Kenny’s shock when he was told to get a passport!
Scottish clubs are combing the country looking for last-minute signings before the transfer window closes on Tuesday night.
But sometimes the answer to their needs can already be at the club.
Former Hibs’ winger, Kenny Davidson, is a classic example of a young player making an impression at exactly the right time.
In September 1970, he leapt from being a fresh face in the reserves to playing European football.
His dramatic debut came in a 3-2 victory against Malmo in Sweden.
He followed that up by sticking two goals past St Mirren in his first league outing.
But Kenny’s career might well have started in London if he’d been offered a longer contract.
“I was playing in a juvenile league for Loanhead United, and they were sponsored by Charlton Athletic,” he recalled.
“They had first call on our players, and I went down to train with them for a couple of weeks.
“Their manager, Eddie Firmani, wanted to sign me, but they only offered me a six-month contract.
“I really wasn’t keen on that. I feared I might find myself without a club after six months, with the other teams all having full squads.
“Then Hibs manager, Willie Mcfarlane, asked me to join the Hibs’ ground staff.
“I had started working in electrical engineering for Ferranti, and wanted to get my qualifications. It meant I would only be training at night, but that didn’t last for long.
“I scored a hat-trick against Cowdenbeath in my first reserve game, and then hit the net against Aberdeen the following week.
“That led to Hibs’ coach, John Fraser, asking me if I had a passport.
“I asked him what I needed one for. I was only coming to Edinburgh from Newtongrange!
“He told me the manager wanted to take me to Malmo for the second leg of a Fairs Cup tie.
“I had to quickly get the passport, and buy a suit. It was all a bit surreal the way it happened.
“To be playing in Europe at the age of 18 – and follow it up by running out at Easter Road on the Saturday – was incredible.
“It got even better when I latched on to a passback in the first minute, and scored. I got another one in the first minute after half-time as we drew 3-3.”
Hibs’ fixtures after the international break are against Hearts and then St Mirren.
They are games that will bring back very happy memories for Kenny.
His first experience of an Edinburgh derby was a 2-1 Scottish Cup victory at Tynecastle.
He said: “There were so many amazing experiences in that first season.
“I played against Liverpool in Europe, and was in the team when Joe Baker came back to Hibs, and we ended Aberdeen’s run of going 12 games without conceding a goal.”
Like most youngsters, Kenny needed a break from the first-team after his initial burst of fame. But it was a leg break that really set him back. He said: “Ironically, it was the keeper I scored past on my league debut that I clashed with to suffer a broken leg.
“Dennis Connachan had been in goal for St Mirren, and he was the man I collided with when we played Celtic reserves just before Christmas, 1972.
“Eddie Turnbull had taken over as Hibs manager. I’d played a few games for him but a lot changed while I was out and ‘Turnbull’s Tornadoes’ had been put together.
“I wasn’t part of it and moved to Dunfermline. “It started well there. I got two goals on my debut against Middlesbrough. Graeme Souness and Bobby Murdoch were in their side.”
Kenny served Meadowbank Thistle for six years before retiring, and working in leisure management.
Now 69, he’s a volunteer, helping to organise walking football in Midlothian – and he’s still banging the goals in!