Light at end of the tunnel for Paul Hanlon

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow,” said Albert Einstein but it’s a life motto which could easily be applied to Paul Hanlon. The Hibs defender has had a tough learning curve, being offered a sustained run in the first team at a time when the club’s fortunes offered little to smile about.

These days circumstances are proving more beneficial to his development as a player and his prospects of success.

Hibs now look likely to avoid relegation, while a Hampden date on 19 May offers the club a tantalising opportunity to win the Scottish Cup for the first time in 110 years. In amongst all that, Hanlon will also have the opportunity to collect his 19th cap at U21 level when he leads out Billy Stark’s side at Easter Road, against Italy, on Wednesday night.

And as the most-capped player in a fairly inexperienced line-up, he will be charged with offering those around him the guidance he has often had to muddle on without in his own career, making him a key man for Stark.

“I’ve been banging the drum for Paul for a while,” said Stark. “I think he’s been magnificent for Hibs this season in the situation they’ve been in for a young lad. I thought he was faultless last Saturday, I saw him at Easter Road against Dundee United which was a difficult day as they lost but I thought he coped – where many don’t – with Jon Daly.

“He has been a rock. Paul has been with us since U19 and I couldn’t hope for a better boy who just gets on with it and is unfussy. That maybe works against him because he perhaps doesn’t get the praise he deserves but he has stood up and been counted.

“I know it’s not been a great season for Hibs and in the darkest days when they were really struggling I remember him standing out.

“I can appreciate that [Hibs captain James] McPake has been a really good signing with his leadership qualities. I’m sure he does help Paul but Paul has been captain for me at U19 and U21 and I appoint someone who sets an example to everyone else, the way they prepare themselves and conduct themselves.

“I wouldn’t underestimate what Paul does in that sense in his own quiet way. For his long term development, maybe going through this season could turn out to be a benefit.”

Hanlon will lead the team out for Wednesday’s challenge match, hoping that in dark blue at least Easter Road proves a platform for more good memories than has been the case at club level for the past year.