boy, Hibs daft and desperate to let his hero know exactly what his careerdefining moment meant to him. Still does, in fact, and always will.
What the young man got back is presumably something he’ll cherish right up there with his memory of the day itself.
Gray sent him a reply along with the letter the kid had sent, now signed by the hand that punched the Hampden air in celebration when his 91st-minute header sealed a 3-2 win over Rangers.
His response prompted Calan’s mum Alana to take to Twitter to thank him for making her boy’s year. But the way the man himself sees it, he’s not finished yet. For if he can make this kid’s dreams come true once there’s no reason why Hibs can’t do it again by winning the Scottish Cup this year.
He said: “That cup final was the greatest football weekend I’ve been involved in and I’ll never forget it. But the most important thing is hearing people’s stories.
“People ask if I get fed up hearing about it but I love hearing everyone’s story.
“I got a letter recently from a young lad and when I wrote back his mum said it had made his 2018.
“There are guys who come over and say, ‘My dad went to so many cup finals with Hibs and we did not win so thank you very much.’
“You hear how much it means to them all. We were so fortunate as players to be involved in that.
“I enjoyed playing down south after leaving as a teenager for Manchester United.
“But the decision I made to come to Hibs when I did was the best of my life. It’s a special feeling to have created so many memories for everyone.
“So imagine if we won it twice. There’s no reason why not.
“We believe we are good enough to win any game on our day so you never know what could happen in the cups.”
They might have fate on their side too as once again the cup draw has thrown Hibs the same tough test that inspired their run to glory in 2016 – a trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts.
Trailing 2-0 at the break, to come back and snatch a dramatic late draw was seen by many as the turning point that set the wheels in motion for the successes of the last two seasons.
From cup glory to promotion back to the top flight to their current position challenging for a top-three finish this campaign. It all stems from that night at Tynecastle.
Gray added: “I came off at half-time that night. We were on top and didn’t deserve to be trailing. The manager told us a goal would change it and if we got one we would get two.
“That was the big turning point. We really believed we would take them back to Easter Road and win. The mentality shifted. We were now favourites and I think the Hearts players believed that as well.
“That game was the catalyst for it all. It changed the mindset and you could see that in the way we played in the replay. We blew Hearts away from the start.
“We’ve played really well against them from then on.”
Including a Tynecastle return in last year’s cup when again they knocked out the Jambos to build a run to the semis where they lost to Aberdeen.
So is it fate that the Cup should throw up another derby date in Gorgie for the third year in a row? Gray added: “If it keeps going the way it has the past couple of seasons with the runs we’ve had then we’ll take that.
“They are difficult games and you have no right to go there and say we will win but it’s one we are all looking forward to.”
The prospect of another big derby cup tie has added an extra spring of excitement to Hibs’ winter training camp in the Algarve this week.
For Gray, the warm-weather break could hardly be timed better as he steps up his bid to regain his place after seven weeks out with a knee injury.
Boss Neil Lennon has paid tribute to his captain for playing through the pain barrier, admitting he felt it was “unfair” to keep asking the 29-year-old to grit his teeth any longer.
But Gray said: “I would not say it’s unfair as such. When you get the chance to play you are desperate to do it.
“I was carrying a knock and it was maybe hindering me a little bit but I’d never put the team in jeopardy by playing if I was not fit or able to contribute.
“Eventually it got to the point where it was becoming too much but I’m feeling good now after a frustrating time.
“Being out in Portugal is important for me because you can guarantee the pitches are going to be playable.
“That’s a big thing for me because to get out running in Scotland when the pitches are frozen is difficult.
“We were training on astro and that’s not ideal for players with knocks and niggles.
“So it will do us a lot of good to get a good week’s training under our belts on great facilities every day.”
People ask if I get fed up hearing about that final but I love all the stories DAVID GRAY