Jim backs Hibs to emulate class of ’73

JIM McARTHUR was a key part of the last Hibs team to finish second in the top flight in back-to-back seasons.

Now the goalie of that legendary 1973-75 side is backing the current crop to do the same – if they can win Saturday’s massive showdown with Aberdeen.

McArthur was between the sticks for one of the best Hibs sides in living memory, establishing themselves as Scotland’s second force with successive runner-up finish to Celtic.

More than four decades on that’s a scenario he can see playing out again over the next two years as Neil Lennon’s in-form team strive to ride their wave of momentum all the way to second spot.

Having already claimed the scalp of the Hoops and prevailed in a humdinger of a goals feast with Kilmarnock since the split, now comes arguably the most pivotal test of the run-in.

The trip to Pittodrie, where Hibs haven’t won in six years, offers a tantalising chance to draw level on points with second-placed Dons with just two games left.

McArthur said: “If Hibs finish second this year I could see them doing it again next season too, just like we did, because it looks like they’re building something special. “But they’ve still got to make second this year and that won’t be BY EUAN McLEAN easy. They’re three points behind Aberdeen and if they lose on Saturday their challenge is pretty much gone. They don’t have a great record at Pittodrie so it’s a difficult game against a team who are used to closing out second.

“But they’ve given themselves a chance by making such a great start after the split. They had to win the first game, which was Celtic, and that was the best Hibs have played all season – proof of the mentality drummed into them by their manager – because they went at Celtic and kept it going for the full 90 minutes.

“With Aberdeen still to play Celtic and Rangers still in the mix, it’s going to be a great end to the season.

“But for Hibs, Saturday is another must-win and they have the firepower to do it.”

The creative flair and ability to score from so many areas of their team (all of Hibs’ goals in the 5-3 thriller against Kilmarnock were scored by different players) reminds McArthur of his class of 1974.

He added: “We ended up second and Eddie Turnbull wasn’t happy so he started to split the team up.

“Nowadays the thought of a Hibs team being broken up because they ‘only’ finished second is inconceivable.

“But Celtic, as they do now, had the stranglehold in the league. We beat them in the League Cup and Dryburgh Cup but couldn’t beat them to the league.

“But it was a fabulous team and I was privileged to play with them.”