RELIVE THE DREAM
Skipper Gray is convinced Hibs can tap into the magic of 2016 and lift the Scottish Cup again
IT will be two years this May since his l ate, dramatic header shattered Scottish football’s most infamous and en during curse.
However, everywhere David Gray goes, t here are still reminders of Hibernian’s historic 3-2 Scottish Cup final triumph over Rangers.
In airport departure lounges and on holidays abroad, grateful strangers rush up to the Easter Road captain to thank him for his starring role that day in 2016.
His goal captured a trophy most Hibs fans feared they’d never see in Leith after a 114-year wait.
Just last week, Gray received a personal thank-you letter through the post from an eight-year- old boy called Calan.
When the Hibs defender took time to reply, the youngster’s mum, Alana Clarkson, tweeted to say he’d made her son’s year.
The influence that glorious May day had on Gray himself extends to his own young son.
Born two months after the cup win, toddler Archie was named after Archie Gray; the right-back from the last Hibs side to win the Scottish Cup, in 1902.
While honoured and privileged to have helped fulfil the dreams of Hibs fans of all generations, Gray hopes Neil Lennon’s side can create many more by lifting the cup again this year.
‘It’s such a special feeling to have created so many memories for all the Hibs fans,’ he said.
‘From a football point of view, that cup final was the greatest weekend I ’ ve ever been involved in and I’ll never forget it. The decision I made to come to Hibs when I did in 2014 was the best decision of my life.
‘ But t he most important thing to me is hearing people’s stories.
‘I recently got a personal letter from a young lad to say thanks for winning the Scottish Cup.
‘I wrote back thanking him for his support. I signed it and I also signed his original letter. His mum said that had made his 2018. ‘Then there are always random things like walking through the airport and someone will come over and speak to you about that day. Guys will come over and say: “My dad went to so many cup finals with Hibs and we didn’t win... so thank you very much”. ‘As players, we are all so fortunate to be involved. But imagine we won the Scottish Cup twice. There’s no reason why not. ‘We have a good squad and we’ve had good success in the cups in recent seasons. ‘We have a winning mentality. We c an compete against the likes of Celtic, so you never know what could happen in the cup...’ Hibs will have to do it the hard way again if they are to lift the trophy this year, though. For the third season running, they have been drawn against fierce rivals Hearts at Tynecastle.
However, Gray cites their fifthround fight back against the Jambos in February 2016 as the catalyst for their eventual triumph in the final and the promotion back to the top flight that followed.
Two-nil down in Gorgie, they scored twice in the last ten minutes through Jason Cummings and Paul Hanlon before winning the replay at Easter Road.
Hibs are now unbeaten in the last nine derbies.
‘That day at Tynecastle on the road to the cup win, the mentality shifted,’ Gray recalled.
‘I came off at half-time and we were 2-0 down. But we were well on top and our manager, Alan Stubbs, told us if we got one goal we would get two.
‘That’s how it turned out and that was the big turning point. We were now the favourites and I think the Hearts players believed that as well. We’ve played really well against them from then on.’
Gray and the rest of the squad jetted out to the Algarve on Saturday as Lennon prepares his side for that titanic cup tie on January 20.
The talismanic captain is now back from injury and aiming for a starring role.
‘I was on the bench for the last couple of games and I just need a good week’s training now,’ stated the 29-year-old.
‘It’s good to be in Portugal because the pitches here are very good. Running on frozen pitches back i n Scotland makes it difficult when you’re trying to get back fit.’
While injuries have left Gray frustrated, the team’s displays in the club’s first season back in the top flight have proven the perfect pick-me-up. He is not surprised Hibs sit fourth in the table.
‘We’ve said for the last couple of seasons we have a good enough squad to compete at the top end of the Premiership,’ said Gray.