New Hibs stand will bring the noise at Easter Road

Published on Friday 20 August 2010 09:03

Hibs legend Keith Wright today claimed the new East Stand can help turn Easter Road into a fortress, confronting opposition players with a "wall of sound" as they emerge from the tunnel.

The former striker admitted to being stunned as he took his first look at the 6,400 capacity stand which will open for the first time for the visit of SPL champions Rangers on Sunday, lifting the Leith ground's capacity to 20,250.

Wright, scorer in every round as Hibs won the Skol Cup in 1991, will take his seat among the Hibs fans to roar on John Hughes' players, insisting that even Walter Smith's battle-hardened Ibrox side can be intimidated by the atmosphere he now expects at his old stomping ground.

It's a far cry from the days when he cheered on the Hibees from the old east terracing, but Wright revealed that even as work began in the mid-90s to redevelop Easter Road he could never have envisaged the end product.

He said: "I've seen so many changes at Easter Road but I never thought I'd see a stadium looking as good as this.

"I first started watching Hibs in the mid-70s when I was nine or ten and there was that massive, double-banked terracing. I loved it, I used to have to arrange a meeting place with my Dad after the game in case I got lost.

"Then they took away the top half and covered it and when I was playing I just loved the atmosphere the fans over that side always created, they were always right behind the team and gave the opposition a hard time of it.

"Then, in the 90s, work started on redeveloping the ground with the stands at either end of the ground. I remember then thinking it was going to be some place when it was finished but it is simply magnificent.

"It's amazing how well Hibs have done over the past few years to get the ground looking as good as it is - the pitch, wider than before, is also looking fantastic - particularly when you consider the financial difficulties so many clubs are having.

"For Hibs to produce such a stadium is great credit to everyone behind the scenes."

While some may dismiss the benefit such changes will bring for boss John Hughes' players, Wright dismissed the notion that one football pitch is much the same as any other.

He said: "I'm sure the players will get a massive lift, they don't know how lucky they are going to be coming up that tunnel to see the stand opposite packed with Hibs fans.

"The supporters over that side always created their own unique atmosphere and now, with the opportunity to have twice as many, I'm sure it will be even better. Ask any opposition manager and they'll tell you they never get an easy game at Easter Road."