Hanlon full of praise for his mentor as Lewis joins the list of Hibees elite
Paul Hanlon has paid tribute to his Hibs mentor, Lewis Stevenson, ahead of the full-back’s big night.
Stevenson will become only the fifth player in the Easter Road club’s history to reach 500 appearances – Arthur Duncan, Willie Ormond, Pat Stanton and Gordon Smith are the others – when he runs out against Celtic in Glasgow’s east end tomorrow night.
That is a landmark which will delight friend and team-mate Hanlon, who has played alongside him in more than 300 of those games.
“First and foremost, he is a guy who has been a joy to work with all through my Hibs career,” said Hanlon.
“When I first came in at 16 years old, he was a couple of years older and he was the first one to welcome me in and look after the younger boys.
“He has always been someone I’ve looked up to. He has been great to work with throughout all these years.
“Most of his career he has been a leftback and I’ve been at centre- half, so we’ve had to work together quite a lot.
“His record speaks for itself, really, in terms of what he’s done for this club and the trophies he’s won.
“It’s happened so many times in his Hibs career that players have come in to challenge his position – but he’s kept working hard and stayed in the team.
“That’s why he is going to get to such an amazing landmark in his career.
“He knows himself that he is getting a bit older, and there are younger players coming through.
“But he’s the first one who turns round and tries to help them as well. It
just shows you what a great guy he is, so selfless in everything he does.
“He deserves all the plaudits he will get for reaching that 500 mark.”
Gordon Smith’s record of 636 looks one for the ages. But with talks pencilled in to keep Stevenson around for 2021- 22 – and possibly beyond – Hanlon believes it won’t be the last landmark the full-back hits.
“I think he’s definitely got it in him. I’m sure the club would be interested in giving him a new contract,” said Hanlon.
“I think he’s got plenty left in his legs to be able to perform for another few years yet, and regularly. Alongside that, he will be helping the young boys to kick on as well, which he always does.
“He’s a great character to have in the squad, and a great role model for these young players.
Just the way he acts every day, he’s so consistent and looks after his body so well.”
Hanlon is meanwhile steeling himself to deal with another auld acquaintance in the game, Hoops striker Leigh Griffiths.
“I have played against Leigh since we were about five or six years old, as boys’ club footballers. “So he is someone
I know quite well,” Hanlon said with a laugh.
“He has always been exactly the same player.
“He has a wand of a left foot, he scores goals from nothing, and is just desperate to score goals all the time.
“Those things have never changed. “Obviously he did well at Hibs when we got the ball to him. When you play for a club like Celtic, and get that bit more chances . . . Well you can see the amount of goals he has scored for the club.
“All in all, I believe him to be an outstanding striker, and I think he was a loss to Celtic when he was out.
“He has been back in the team since the end of the year or so and, for my money, they have been a lot better for it.
“I am glad to see him back in their team, but I hope he is quiet at the weekend.
“For sure, it will be part of my job to try to make sure he is.”