Bringing the Title to the Capital - Hibernian.

Hello lads. After watching the Edinburgh derby this afternoon, it inspired me to start a new save on Football Manager. Also after reading a few cracking stories over the weekend on here, I've decided to make one as well.



So, It's not going to be an easy task (not for me anyways!). However theirs never been a better opportunity with only half the Old Firm in the league, so that gives me a good three years before I have to worry about Rangers. I've been given a decent transfer kitty and wages, which I will be used to strengthen weak areas of the squad. Which at quick glance appears to be left midfield and also could do with a goalkeeper.



I will have two tactics that I will be using throughout the season, which I am currently testing out through pre-season to see which one will be used the most. However I may swap between the two on a regular basis anyways.

As I said, the squad is already quite strong and the only position which was lacking quality was left-midfield. However I've been able to fill that position with 23 year old, Graham Carey. Proven that he can cut it in the SPL with St Mirren, he becomes easily my best (left) midfielder. The second signing was Yoann Folley who once again strengthens the midfield but also offers the possibility of playing a defensive midfielder if I want to change my system to that.



It may only be two played, however I am very happy with the squad I've got. There was no need for anymore signings as the squad is strong pretty much all positions. No point spending money we don't need to.



More players went out the club, than came in. However this was mostly all loans, with the reserves and young players getting the chance of first team football. Hopefully when they come back, they will be better players.



That should be it for the transfers, however knowing me I wouldn't be suprised If I do any last ditch signings before the window shuts.

Not an amazing pre-season by any means, however I wouldn't exactly say poor either. Some not bad results there. Holding European giants Shakhtar to a goalless draw being the pick of the bunch. A comfortable result over Stalybridge as expected. We was unlucky not to beat Sheffield United, we had more possession and more clear cut chances and our performance against Moscow was pleasing, despite losing 2-0.

Two games against two teams in the Champions League every year and we put up decent performances, so I'm looking forward to the season, could be promising.

The first game of the season, at home against Hearts. Doesn't really get any better than that to start off your season? The pressure is on, because that first game could either kick start a fantastic season or start it off in the worse way possible.

At the end of August, I would be looking for at least 10 points out of the possible 12. However is that me asking to much and getting a head of myself?

A mediocre start to the season, as we collect 4 points from 9. A reasonable draw in the Edinburgh derby was not a bad way to start of, especially with the performance as we had a few chances to win the game. However the defeat to St Mirren was bitterly disappointing as we had more than one opportunity to win the game. However we bounced back well to defeat St Johnstone at home and also placed ourselves into the next round of the Scottish League Cup after a comfortable victory against second division side Brechin City.



As you can see, we're currently 7th in the league table, however with a game in hand we can quickly jump up a few positions. The game in hand is against Dundee United, which was re-arranged for a later date due to there European ties.

First game for us next month, Celtic away.

not a bad start to this buddy, very decent save already, another 'different' save

Good stuff to see a Hibs career on here and even better that you've been inspired by us beating those little scumbags last night!

Thanks mate!

Indeed it was, hopefully can have success with this

What an absolute cracking month! From start to end, we was absolute fantastic and fully deserved the win at Celtic Park. Of course they had chances, however they always will at there ground, but when we got ours we took them. Followed up by two comfortable wins against Kilmarnock and Dundee United, before smashing Inverness Caley Thistle in a 8 goal thriller. Fully deserving of winning the Manager of the Month award and to end the month nicely, we get revenge on St Mirren by knocking them out the cup to send us through to the quarter-finals.



Absolute buzzing about the month we've just had, and no wonder. Some amazing results and it really looks like the team is coming together. Obviously it's still very early, but if we can keep these sort of results up then anything might be possible.



Currently 3rd, however we do have a game in hand and if we win that, we will go back level in points with Celtic and over-achieving St Mirren. Celtics goal difference is far superior, so we will need to hope they drop some points soon for any chance of over-taking them, as there only defeat of the season has came to us.

Also in the Scottish League Cup Quarter-Finals, we drew Aberdeen away. Who funnily enough is our first game of October, in the League.

Cracker of a month pal! Keep it up

Top month there buddy!

Another good month with the exception of the defeat to Ross County. Hammering Aberdeen at Pittodrie in the league before going back again a week or so later, to dump them out the League Cup to advance to the semi-finals.



Where we was awarded with this, Edinburgh Derby at Hampden. Time for revenge, I am sure every Hibs fan out there will never forget that horrible defeat in last years Scottish Cup final, however this is the time to return the favor and leave Hearts squandered at Hampden. It may not be a final, but Semi-Finals is close enough, it's at Hampden and it would make reaching the final ever more sweeter, by beating Hearts on the way.



Once again we're sitting in 3rd, with yet another game in hand. Winning the game would put us top of the league by two points. The first game of November is at home against St Mirren, winning that game would open a gap between us and hopefully meaning St Mirren would start to slip away.

Our worst month this season, with three defeats in a row. However the result which was particular poor was the defeat to Dundee. We should never be losing to a scoreline of that caliber, even though we was down to ten men - there is no excuses for that kind of performance. The aberdeen game we was unlucky, we had chances however failed to take them and in the end up Aberdeen made us pay.

However we did have two good wins, first of them being against St Mirren, which in hindsight turned out to be more important than I previously stated since we went on to lose our next three games. However we ended the month on some sort of high by demolishing St Johnstone in a well deserved victory, started to look like ourselves again.



We're now sitting in 2nd on the same points as St Mirren, however we do have that game in hand still to play. A game which we need to win if we want to keep up on Celtic who is starting to break away from us after our poor run of form through out the month.

We was also drawn with Stranraer at home in the Scottish Cup 4th round, which is the first game of the month in December. However we end the year with a home game against Celtic which could prove vital to our title challenge this season.

Shame about November but your still around the top so European football really could be on this season!

Good start to the season mate Hammer the scum in the semis!!!

Aye hopefully, if we can keep up the momentum from winning games we should be there or there abouts.

Cheers mate! I will do that for you! (Hopefully!)

What started off to be a great month, quickly ended on a sour note with yet another defeat to Ross County, followed up by a title clash loss to Celtic at home. Most frustrating result was losing to Ross County, with a 93rd minute penalty, really hard to take. Dropping points against the Highlanders (Inverness & Ross County) allowed Celtic to push eight points clear heading into the game at the end of the year, making it a must win to keep close with them. However it wasn't to be as we lost a close game to a Gary Hooper screamer.



However, if you offered me the chance to be 2nd in the league with three points ahead of the teams behind us in January, I would of bitten your hand off. It has been a very good half to the season, where we was only expected mid-table by the board, we're exceeding all expectations.

Celtic would need to have a disaster and collapse, for us to have any chance in catching up with them. However my attention is starting to focus on sealing 2nd place, which would mean Champions League football next season.

In other news Hearts sacked John McGlynn as they currently lay 10th in the SPL, lingering around relegation and what a better way to start the new year with an Edinburgh derby, to really rub the salt in there wounds.

What a way to kick off 2013! A win away to your fiercest rivals. In a dramatic derby, which had five goals, red card and plenty to moan about. This derby was indeed a classic, which I'm delighted to say was a victorious one.

Callum Paterson gave Hearts the lead after 7 minutes, however we responded brilliantly and equalised just two minutes later through Eoin Doyle. The second half then got off too a hectic start, as only two minutes into the second half, we was rewarded a penalty which substitute Paul Cairney stepped up and dispatched amazingly into the top corner to give us the lead.

However just like us in the first half, Hearts responded quick and was soon level when Andrew Driver scored a tap in from a fumble by the our keeper to square the game up again, only a minute after we took the lead. Although we wasn't to be denied as we went on to score just two minutes after that, where Paul Cairney headed home a corner, to get his second and our third of the game. The last of the goals but the end of the drama, as Hearts Danny Grainger got sent off in injury-time for a second bookable offense.

This win now puts us 6 points clear of 3rd place St Mirren and reduces the 11 point gap to just 9 points, behind current champions Celtic.

Doing fantastic with this mate.

Agree with tmase! your doing fantastic so far in your first season matey

Cheers man, it has been a cracking season so far!

Cheers mate! Hopefully we can keep it up!

After starting the new year off with the best way possible, we wasn't able to carry on with the momentum as we fell to a disappointing defeat against Dundee at home. Although we was very unlucky to lose the game, the goal for Dundee being an own goal. I was still irate that we lose the game, Dundee at home SHOULD be an easy three points. However this is our second defeat to Dundee this season, bogey team perhaps?

A draw with Aberdeen away from home wasn't a bad result really, considering they have been playing really well recently and started to climb the table, however failing to hold out for the win was disappointing and again it felt like another two points dropped. The month ended with an expected victory over Elgin City to send us into the Quarter-Finals of the Scottish Cup, however we left it very late and needed a last minute winner, to send us through after being behind at half time!



No surprise then to see Celtic have extended the gap to 14 points now, surely out of sight of us. We're currently 2 points in front of Aberdeen however we do have a game in hand, which if we win will then put us 5 points clear.

Our form seems to be very inconsistent at the moment, as we aren't able to get to get a good run of wins together like we had earlier in the season. We're still doing enough to keep us in the 2nd position, however falling further and further behind Celtic.

With the game against Hearts in the Scottish League Cup Semi-Final at Hampden up next, I hope that this will be the kick start of another fantastic run of games.

(League Cup Semi-Final)

Time for revenge, time to break "Hearts"....didn't happen. In fact it was our hearts which was once again left broken at Hampden as "De Ja Vu" struck as Hearts ran out comfortable winners in the end up. A game which started brightly was quickly ruined by a ruthless tackle, which earned Shefki Kuqi a straight red card. This meant we played the game with ten men for well over an hour, it was always going to be difficult.

The first goal came through John Sutton to simply tapped home into an open net, after a scramble from a Hearts corner had left my goalkeeper on the floor. They quickly doubled there lead when Andrew Driver managed to header in from close distance, before John Sutton wrapped it up with a cool finish with minutes remaining.

David Wotherspoon got a consolation goal for us deep into injury-time but it meant absolute nothing and after the red-card we didn't deserve anything from the game. The statistics was close, however from real good chances (highlights!) you would have to say Hearts deserved it. However I've no doubt in my mind, the red card cost us the game and Kuqi has been handed a two week fine for his dismissal.

Extremely dissapointed as you can imagine, never nice losing to your rivals and especially not in these circumstances. This was my chance to get revenge, but all whats happened is Hearts have more to gloat now than ever. We did beat them earlier in the season at Tynecastle, but if I HAD to choose (obviously would want to win both), I would of wanted to win this one. However it's done now, I need to try and get the morale up as no doubt it will be down and try and turn this misfortune around and concentrate on the league and make sure we don't throw away 2nd place.

We've also got the Quarter-Finals of the Scottish Cup still to come as well, where we drew St Johnstone away from home. So a trophy is still on the cards for this season, however this hurt and any Hibs fans out there reading this. I Apoligise!