Tom Soares says a united front is vital for Hibs to beat relegation

Hibs this week were subject of reports of dressing room discord and had to deny allegations that striker Leigh Griffiths had headbutted manager Pat Fenlon and punched assistant boss Billy Brown in a training ground bust-up.

Soares was unable to shed any light on the reported incident, but believes a siege mentality can boost the survival prospects of the capital club, who go into today’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Dundee United four points clear of bottom club Dunfermline.

Soares said: “Every day at work things happen, but it just gets blown out of proportion. I think there was a bit of a misunderstanding and that’s it. Everything’s fine. It’s good. It brings the boys together and we’re quite tight anyway. Things like this bring us even closer. It’s disappointing we are in the situation we are. Lately we’ve been doing really well and hopefully we keep doing that.

“Hopefully we can win a few more points and get out of this position. We’re still in the thick of it and every point we can get between now and the end of the season will be brilliant. I’m positive. We just need to play well, stick together as a team and work really hard.”

Soares believes Griffiths, who is on loan from Wolves, can play a crucial role in the remaining eight games of the SPL campaign. The on-loan Stoke midfielder said: “He’s an important player for us. We need to stick together. Hopefully he will play, get us a few goals and get us the three points we need.”

Hibs have three games left before the SPL split and five games against the other sides in the bottom half of the table, plus a William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen on 14 April. Soares believes each game is of equal importance.

“We’d love to stay up and win the cup,” he said. “That would be brilliant for the club but we’ve got to take every game as it comes.

“Every game between now and the end of the season is going to be massive for us. We’ve just got to go into it and have belief that we can win and go out there and do what we need to do.”

Soares echoed Fenlon’s comments when he insisted Hibs must concentrate on themselves, rather than be concerned what Dunfermline can do under their new manager Jim Jefferies.

Soares added: “I think it [Jefferies’ appointment] will give them a boost, but we can’t keep worrying about them. We need to worry about what we need to do and stay focused on what we’re doing. If we keep doing that and keep doing what we need to do on the pitch, hopefully we won’t have to worry about them.”

Dundee United boss Peter Houston, meanwhile, has urged his players to forget Hibernian’s relegation problems and focus on their own bid for the top six.

United are all but assured a place in the top half of the league when it splits next month but still need a point to shake off Kilmarnock. With Hibs involved in a scrap against the drop with Dunfermline – who appointed Jim Jefferies as their new manager this week – both teams have plenty for which to play.

Houston’s United have been in sparkling form since the turn of the year and he wants them to keep it going in the capital.

He said: “We need to focus on our own issues and get the point we need to make sure of the top six. Kilmarnock could still catch us, technically, so we need to keep going. Once we’re in there we will start looking at other things. It’s all to play for.

“St Johnstone are there as well and they’re a really good, solid side. While Hearts are also on a great run of form at the moment. So it’s set up for an exciting end to the season. There are a few of us going for fourth place.

“Hibs are dangerous opponents. I have watched them recently and they are fighting for everything. And with Jim Jefferies going in at Dunfermline they will be expecting them to pick up so I’m sure Hibs will know they’ve got to keep at it. The changes they have made have made an impact, with the likes of James McPake adding experience to their defence.

“They have made some very good signings and are seeing the benefit of them.”