Lee Johnson feared flak at Hibs awards night but was left buoyed by reaction of 'proper supporters'

The last thing Hibs boss Lee Johnson could be bothered with after his men crumpled to defeat against Motherwell on Saturday was a night out with the fans who had been let down by that performance.

Lee Johnson during a Hibs press conference ahead of the weekend trip to Dundee United. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

But the Sunnyside Hibs Supporters Clubs’ Player of the Year night proved just the tonic, lifting spirits and reinvigorating the frustrated Easter Road boss ahead of the league run-in.

“I’m up here on my own, effectively,” said Johnson. “My family are back down in Bristol. And what that means is you’re all in, from 7 in the morning until 11 at night. Whether you’re looking at data, the opposition, watching training back, trying to find ways to improve players, looking at opposition. So it can become super intense and when a crescendo builds up to a game and then the game is a damp squib in terms of our performance it is disappointing, it bloomin’ hurts. You want to do well, you want the club to do well, it’s not about me, it’s about giving all I have got to add value to the football club. But when that falls short for whatever reason you take responsibility, as all managers do.”

All defeats hurt but some sting more than others. On Saturday, Hibs lost more than three points, they passed up the opportunity to close the gap on third place Hearts and actually dropped down the standings as St Mirren leapfrogged them, leaving them dangerously close to slipping out the top six with just three games until the split, starting with this Sunday’s trip to Tannadice. “It’s difficult, and it’s tough for the players because they don’t want to go out and perform poorly, particularly at home. And it’s difficult for the fans. There’s a real fickle nature to football, which is understandable, but as manager, I have got to be the calm in the storm sometimes.”

But, he admits that it can take a day for the mood to settle. Which is why the proposed Sunday supporters’ night out was not one he viewed with great enthusiasm.. “We had the Sunnyside fans’ Player of the Year awards on Sunday and you’re thinking: ‘I could do without this’. But you get there and you realise they’re the proper supporters, they’re fully behind the lads and you, and it turned from something I went into thinking: ‘This’ll be tough’, to something I really encouraged and I came out buoyed by the fact that when the dust is settled, the supporters love the lads, love the staff, love what we’re trying to do. They can see it.

“That does energise you because who motivates the motivator? Obviously you have drive as a manager but sometimes you can’t see the wood from the trees. That’s when you’re left scratching your head. At the same time I really believe in what we’re doing, the project, and that’s why it’s such a great club, and why I never lose an ounce of enthusiasm. Every day I get up and come to training, it is not a slog for me. This is a front-foot, full-on drive to take the club forward but the frustrating thing is taking two steps forward and one step back, just when you think you’ve cracked it. It slaps you in the face!”