Ex-star Kane wants Hibs and Dons to ensure game is a fitting tribute to Eddie Turnbull

Paul KANE today urged the players of Hibs and Aberdeen to put their troubles aside and make the last match of the season one to remember as they pay tribute to former boss Eddie Turnbull.

Tomorrow's clash between the two clubs managed with great success by the legendary Turnbull who died last week at the age of 88, presents supporters of both the opportunity to pay their final respects.

And although Hibs and the Dons have endured seasons which both would much rather forget, Kane has his fingers crossed the twist of fate which sees the clubs face each other at this time produces a display of attacking football which would have had Turnbull nodding with approval.

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Admitting that neither of his old clubs are at the peak of their powers as they were when Turnbull guided Aberdeen to Scottish Cup glory and then Hibs to League Cup success - both against Jock Stein's Celtic - Kane also believes current day managers Colin Calderwood and Craig Brown could pay a further tribute to Turnbull by fielding teams packed with young talent.

Calderwood chose a starting XI featuring seven players aged 21 or under as Hibs lost 2-0 to Inverness Caley on Wednesday night while Pittodrie boss Brown has also relied on youth recently, decisions which, Kane insisted, would have been given the thumbs-up by Turnbull.

Kane, who was among more than 100 former Hibs and Aberdeen players who helped make up a congregation of around 700 for the Famous Five star's funeral in the Capital earlier this week, said: "Eddie brought in a lot of young players at both clubs as we heard from Martin Buchan and Tony Higgins.

"He loved to work with young players with their enthusiasm and work-rate, using the vast knowledge he had into their game and improving them as players.

"Eddie loved nothing better than rearing his own young players and watching them go on to make names for themselves.

"At this stage of the season the fans are looking for something fresh and different so it would be great if, in such a match, we were to see a couple of young players perhaps make their debuts."

And with little at stake - although Aberdeen could leapfrog Hibs and take ninth place with a win - Kane believes both clubs should embrace Turnbull's penchant for attacking football.

The chairman of the Hibs Former Players' Association said: "If you look at the teams Eddie built both at Pittodrie and Easter Road they were sides people wanted to go and see because they were playing attractive, attacking football.

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"Fans knew they would be entertained and Eddie acknowledged a football game was entertainment.

"It's fitting and a little poignant that the way the fixtures are that his two old clubs are meeting in the last game of the season in the week of his funeral.

"I wouldn't say either are anywhere near Aberdeen's Scottish Cup winning side of 1970 or Turnbull's Tornadoes at Easter Road but with the season all but done and dusted it would be great to see both teams go 'gung-ho' tomorrow, forget the poor seasons they've had and look to score a few goals.

"In effect they've got little to lose by having a right go although, of course, they'll both want to win, but wouldn't it be great to be talking about a match packed with goals?"

Kane, of course, didn't play under Turnbull at either Easter Road or Pittodrie, but his experiences at both Hibs and Aberdeen left him in no doubt as to the No.10's legacy within Scottish football, a fact underlined at the Mansfield Traquair Church on Monday.

He said: "Obviously being a lifelong Hibs fan and a former player at the club I knew all about Eddie's contribution at Easter Road both as part of the Famous Five team and as manager.

"And that was reinforced speaking to all those who had played under him at his funeral service. You listen to the likes of Alex Cropley, Alex Edwards, John Brownlie, Jackie McNamara and John Blackley and appreciate Eddie was so far ahead of his time.

"They speak volumes about him and then there were guys like Joe Harper, who played for Hibs, Aberdeen, Everton and Scotland, and others who were down from Aberdeen and they were just as appreciative.

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"But I also know that as highly regarded as Eddie was, and still is, at Easter Road, he was also hugely popular at Aberdeen. I didn't go there until 1991, some 20 years on from Eddie but they still talked about him.

"I remember when I was there Teddy Scott, who worked under Eddie, telling me of one training session which always stood out in his mind. "Eddie began with just three players, two defenders and a forward before bringing in a right back, then a left back and so on until there was a full-scale game going on. Teddy said it was the most fantastic thing he'd ever seen on a training ground.

"Eddie left a lasting impression up there as you saw on Monday with so many of their former players along with chairman Stewart Milne and Willie Miller at the funeral.

"I thought the number of people who came to pay their respects was phenomenal, particularly when you consider that with Eddie having been 88 so many of those he had played with - like his Famous Five team-mates Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone and Willie Ormond - and others in his life, had passed away before him.

"I think the fact so many people from across Scottish football and many other walks of life were there and still talking about Eddie's legacy shows the high regard in which he was held.

"Hopefully we'll see a game of football tomorrow which will be a fitting tribute to his memory."