Hibs will not need much more motivation going into this game now

then the nightmare scenario could well unfold. It is not as clear-cut as everybody thinks and Hibs could go and beat Celtic.

“There will be a few twists and turns yet. It would actually serve the SPFL right if that did happen and their decision came back to bite them. It will be an interesting one to watch that’s for certain.”

The final day of the 2005 season will forever be remembered as ‘Helicopter Sunday’ for Rangers supporters. But former Easter Road winger Sproule was more concerned with transport of another kind.

He was part of Tony Mowbray’s side who watched on when Rangers had the mother of all celebrations 13 years ago in Leith.

Scott McDonald’s late brace at Fir Park against Celtic ensured that Nacho Novo’s goal was enough for Alex McLeish’s men to secure an unlikely championship win.

Sproule remembers thinking he would have been banned from the boat returning home to Northern Ireland had he scored the goal that deprived Rangers of the silverware.

All his pals had travelled over from Belfast for the game – but they weren’t there to support Sproule.

The former player said: “That was my first season at Easter Road and the atmosphere was surreal. The noise was coming through from Fir Park that Motherwell had scored two late goals to beat Celtic and Rangers had won the league.

“The pitch was the last place you actually wanted to be as a Hibs player when the final whistle went. It was just bedlam and the Rangers fans and players were going crazy.

“I am sure the current Hibs team will certainly have something to say about Celtic coming to Easter Road to try to win the Premiership.

“Hibs won’t want a title party on their patch. When Sky show clips of ‘Helicopter Sunday’ I always say to myself: ‘I was part of that’. I remember thinking if I scored then there was no way the Rangers fans would have allowed me back on the boat home!

“Whenever I played for Hibs it was a delight to pull on the jersey and score for the club. To be honest Rangers got away with one that day as my scoring record against them and Celtic wasn’t the worst.

“That was my first involvement in Scottish football – and the biggest game I was ever involved in. But at the time I never thought about that day as ‘Helicopter Sunday’.

“When you are a player and you are involved in a game like that your sole focus is on gaining all three points. You just want to do well for yourself and your team and win a football match.”

The 37-year-old has been delighted with the job Neil Lennon has done with his beloved Hibs.

IVAN SPROULE

Now he hopes the manager can persuade his board to part with enough cash to keep midfield maestro John McGinn in Edinburgh for a while longer.

Sproule said: “Hibs have already taken a few scalps this season. They are in a very healthy position at the minute and will want to push as high as they can in the table.

“The club have had a great season and they are on a good run of form. They have closed the gap on Celtic, Aberdeen and Rangers and the next challenge for them is to sustain that.

“Neil is playing a good brand of football while John McGinn has gone from strength to strength.

“I remember playing against him when he was at St Mirren and he didn’t do too much. But he has matured into a strong, steady player and he is quality.

“I just wish Hibs would get the chequebook out and get him to sign on for another few years.”