Record is ‘there to be broken’ as Mcgregor aims to halt Celtic’s run

Darren Mcgregor’s last match for Hibernian before making a comeback from injury against Partick Thistle on Saturday was as long ago as August.

Celtic were unbeaten domestically in Scotland under manager Brendan Rodgers when the defender started his spell on the sidelines following a knee cartilage operation. They remain unbeaten under Rodgers three months later.

But Hibs are also in a good place and are stronger for Mcgregor’s return. The centre-half helped his side keep a clean sheet in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Partick Thistle in his first match back since a 1-1 draw with Dundee in August.

Mcgregor, pictured, is now looking forward to tackling Celtic on Sunday for the first time as a Hibs player. He has plenty perspective when he is asked where ending Celtic’s unbeaten run would feature in his list of career achievements to date. There’s not much can top spearing a 114-year Scottish Cup drought.

“I don’t think it would rank too highly for me,” said Mcgregor. “[After] winning the Scottish Cup and promotion, ending Celtic’s unbeaten run would be an achievement. But the run will still be remembered as opposed to ending it.

“It’s a tremendous effort, not just in Scottish football but the world over because you have to beat what’s in front of you. There are lots of factors that can spring up and make that difficult so fair play to them. To go out all these times and never be beaten is a hell of an achievement. But it is there to be broken. Every team that plays them hopes it will be them. We’ll be working hard to try to do it.” Mcgregor is simply delighted to be back involved. He was the target for some goodnatured mockery by Ally Mccoist for how long it had taken him to return. The defender bumped into the former Rangers manager in the car park following the most recent Edinburgh d er by.mccoi st told him he was playing just ten days after a similar operation when he was a Rangers player. “He was calling me a big softy,” said Mcgregor.

Mcgregor certainly hasn’t lost confidence during his spell out. He knocked on manager Neil Lennon’s door and told him he was ready to return. But he stressed he wanted to feature on merit given the good form of others, including young defender Ryan Porteous.

Lennon didn’t waste too much time recalling the defender – as might be expected of someone who once said he wanted 11 Darren Mcgregors in his team.