Memories of Hibs’ final humilation drive Ivan Sproule

By Alan Temple
Published on 24/07/2012 01:52

Ivan Sproule has revealed how an unhappy homecoming after the Scottish Cup final has fuelled a burning desire to restore Hibs’ pride this season.

The 31-year-old cut a dejected figure following the 5-1 demolition at the hands of their great rivals Hearts on May 19, ducking out of a sombre post-match gathering at Easter Road early.

However, on the winger’s doorstep was a brash reminder of the Hampden horrorshow – the taunting sight of a maroon scarf.

Sproule ruefully recalled: “I came back to a gathering after the final in the stadium, and everyone was just numb. There was just stunned silence.

“I went home to watch the Champions League final and was greeted with a Hearts scarf 
sitting outside my house.

“To be honest I didn’t find it very funny at the time – I quickly escorted it in to the bin! But at the same time you appreciate it a couple of days after. That defeat will probably be brought up to me for as long as I play but you have to accept it.

“Me, personally, I think the past is the past and the future is the future. It hurts like hell whenever we get beat but you take your medicine.”

While Hibs’ capitulation in the first all-Edinburgh Scottish Cup final for 116 years is still painful for the player, he is circumspect about the result and insists it is time for the Easter Road outfit to move on.

And following a campaign which also saw the capital club finish in 11th position in the SPL, narrowly avoiding relegation, the one-time Northern Ireland internationalist wants to use last season as a catalyst for improvement.

Sproule continued: “You have to take it in good banter because that is just football. When it’s good it’s good – but when it’s bad it can be really bad.

“Hearts deserved it, well done to them, they were fantastic, we were terrible. But we will move on at Hibs and hopefully we can get the rub of the green in the future. You have to use your disappointments as motivation.

“What the gaffer has said to us is that we want to put a bit of pride back into the club and into the Hibs jersey. We don’t want to be fighting at the wrong end of the table.

“If your own pride didn’t take a hit after the defeat to Hearts then there is something wrong with you, the club’s pride certainly took a battering.

“I had 32 members of my family over for the game and I felt sorry for them, but I felt more disappointed for the 20,000 other Hibs fans there that day.”

Sproule, speaking ahead of this evening’s encounter with Union Berlin in the German capital, is currently thriving in his role as an elder statesman in a revamped Hibs squad, even captaining the side against OH Leuven last week.

As a relative veteran of campaigns with the Hibees, Bristol City, Notts County and Yeovil – he also has 11 international caps - the attacker is only too happy to be a figurehead of Pat Fenlon’s side.

That will now, of course, include ensuring the irascible but unpredictable Leigh Griffiths keeps his cool this season following his loan arrival from Wolves.

He added: “I have a lot of experience and campaigns under my belt and I do like to push as much information as I can on to the young players.

“They are all quick to remind me I am the oldest one in the squad now, but the manager likes me to air my views along with the captain, James [McPake].”

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