New Hibs signing James McPake relishing SPL battle
James McPake
Easter Road was where James McPake laid the foundations for a successful career, and now the home of Hibs will once again provide the backdrop as the centre-back aims to rebuild his reputation in football.
By signing a temporary contract for Pat Fenlon’s side, the Coventry City defender made a return to the place he took his first steps in football this week. He hopes returning to the venue where he made his first-team debut for Livingston in April 2004 can help kick-start a career recently blighted by injury.
Speaking exclusively to the Evening News, he said: “I have suffered some frustrating times in football, but now I’m buzzing by being fit again and getting the opportunity to be back up the road at Hibs,” said the 27-year-old in his Lanarkshire accent.
“I’m not up here to necessarily win my place back at Coventry or to win a move to another club. First and foremost, I’m here to help Hibs and I think I can help them do that. If I can get back to form, the future will take care of itself.”
Judging by the lack of cohesion in the Hibs defence during Saturday’s defeat to St Johnstone, it is highly possible that the injection of McPake’s experience could spark an upturn in defensive displays by Fenlon’s men. His leadership and vocal nature should help bind a youthful group of defenders lacking in confidence into a more united, organised unit.
“I’m quite vocal and will have my say,” said McPake. “I think that’s what’s needed in teams, and hopefully I can add that. It’s the way I am, and I don’t know if I could change it. Whether it’s shouting at 20 players I didn’t know at Coventry at first, or the four or five players I know at Hibs, hopefully I can make a difference.
“The message all around is that Hibs are a better team than where they’re positioned. At the minute, that counts for nothing – we’re second bottom and need to push on and put points on the board.
“I’ll get in and I’ll be vocal, and hopefully that helps the people around me. Every player can add their own style to a game.”
Now in his ninth season of senior football, McPake’s tally of 150 league starts is a sign that his body has not always shown the strength and dominance that typifies his uncompromising performances in defence. After suffering a broken leg at the age of 18, McPake suffered a second serious injury a year ago when he fractured three vertebrae in his back in a match against Barnsley.
A slow but steady comeback began at the start of this season, and McPake has played six games in total this term. In spite of Coventry’s placing at the foot of the Championship, the form of centre-backs Martin Cranie and Richard Keogh have deprived McPake of the chance to attempt a speedier return to regular football. Now he has been handed the opportunity by Hibs to continue the process of rediscovering his form, “steel and commitment” are qualities the defender feels he can add to an ailing Easter Road side.
“With a broken leg, you know how long you’re going to be back. I would say the back injury was worse. It happened just after New Year last year, but it was the type of injury where I didn’t know how long it would take to heel. I’ve been out for a while, but when I heard about the possibility of going on loan to one of a few clubs in January I was really keen to get playing again.
“My first impression when I walked into the training centre [at East Mains] was how good a set-up it is, and that it’s too good a set-up for where they are in the league. When you train with the boys, as well, and see the standard of the players, it’s hard to see why Hibs are near the bottom.”
Decidedly easier for McPake will be the task of settling after returning north of the Border, as there will be no shortage of friendly faces around to help ease him into his spell at Easter Road.
By moving back to his home village just outside Airdrie, he and goalkeeper Mark Brown will travel together along the M8 to training at East Mains every day. When he arrives to Hibs’ base just outside Tranent, his old Livingston team-mates Leigh Griffiths, Martin Scott and Michael Hart will offer familiar surroundings – a stark contrast to the situation McPake faced when making the move to Coventry from Livingston.
“I’ve been impressed with a lot of the younger boys in training, and obviously there’s a lot of boys I already know, like Leigh Griffiths, ‘Jimmy’ Scott and Michael Hart.
“It does help going into a dressing-room where you know people. I went down south and went into a dressing-room where I didn’t know anyone. Knowing people here wasn’t a reason to go to Hibs, but it helps having people to talk to.”
Despite the intimidating prospect of moving to Coventry at a relatively tender age, McPake harbours no regrets about moving to the English Midlands – indeed, he has thoroughly enjoyed his three years there.
“Although I was a young boy, it was the right time to go. I’d been captain of Livingston for a few years and at 24 it wasn’t as if I was too young. I thought the time was right to test myself in that league, and when I’ve been fit and playing I have proven myself there.
“In recent months, it’s been difficult for myself and Coventry City, if you see where they are in the league.
“I had been out injured for eight months, and it was hard for the manager [Andy Thorn] to stick me in and stick with me for five to six games while I found my bearings.
“I’ve played four-to-five first-team and some reserve games, and feel as though I’m back up to scratch. I played against Derby the weekend before last.
“When I started back in August, I felt a bit of a way off. But, I kept training, and since then I’ve only missed a week’s training due to a tight hamstring. I’ve been training hard, working hard, and getting myself fitter and stronger. In the games I’ve played, I’ve felt back to normal.”
Hibs can only hope that a bout of new arrivals will inspire the club to regain top form in a similar fashion to that experienced by McPake.
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Comments
There are 35 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Mario Antoinette
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 02:52 PMAs a neutral, I think a lot of you are missing the point. Hibs arent exactly loaded either , hence the reason there is nothing but mediocre players on loan to swell their ranks - Leigh Griffiths being a notable exception. If Fenlon is wise and given some pennies he should sign him immediately and knock sense into his head. Hibs wont go down this season, saved for the second year in a row by a team even ranker than themselves. They should be thankful that the SPL is pretty much a closed shop - the top six in Division 1 and the bottom 10 in the SPL are pretty much interchangeable. Maybe next year they wont be so lucky , time to seriously get the finger out.
Hen Broon
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 10:19 AMdone! Collective efforts( i was not incl the Dons in that...... domestic league & cup doubles along with beating wee teams like Real in Euro finals exempts them!)
Hen Broon
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 10:16 AMHelsinki...... Hibs were a class act in the 70's but there was a lot of 'shocking' 0-0 draws. I disagree re petrie . If ever there was an opportunity for a non OF club to challenge the OF it is Hibs now. Superb infrastructure in place & low debt combined with a Rangers team with no money. However Petrie has down the opposite of speculate to accumulate & Hibs are fighting relegation. Yogi & CC had decent CV's pre Hibs & MIXU put together a cracking Killie side post Hibs hence I think it is down to a lot more than bad managers. I do however think that in Pat F you have a good one & given time & support from Petrie he will get Hibs back up the top end. When you consider that Hearts & Hibs (along with aberdeen) have more resources than any other SPL team their collective efforts over the last 50 years are pretty pathetic. If they simaltaneously got their act together & had a go it would be mutually beneficial.........sadly you need to hide somewhere change your name (in my case) to get a decent bit of fitba chat but there you go!
helsinki
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:53 AMgbbed -i mean gubbed. btw hen broon.its nice to have a civilised conversation on this thing for a change..
helsinki
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:50 AMhen broon- did hibs only win 13 outa 24? you could have knocked me over with a feather there! i only remember winafter win.i guess i blocked out the draws and losses! i understand what you are saying-what i mean is Hearts have been gbbing Hibs the last few years-but it wont matter a jot if Vlad takes them into bankruptcy or worse.i hope it doesnt happen.Hibs´s main problem recently is hopeless managers-the last 3 have taken the biscuit! Fenlon has been left with a wreck of a team.if he keepsus up and we dont sack him we will be alright.i actually think Petrie has done a good job-apart from the manager selection. is it just me in thinking that Motherwell almost always gets their manager selection right? even Vlad hasnt done too bad in that respect..
Hen Broon
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 08:30 AMHelsinki...... Hibs rarely lost to Hearts in the 70's but to be fair there was a lot of draws. Hibs won 13 of 24 (hearts only two!). Hearts were a poor to average side but hibs were a superb side that gave Celtic a run for their money. The 70's is the only decade Hibs got the better of Hearts since the 40's . Does it matter? Of course it does it is the game all Hearts & Hibs fans want to win more than any other. However it is the next Derby that matters the most. When Hibs beat Hearts 7-0 Hearts won the next Derby 4-1. Victory after humiliation is all the sweeter but make no mistake it did not eradicate the pain(it took 3 decades plus of domination to do that). However lets see where our respective clubs go from here. Inference within your post that Hearts crashing Hibs 80's style is inevitable. Far from it in my opinion a new young & motivated HEARTS are about to emerge and I see nothing happening at Hibs(yet) to suggest that the 2010's will not continue the way it started with Hearts dominating the Derbies. However the most important Derby is the next one & we only have a matter of a few weeks to wait.
helsinki
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 07:44 AMthere was a jambo on here saying Hibs have never had a season like Hearts.2nd in the league blah blah.... well...in 1973 and 1974 Hibs were 2nd in the league.--to Celtic and then to Rangers.i was a wee nipper but my dad-a Celtic fan swears that Hibs should have won the league in 1 of those years-they were the best team but unlucky-they also beat Hearts almost every time they played them. in the early and mid seventies Hibs were in the top 3 every year-check it out if you dont believe me but by the late 70s the club sank towards the bottom of the table. im making this point as i dont think younger Hearts fans realise this and secondly-does it matter any more? not really.like Hearts dominance of Hibs of recent years wont matter if they go downwards under a spiral of debt in the next few years.... i know im an old codger (43) but hearts or hibs dominating the other is irelevant in the long run.look what happened to Hibs in the late 70s and early 80s.-they were awful.no investment and a crumbling stadium.btw.i dont think Hart was that good for hibs as owner.we could have had someone with some real money and vision...
Hen Broon
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 07:35 AMhibbyton......u can remind us in 10 years time when you may or may not be correct. Having never seen HEARTS lift the LC i hope you are wrong. It will not be the same as the SC but without doubt a very good second best.
hibbytom
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 07:17 AM26 May I remind you that Hibs were the last edinburgh team to win a domestic trophy ._the trophy that the jambos havent had a sniff of for approx 60 years. Q the diddy cup comments from the maroon baloons,but thats only because you cant beat Ayr,Falkirk etc to win it.
22GamesInARow
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 11:05 PMCould have been a tremendous season in 86 as it was 2nd place and a Scottish Cup final defeat against Alex Fergusons Aberdeen. We moved on, had some good runs in Europe and won the Scottish Cup twice since then as already mentioned. Trying to recall when hibs have been in that position! never! not in the last 50 years or more, the odd SC final hammering and Semi Final 4-0 gubbings aside. Hibs fans can only dream and wish their lifes away while other clubs supporters live in the real world. Enjoy the 1st division girls
The Yak Farmer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:51 PM23 - Were you born in '86, or were you still a glint in the milkman's eye? They can be quite persuasive those milkmen I hear... Judging by your prose, I'm beginning to doubt if you were even born by '98, never mind '86.
The Yak Farmer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:48 PM22 - Yep. And you're still skint! Odd that Baldrick... very odd. Sell outs, cup finals, open top buses, and now not two brass farthings to rub together. Hang on, I'm beginning to sound like another poster who used to run youse lot up the wrong way so I think I'll stop. Mrs Yak has brought me in my nightcap.
22GamesInARow
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 10:48 PM21 # Wasn't born in 73 so what it meant nothing a bad day at the office it can happen seem to remeber hibs losing 7-0 to rangers not so long ago. I find it sad that one league game, which won you nothing means so much. The 6-2 is by a margin of 4 which is a common scoreline in Hearts wins and empty seats at Hampden Park in the Scottish Cup Semi which we went on to win. Seen two Scottish Cup wins in my time so far how many have you witnessed since your (unlikely)1st derby in 73 lol you will die never seeing hibs win the Scottish Cup it a fact of life
Baldrick
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 09:49 PM21* Surely not. Are you asking for someone to remind you of Hartley Day? 6-2 cost us absolutely nothing. 4-0 won us a lovely big Cup to go with our Champions League qualification ending a season in which every home game was a virtual sell-out. All 16,000 plus.
Cropley
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 07:13 PM#17 No you have not. At my first derby i was hoping that we would stop scoring as my feet were being trampled on by adults all around me back in 73. Statistics, we won that and you won this many count for nothing. From the pieman to Vlad it has been a masterclass on how to ruin a business. Thats the point i am making. What about the future of Hearts and your future fans. Thats the point. The bragging rights in the City just might cost you the very club you support. Holding up a piece of paper saying Hearts won x Hibs won y will not help. But then you cant even call our Club by its name when you post. If you want to make a serious point make one and i will come back and debate it. If you want to be petty i will join in. Here goes...........Remember the 6.2 game when Hearts fans came dressed as seats.
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