Sunshine on Leith for loan star Shinnie
HIBS playmaker Andrew Shinnie has hailed the Edinburgh derby atmosphere – and insists the prospect of four top-flight matches against Hearts next season could persuade him to stay at Easter Road.
The on-loan Birmingham midfielder made his mark for the Championship leaders in last Wednesday’s emphatic 3-1 Scottish Cup replaywin over their city rivals, when he replaced the injured Chris Humphrey in just the fifth minute.
After setting up Jason Cummings for the opener, the Scotland cap added a third and was then blown away by the spine-tingling sight and sounds of the home support blaring out Sunshine On Leith at full-time.
The 27-year-old had been desperate to hear the fans sing the club’s official anthem after watching footage on YouTube of the celebrations following last year’s cup win over Hearts.
He said: “I loved it. It was everything I thought it would be and I was buzzing after the game because I had watched videos last year when they sang Sunshine on Leith after the Hearts game and thought it was unbelievable.
“I was jealous of it and I’m now so glad that I have sampled that and been a part of it.
“Near the end I was thinking it might happen again. I was glad I had scored and then to win and walk around the ground as they were singing after the game was unbelievable. I was just glad I got that chance.
“On Wednesday, the atmosphere was unbelievable. That’s as big as a lot of cubs down south could give you.
“Down south gets built up quite a lot, obviously people go down there and financially it is big difference, but I’ve been at a lot of English Championship matches, they’re decent games but nothing like that atmosphere – that was unbelievable.
“That should be in the top league of Scottish football every season.
“I didn’t sample the Birmingham/Aston Villa derby, which would have been good, but nothing compared to this.
“Easter Road is a great stadium and when the fans are like that, it’s a tough place for teams to come.”
Shinnie is contracted to the Blues until next summer, but if he is not wanted by Gianfranco Zola at St Andrew’s, the former Inverness player would be willing to commit his future to the Scottish Cup holders.
He said: “It’s a brilliant club and I love it here.
“It should be in the top league and I love it. I wouldn’t not extend my stay here, I would like to stay here but I’m not going to think about that until he summer.
“I’m just working hard on my football and that will take care of itself.
“I want to have a really successful season, I want us to win the league, I want us to go for the cup – that would be a very successful season.”