Conrad Logan: No hard feelings over Hibs exit

Conrad Logan may have been dumped by Hibernian boss Neil Lennon but he would love to see the current Easter Road squad match his Hampden heroics.

Former Hibernian goalkeeper Conrad Logan looks ahead to the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final tie between Hibernian and Aberdeen. Picture: SNS

Keep up to date with all our sport news on The Scotsman’s Sport page on Facebook

The keeper was signed by former manager Alan Stubbs as emergency cover last season but ended up helping the Leith outfit break their 114-year Scottish Cup hoodoo.

Despite having not played a senior game in 16 months after leaving Leicester, the Irishman earned himself cult hero status on Easter Road by saving two penalties as they overcame Dundee United in a semi-final shoot-out before helping Hibs gun down Rangers in the final.

Yet that was not enough to earn him a new deal and he was released when Lennon took over from Rotherham-bound Stubbs.

However, the 30-year-old - now chasing promotion to the English Championship with Rochdale - stressed he harbours no bitterness after being snubbed and insists he will always be grateful to Hibs for helping him relaunch his career.

He said: “It was hard to leave Hibs but it was always going to be a short-term thing. When I first came up it could have been for me just to sit on the bench for one game.

“But it turned out different and I ended up playing eight games and winning the cup.

“I’d just come up hoping to train and get back into things. If I could have played a game then brilliant. It obviously then went a lot further than that.

“I had a great time here but it is what it is. Alan left the club and I moved on. That’s football.

“I didn’t speak to Neil at all. When Alan left, that was pretty much it. Alan had said he wanted me to stay so if he hadn’t left that option might have been there.

“But there’s absolutely no bitterness. I enjoyed every minute. It’s a club that will be in my heart forever.

“I’ll be forever grateful to Stubbsy for taking me in. Even if I’d spent the eight weeks up here acting as keeper cover, that would’ve been great.

“I thanked him for the opportunity and it was just great I was able to repay him and the club with the cup win.

“I’d have loved to have continued up here had the opportunity arose but I suppose you can say I went out at the top.”

Logan’s place in goal has been shared this term by Ofir Marciano and Ross Laidlaw.

And he reckons whoever gets the nod for next week’s semi-final showdown with Aberdeen could become a fans favourite like he did.

“Winning the Scottish Cup was something the fans always craved,” said Logan, who has even had a Hibs supporters club named in his honour. “You can see by the relief and the joy last year it was obviously a massive thing.

“But I’m sure it will be just as big if they can do it again - then they will be on for the hat-trick.”

“Last year’s team will be forever thought of at Hibs. A lot of the boys are still there and if they could go on to do it again then it would be unbelievable.

“And the new boys there will find that they could become legends again.

“I’m delighted that the club has reached another semi-final and hopefully they can go to reach the final.

“I have some great memories of last year. The whole story of me coming up to sign for Hibs was great on a personal level.

“But really it was all about the fans. They had waited all that time to win the trophy.

“Some folk thought it would never happen in their lifetime so for it to happen while I was here was surreal.

“But there’s no reason why they couldn’t do it two years running now. They are in the same position as last year. The Old Firm play each other in the other semi so if you can get through, it just comes down to what happens on the day.”