2009–10 Hibernian F.C. season

Hibernian
2009–10 season
Chairman Rod Petrie
Manager John Hughes
Scottish Premier League 4th
Scottish Cup QF
Scottish League Cup R3
Top goalscorer League: Anthony Stokes, 21
All: Anthony Stokes, 23
Highest home attendance 16,949 v Hearts
Lowest home attendance 9,185 v Dundee United
Average home league attendance 12,164 (down 520)
← 2008–09 2010–11 →

Season 2009–10 for Hibernian was their eleventh consecutive season of play in the Scottish Premier League. The SPL season began on 15 August 2009, with a 2–1 win against St Mirren at home. After a very strong start to the season in which they challenged for the league leadership, Hibs then had a slump in form in the later part of the season. The team eventually secured a Europa League place via finishing fourth in the SPL by winning 2–0 on the final day at Tannadice. Hibs were eliminated from the Scottish Cup in a quarter final replay by Ross County and were knocked out of the Scottish League Cup in the third round by St Johnstone.

Pre-season

Hibs initially confirmed seven friendly matches for pre-season, with two of those matches being billed as a "Hibernian XI".[1][2] Hibs played their first match on 15 July, winning 7–0 against Selkirk.[3] Hibs split their resources on 18 July, with a young side losing 4–2 at Berwick,[4] while a more experienced side won 4–0 at Dunfermline.[5] John Hughes only retained five players in the team that started against Dunfermline for the first team's next match, against Raith Rovers. Hibs were losing 1–0 when an electrical storm caused the floodlights to fail, prompting the referee David Somers to abandon the match after 46 minutes.[6]

Hibs then underwent a short Irish tour, winning 2–0 against IFA Premiership champions Glentoran. Two days later they lost 1–0 against a Shamrock Rovers side managed by former Hibs player Michael O'Neill. Hibs also lost their only pre-season game at Easter Road, 3–1 against Preston North End on 1 August. The game was a rematch of sorts for a match played in 1887 dubbed the Championship of the World by the Football Association and the Scottish Football Association, as both clubs had won their respective national cup competitions that year.[7]

Hibs' final two matches of pre-season saw them play out goalless draws against Blackburn Rovers on 5 August and against Bolton Wanderers, in a testimonial match for Jussi Jääskeläinen, on 8 August.[8][9]

Fixtures

Scottish Premier League

Hibs began the 2009–10 league season with a 2–1 win against St Mirren, who had Steven Thomson sent off early in the match.[14] Although Hibs conceded the first goal due to a series of defensive errors, David Wotherspoon scored a quick equaliser on his senior debut and Abdessalam Benjelloun scored a late winner.[14] Inconsistent form in the early part of the season saw Hibs win their first two games, lose the next two, but then win the following two league matches.[15] These results put Hibs tied with Rangers on points for second place in the league, but manager John Hughes commented that it would be a position that Hibs would be unlikely to hold for the rest of the season.[15] Hughes put this inconsistency down to the team's failure to work hard enough in the games they had lost.[15]

Four points from the two following home games against Dundee United and Kilmarnock left Hibs clear in third place, just behind the Old Firm, after 8 games. Poor performances by the Old Firm, particularly in European competition, led some writers to comment that there was an opportunity for Hibs to challenge the Old Firm in a way not seen since the New Firm's success in the 1980s.[16] John Hughes again tried to play down these expectations, stating that Hibs were "miles away" from challenging the Old Firm.[17] Hibs continued their good start to the season with a 1–1 draw at Ibrox, and a 2–0 win against Aberdeen; former Hibs player and manager John Collins then praised the job that Hughes had done.[18]

Continued good form, including late winning goals against Celtic and St Mirren in late January, led to Hughes challenging his players to maintain that form and secure Europa League qualification by finishing third in the SPL.[19] Hughes targeted third even though Hibs would move above second-placed Celtic by winning a game in hand, arguing that the Old Firm were still "miles and miles in front of us".[19] Hibs suffered heavy defeats by Rangers and St Johnstone soon afterwards, however, with Hughes admitting that he had picked the wrong team for the latter game.[20] A defeat at Motherwell and draw with St Johnstone extended a winless run to five games, with Hibs showing "defensive frailties".[21] A narrow win against Kilmarnock was followed by an Edinburgh derby defeat, which led Graham Stack to comment that Hibs had perhaps been "found out".[22]

Further poor results, including a 4–1 defeat at Hamilton, led Hughes to concede that the team were "too expansive".[23] Hibs had conceded 28 goals in a run of 13 matches that had produced only two wins.[23] Defeats by Celtic, Rangers and Hearts meant that Hibs lost six straight matches, their worst sequence of results in 13 years.[24] Despite this poor run, a win on the final day against Dundee United meant that Hibs finished in fourth place and qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.[25]

Fixtures

Final table

Pos
 Team
 Pld
 W
 D
 L
 GF
 GA
 GD
 Pts
Qualification or relegation
1 Rangers (C) 38 26 9 3 82 28+54 87 Group stage
2 Celtic 38 25 6 7 75 39+36 81 Third qualifying round
3 Dundee United 38 17 12 9 55 47+8 63 2010–11 UEFA Europa League Play-off round
4 Hibernian (Q) 38 15 9 14 58 55+3 54 2010–11 UEFA Europa League Third qualifying round
5 Motherwell 38 13 14 11 52 54−2 53 2010–11 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round
6 Heart of Midlothian 38 13 9 16 35 46−11 48
7 Hamilton Academical 38 13 10 15 39 46−7 49
8 St Johnstone 38 12 11 15 57 61−4 47
9 Aberdeen 38 10 11 17 36 52−16 41
10 St Mirren 38 7 13 18 36 49−13 34
11 Kilmarnock 38 8 9 21 29 51−22 33
12 Falkirk (R) 38 6 13 19 31 57−26 31 Relegation to Template:Fb competition 2010–11 Scottish First Division

Updated to games played on 9 May 2010.
Source: BBC Sport
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Scottish Cup

Hibs entered the Scottish Cup in the fourth round, and were drawn to play junior club Irvine Meadow at home.[26] Irvine's secretary Iain McQueen described the tie as the "biggest game in our history".[27] Hibs were heavy favourites to progress, and did so after surviving a few scares.[28] Hibs again received a favourable draw for the fifth round, being drawn at home to either neighbours Edinburgh City or Montrose;[29] Montrose won the tie 3–1 against Edinburgh City to set up a "lucrative visit to Easter Road".[30] At the date of the tie, there were 39 league places between the two clubs, with Hibs third in the SPL and Montrose bottom of the Third Division.[31] Hibs progressed to the quarter-finals after a "resounding" 5–1 win.[32]

Hibs were given a third consecutive home draw in the quarter-final, paired with First Division club Ross County.[33] The tie was the first meeting of the two clubs and Ross County's first appearance in a Scottish Cup quarter-final.[34] Hibs were "fortunate" to remain in the cup, as Ross County forced a 2–2 draw and had chances to win the tie.[35] The result meant that there would be a replay at Victoria Park, Dingwall on 23 March.[35] Hibs went into the replay in poor form; manager John Hughes challenged his players to handle the pressure of the situation.[36] They were unable to do this, however, as Ross County won the replay 2–1.[37] Hughes admitted that the team's performance over the previous month, which had also seen poor results in the SPL, had not been acceptable.[37]

Fixtures

Scottish League Cup

Having failed to qualify for European competition in the previous season, Hibernian entered the Scottish League Cup at the second round, and were drawn to play Brechin City, who were managed by former Hibs manager Jim Duffy.[38] Hibs won the second round tie 3–0 on 26 August.[39] In the third round, Hibs were again drawn to play at home, against SPL newcomers St Johnstone.[40] Hibs beat St Johnstone 3–1 after extra time in the semi-final en route to their previous competition win in 2007. Despite winning a league match against the same opponents on the previous Saturday, Hibs lost 3–1 to exit the competition.

Fixtures

Transfers

Graeme Smith signed on a free transfer at the start of January 2010.

Hibs' first significant move in the close season was to part company with manager Mixu Paatelainen, becoming the third SPL club to change manager in the space of a week.[41] Falkirk manager John Hughes was immediately linked with the vacancy,[41] and he was appointed Hibs manager 10 days later.[42]

Paatelainen had already begun making changes to the squad for the new season before he left, by releasing Fabián Yantorno, Damon Gray and Andrew McNeil.[43][44] Grzegorz Szamotulski's departure under free agency meant that Hughes needed to sign a new goalkeeper,[44] which he addressed by signing Graham Stack. Paatelainen had also done much of the work leading to the signing of Danny Galbraith, which Hughes completed after he was appointed.[45]

There were two significant departures early in the summer, with Scotland international Steven Fletcher moving to newly promoted Premier League club Burnley, and club captain Rob Jones signing for Scunthorpe United.[46] Both buying clubs broke their transfer fee record to secure their services.[47][48]

Hughes went back to his former club to sign midfielders Patrick Cregg and Kevin McBride, with Cregg being his first signing as Hibs manager.[49][50] Towards the end of the window, he signed Anthony Stokes from Sunderland, with the move going against a trend of SPL players moving to English clubs.[46] Like Cregg and McBride, Stokes had previously played under Hughes' management at Falkirk.

On the first day of the January 2010 transfer window, Hibs signed goalkeeper Graeme Smith on a free transfer.[51] The club also loaned out youngsters Lee Currie and Sean Welsh to Stenhousemuir for a month.[52] Towards the end of the window, Hibs signed another goalkeeper, Mark Brown, who had been released by Celtic.[53] Hibs had tried to sign Brown in the previous window, but Celtic had been demanding a transfer fee at that time.[54] John Hughes stated that it "looks as if" the deal to sign Brown would complete Hibs' transfer activity for the season, with the club now having a "goalkeeping school" in place.[55] Nonetheless, late on transfer deadline day, Hibs brought in Alan Gow on loan from Plymouth.[56] Gow had previously played for Hughes at Falkirk,[56] forming a forward partnership with Anthony Stokes.

Loans in

Player From
Scotland Alan Gow Plymouth Argyle[56]

Loans out

Player To
Scotland Ewan Moyes Livingston[67]
Scotland Lee Currie Stenhousemuir[52]
Scotland Sean Welsh Stenhousemuir[52]
Scotland Ewan Moyes Arbroath[68]
Scotland Callum Booth Arbroath[69]
Republic of Ireland Kurtis Byrne Stirling Albion[70]
England Thomas Flynn Alloa Athletic[71]

Player stats

As of 14:35, 9 May 2010 (UTC)

During the 2009–10 season, Hibs used 25 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.[72] Forwards Anthony Stokes and Derek Riordan made the most appearances, only missing one game each. Stokes played in every game after he was signed, as the opening league match was played before that date.

No. Pos Nat Player TotalSPL Scottish Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK Democratic Republic of the Congo Yves Makabu-Makalambay 7 0 7 0 0 0 0 0
GK Scotland Graeme Smith 15 0 12 0 3 0 0 0
GK Republic of Ireland Graham Stack 23 0 20 0 1 0 2 0
DF Ivory Coast Souleymane Bamba 32 2 30 2 1 0 1 0
DF Scotland Paul Hanlon 23 2 18 0 3 1 2 1
DF England Chris Hogg 37 0 33 0 3 0 1 0
DF Scotland Kevin McCann 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland Darren McCormack 10 0 9 0 0 0 1 0
DF Scotland Ian Murray 40 0 34 0 4 0 2 0
DF Scotland Lewis Stevenson 13 0 10 0 2 0 1 0
DF France Steven Thicot 11 0 10 0 1 0 0 0
DF Republic of Ireland David van Zanten 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
DF Scotland David Wotherspoon 39 1 33 1 4 0 2 0
MF Republic of Ireland Patrick Cregg 17 1 15 1 1 0 1 0
MF Scotland Danny Galbraith 17 1 14 1 2 0 1 0
MF Scotland Kevin McBride 31 0 26 0 3 0 2 0
MF Republic of Ireland Liam Miller 38 2 33 2 4 0 1 0
MF Scotland John Rankin 38 0 33 0 3 0 2 0
MF Morocco Merouane Zemmama 24 3 21 2 2 1 1 0
FW Morocco Abdessalam Benjelloun 33 4 28 3 4 1 1 0
FW Republic of Ireland Kurtis Byrne 5 0 4 0 0 0 1 0
FW Scotland Alan Gow 8 1 7 0 1 1 0 0
FW Scotland Colin Nish 37 12 32 9 4 3 1 0
FW Scotland Derek Riordan 43 17 37 13 4 3 2 1
FW Republic of Ireland Anthony Stokes 43 23 37 21 4 1 2 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ Preston North End to visit Easter Road, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  2. ↑ Hibernian Confirm Summer Irish Tour, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  3. ↑ Anderson, Keith (16 July 2009). "New boys do Hibs boss proud in goalfest". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Berwick Rangers 4, Hibernian XI 2, Journal Live, 20 July 2009.
  5. ↑ Hardie, David (20 July 2009). "Dunfermline 0–4 Hibs: Old guard still burning bright". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  6. ↑ Collin, Iain (22 July 2009). "Raith Rovers 1–0 Hibernian: Electrical storm stops play at Stark's". The Scotsman. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  7. ↑ World Championship Re-Match, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  8. ↑ Jaaskelainen lines up testimonial, BBC Sport, 6 May 2009.
  9. ↑ Reports: Bolton 0 Hibernian 0, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  10. ↑ Reports: Shamrock R 1 Hibernian 0, Hibernian F.C. official website, 27 July 2009.
  11. ↑ Reports: Preston Athletic 1 Hibernian XI 2, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  12. ↑ Reports: Hibernian 1 Preston N.E. 3, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  13. ↑ For Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jääskeläinen.
  14. 1 2 "Capital gains for happy Hughes". Sunday Herald. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  15. 1 2 3 "Motherwell 1–3 Hibs: First goal for Hughes is hard work". Edinburgh Evening News. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  16. ↑ "Hibs must seize the initiative against weak Old Firm". STV. 21 October 2009. Archived from the original on 29 October 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  17. ↑ "Hibs have long way to go - Hughes". BBC Sport. 22 October 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  18. ↑ "Collins heartened by Hibs' form". BBC Sport. 2 November 2009. Archived from the original on 5 November 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2009.
  19. 1 2 McLaughlin, Brian; Murray, Keir (5 February 2010). "Hibernian manager Hughes hands challenge to his players". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  20. ↑ "Hibs manager John Hughes admits to wrong team selection". BBC Sport. 17 February 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  21. ↑ Winton, Richard (1 March 2010). "Hibernian 1 St Johnstone 1: Luck proves evasive as poor run continues". The Herald. Retrieved 1 March 2010.
  22. ↑ "Stack fears Hibs peaked too soon". STV. 22 March 2010. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  23. 1 2 Grahame, Ewing (11 April 2010). "Brittle Hibs get a touch of heebie-jeebies". Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  24. ↑ "John Hughes says Hibernian players were cowardly in derby defeat". STV. 1 May 2010. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
  25. ↑ "Dundee Utd 0 - 2 Hibernian". BBC Sport. BBC. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  26. ↑ "Juniors Meadow drawn away to Hibs". BBC Sport. 30 November 2009. Archived from the original on 2 December 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  27. ↑ Grahame, Ewing (1 December 2009). "Minnows Irvine Meadow prepare to enter 'fantasyland' as Hibernian cup tie looms". Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  28. ↑ "Hibernian 3–0 Irvine Meadow". BBC Sport. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  29. ↑ "Three all-SPL cup ties possible". BBC Sport. 10 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 10 January 2010.
  30. ↑ "Edinburgh City 1–3 Montrose". BBC Sport. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  31. ↑ "Hibs tie holds no fears for defender". The Courier. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  32. ↑ "Hibernian 5–1 Montrose". BBC Sport. 5 February 2010. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  33. ↑ "Active Nation Scottish Cup Draw". Hibernian F.C. 10 February 2010. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
  34. ↑ Bannerman, Charles (12 March 2010). "Ross County manager Derek Adams hopeful of Hibs upset". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 March 2010.
  35. 1 2 Moffat, Colin (13 March 2010). "Hibernian 2–2 Ross County". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
  36. ↑ "Hughes plans shake-up of Hibs squad if players can't handle pressure". STV. 23 March 2010. Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
  37. 1 2 "Hibernian loss to Ross County unacceptable - Hughes". BBC Sport. 24 March 2010. Archived from the original on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 24 March 2010.
  38. ↑ Brechin boss Duffy welcomes cup draw against old side Hibs, STV, 4 August 2009.
  39. ↑ Hibernian 3–0 Brechin, BBC Sport, 26 August 2009.
  40. ↑ Co-Operative Cup 3rd Round, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  41. 1 2 Paatelainen parts with Hibernian, BBC Sport, 29 May 2009.
  42. ↑ Hughes appointed Hibernian boss, BBC Sport, 8 June 2009.
  43. 1 2 3 Hibs braced for more player bids, BBC Sport, 21 May 2009.
  44. 1 2 3 4 Keeper search awaits Hibs boss, Edinburgh Evening News, 4 June 2009.
  45. 1 2 3 Player Update, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  46. 1 2 John Hughes' resurgent Hibernian face early test from Celtic, The Guardian Sport Blog.
  47. 1 2 Scunthorpe sign Jones from Hibs, BBC Sport, 9 July 2009.
  48. 1 2 Burnley beat Celtic to £3m signing of Steven Fletcher, STV, 30 June 2009.
  49. 1 2 Patrick Cregg Signs, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  50. 1 2 Kevin McBride, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  51. 1 2 Hibs snap up Smith, Sky Sports, 1 January 2010.
  52. 1 2 3 Boss Talk, Stenhousemuir F.C., 30 December 2009.
  53. 1 2 "Hibs bring in Brown". Sky Sports. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  54. ↑ McLauchlin, Brian (8 July 2009). "Hibs switch goalkeeping targets". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  55. ↑ Hardie, David (1 February 2010). "Keeper deal ends Hibs' transfer bids". Edinburgh Evening News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  56. 1 2 3 "Hibernian sign Alan Gow". Hibernian F.C. 1 February 2010. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  57. ↑ Keeper Stack agrees switch to Easter Road, The Scotsman, 24 July 2009.
  58. ↑ Hibs secure signing of Sunderland striker Anthony Stokes, scotsman.com, 21 August 2009.
  59. ↑ Hibs complete signing of ex-Celtic midfielder Liam Miller, scotsman.com, 11 September 2009.
  60. ↑ Montrose hail ‘coup’ as ex-Hibs keeper signs, The Courier, 11 September 2009.
  61. ↑ "Hearts eye Hibs midfielder Rosa". Edinburgh Evening News. 16 June 2009. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  62. ↑ Hibs: Midfielder Chisholm is stunned by Hibs' decision to let him go, Edinburgh Evening News, 20 June 2009.
  63. ↑ "Steven Fletcher transfer to Wolves nets Hibs £500k". Edinburgh Evening News. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  64. ↑ Hibs: Campbell confirms Ostersunds FK switch, Edinburgh Evening News, 1 August 2009.
  65. ↑ Player Update, Hibernian F.C. official website.
  66. 1 2 Player update, Hibernian F.C. official website, 1 September 2009.
  67. ↑ "Football: Livingston seal loan deal for Hibees starlet Moyes". Edinburgh Evening News. 28 August 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2009.
  68. ↑ "Moyes joins Arbroath". Scottish Football League. 21 January 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
  69. ↑ "Hughes' surprise package". Hibernian F.C. 2 February 2010. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2010.
  70. ↑ "Latest News". Stirling Albion F.C. Archived from the original on 3 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  71. ↑ "Wasps bring in keeper". Alloa Athletic F.C. Retrieved 3 March 2010.
  72. ↑ "Hibernian 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
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