Irishman who won cup for Hibs – and painted the goalposts
THE last time Hibernian won the Scottish Cup was so long ago that many of their present-day supporters must have given up hope of ever seeing the trophy won again. For those defiant optimists who remain, however, there is one good omen to contemplate as they look ahead to this season’s competition: the last time Hibs won the cup was the only time before last week that they had an Irishman as manager.
The man in question, Dan McMichael, was in fact the first manager appointed by the club, fully a quarter of a century on from its foundation. And he was no ordinary manager either, serving at Easter Road in a variety of offices for almost 30 years, from the early 1890s until his untimely death in the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1919.
Indeed, even at the height of his fame, after he had won the Scottish Cup in 1902, McMichael continued to muck in. At the start of the following season, an English journalist arrived at Easter Road in search of an interview. Unable to find the manager, he asked groundsman Paddy Cannon for help.
“That’s him over there.” Cannon said. “The chap painting the goalposts.”
The anecdote, related in Alan Lugton’s book The Making Of Hibernian, will be a familiar tale in one respect to Pat Fenlon, the club’s new manager. At his last club, cash-strapped Bohemians, Fenlon, too, had to carry out a number of duties not normally the lot of a modern boss.
The similarities may end there, at least for the moment, between McMichael and the latest man to succeed him in the Hibs hotseat. But there is little doubt that the force of personality shown by the club’s first manager should remain a useful example for his fellow Irishman Fenlon, and for the current crop of players as well.
Born around 1860, McMichael migrated to Scotland as a young man, finding work in Leith as a ship’s carpenter. When Hibs ran into financial difficulties in the 1890s, he helped get them settle on a more stable footing.
But, if McMichael had just been an able treasurer, secretary and physiotherapist at the club, as well as an occasional painter of goalposts, he would hardly be recalled today. Instead, his fame rests on his achievements as manager, a post he held in two spells, 1900-03, and then from 1904 until his death. Even after the threat to their existence was over, Hibs remained short of cash, but McMichael was undeterred by the lack of funds to build his squad.
“I don’t need money to buy stars,” he said once. “Hibernian create their own stars.”
That assertion was proven correct in 1902, when Hibs defeated Celtic at Parkhead in what was called the “all Irish Scottish Cup final”.
And, lest any doubters remained, further proof was given when McMichael’s Hibs side went on to win the league in 1903.
But, as the Old Firm’s stranglehold on the game grew, McMichael was unable to win further honours. More than a century later, it remains to be seen if another Irishman can bring similar fortune to the success-starved club.
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Comments
There are 15 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Hannon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 10:28 PM#12 Priceless, sure old great grandpa will be well proud of how his family jumped ship in sport and more important matters.Still well misguided on name changes I see but that is your problem. Next post will no doubt bring the usual abuse - bigot,blatant liar, etc etc. Whatever, believe what you like,brings no grief to me. #13 Very perceptive, congrats on what appears a fair self assessment based on the limited knowledge I have from your ground breaking posts. #14 Wee man - think you might have the wrong person there. From evidence I have seen, I would doubt you are capable of concise coherent comment. self appointed funny man better meets the description of your goodself. No doubt more abuse to come from this hard character.
seenitawb4
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 02:45 PMbtw hahahannan i do prefer to talk football,but when an argumentitive A.S. Hole comes along and tries not very well but tried to poke holes in a clear concise coherent comment by me on a piece of pash featured in the hootsman just for the sake of ' the big i am" then "WEE MAN' like most i tend too bite back !! now crack a smile and enjoy the rest of your day xx Merry Xmas xx
seenitawb4
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 01:53 PM#11 Shannon "name change" boring tedious nitpicker pedantic predictable know it (f**k) all are you related to the merchant *anker or just close friends nudge nudge wink wink know what i mean flower ? Oh btw Shannon Merry Xmas hohoho xx
Hen Broon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 11:47 AMHANNON....... did U really post....''that regardless of name change he has continued to use same phrases and terminology in his posts that makes him easily identified. ''.................point me to a light hearted post froom you under any of your many names & I will apologise for the 2nd day running? ....and leave my dead Great grandad out of it....e would turn in his Mount Vernon grave(!!!!!!!) if he thought the legacy he help set up would be followed by bitter wee characters like you.
Hannon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 10:51 AM#8 Keep repeating the same old garbage and eventually you might even believe it yourself. As for humour bypass, interested to find out how you arrive at that given nothing you say icould ever be described as such. As for your great Grandad, who you delight in telling us about, he must be turning in his grave, assume he is in a grave given the preferences at the time, with the thought of how you turned out. Greetin ' faced jambo who thinks the world is against his sinking club.Your partner on here is also so transparent as he fails to appreciate that regardless of name change he has continued to use same phrases and terminology in his posts that makes him easily identified.
ianfaeclerrie
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 10:20 AMDoes anyone remember the E News finding people in 1972 who had seen us win the cup or is it my imagination?
First Green
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 09:36 AMInteresting article, yet another example of the rich history of Hibernian Football Club. Would be great to see another Irishman manage Hibs to cup glory.
Hen Broon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 08:47 AM6 & 7....cut it out.....HANNON had a humour bypass & Mr H will be up soon policing the threads sticking his nose to tell me not to stick my nose in & beefy will offer safety in numbers . All proud members of the vemionous elite pack charged with ridding TOTTY from the forums..... all aptly deemed by Green Curry as ' day-release psych patients' when he had the baws to agree with my post.
seenitawb4
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 08:26 AMOh dear reduced to name calling, c'mon hannon your better than that or is that the impression you just like to give, we cant have the self styled site policeman lowering his "but i'm so much better than you" standards can we ? after all who would mrs fibs and the tool smoker have too look up too, c'mon sweetcheeks give yer self a shake chortle chortle xx
Hammy1874
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 08:26 AMTOTT... all time worst Hibs team??? Come on, thats impossible, there would be a dozen candidates for every position..... and thats just in the last ten years.
Hen Broon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 08:19 AM2:1(conicidently my prediction for tonights game although I will be shouting on Hibs) ....beat Hibs not be Hibs. What happened to helsinki naming his all time worst Hibs & Hearts side yesterday? I like reverse phsycology.
Hen Broon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 08:14 AMHannon..... i thought as it was Friday & they were playing Jingle Bells on the radio i would lighten the mood a wee bit. To be fair as my good lady would say 'but it wisnae funny'....As i was posting I thought which one of my veminous stalkers would get himself all excited....U my man were the 21 favourite. Wee NED MR H was a close 2nd....with beefy not far behind....however as sure as Hearts will be Hibs in a Derby they'll appear to offer support to rid the threads of bad old TOTTY.Now hose yourself down , stop boring the $ht out of everbody and enter into the spirit of the festive season. BTW ...my question was rhetorical as it was my great Grandad that was that very man.
Hannon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 07:27 AM#2 That's the game TOTT you keep banging the drum for change. To ease your disappointment take the positive that there are also no articles today, highlighting the racist antics of one of your tribe from the PBS as appeared in yesterday's editions. No doubt there will be some sort of defence but at least this article will remain to be seen whilst those on the official website mysteriously disappear when questioned. Hope you and the dimwit @ 1 enjoy another day of banging the jambo drum on here. Back to the article, it is a very good article depicting some of Hibs famous history which you obviously could not appreciate without sharing your usual infantile thoughts.
Hen Broon
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 05:53 AMOne of half a dozen cracking articles on Hibs in todays Scotsman and not one on Hearts crisis......nearly as momentus a day as that fanous day in 1902. However fails to answer the question on all our lips......did Dan The Man drive the open top Horse & Cart?
seenitawb4
Friday, December 2, 2011 at 02:58 AMOne good omen to contemplate.......rofpmsl
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