Hibernian Football Club (informally known as "Hibs") is a Scottish football club from Edinburgh. Along with city rivals Hearts, they represent Edinburgh in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Tony Mowbray.
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| Full name | Hibernian Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Hi-bees | ||
| Founded | 1875 | ||
| Ground | Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
| Capacity | 17,462 | ||
| Chairman |  Rod Petrie | ||
| Manager | English Tony Mowbray | ||
| League | Scottish Premier League | ||
| 2004-05 | Scottish Premier League, 3rd | ||
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- There is also a Maltese football club called Hibernians FC.
History
The club was founded in 1875 by Irish born football enthusiasts, the most prominent being Canon Edward Joseph Hannan and Michael Whelahan. The team originally played at a ground near the Meadows in the south of Edinburgh's Old Town, moving to its current home, Easter Road in Leith, in the 1880s. They were the first major club in Scotland formed out of the immigrant Irish Catholic population (hence the name, from Hibernia, the Latin name for Ireland). A strict translation of the name Hibernian FC would be "Irishmen Football Club." As the first such team, their example led to the creation of Dundee Hibernian (now Dundee United) and Celtic, who when they were formed were nearly called Glasgow Hibernian. The club is seen as being less of a Catholic institution now than it was in the past, and geography rather than religion is the primary reason that association fans support the team (Hibernian being the club for East Edinburgh).
In 1887 Hibernian defeated Preston North End in a match tagged as the World championship decider, due to the two teams achievements in their respective domestic cup trophies. Hibs were the first British club to appear in European competition, although this was by invitation. Hibs introduced white sleeves to their shirts on Saturday 13th August 1938 against Hamilton Accies after a major brightening up of Easter Road had just taken place. The harp and shamrocks at the entrance had been repainted as had the stand and the wall round the pitch and the terracing barriers had all been painted white. The goalposts had even been replaced with oval ones with green nets. On that day, Harry Swan addressed the large crowd over new loudspeakers about "the brighter Easter Road" before the team appeared in their new strip.
Rather earlier, on August 13, 1887, they defeated Preston North End for the grand title of 'World Champions'. Hibernian were the first British club to participate in UEFA's European Cup, in its inaugural 1955/56. It should, however, be noted that participation was not through qualification as it is now: Hibernian finished a relatively lowly 5th in the Scottish League in the previous season season playing their first game against German side Rot Weiss Essen, Hibs won 4-0 in Essen and the return tie in Scotland ended in a 1-1 draw. That year (1955) Hibs went on to reach the semi-finals only to be defeated by a Reims side inspired by the great French footballer Raymond Kopa. The last major trophy won by the club was the 1991 League Cup, when they defeated Dunfermline in the final. Although they did reach the Scottish Cup final in 2001 losing to Celtic, it has been 104 years since they lifted the famous trophy and they also reached the League Cup final in 2004 losing to Livingston. Hibernian's most recent relegation to the First Division came at the end of the 1997-98 season. However, the team's form improved dramatically from here, and a run of 12 wins in a row helped Hibs to the First Division championship, winning a record 89 points, 23 ahead of second-placed Falkirk.
The team colours are emerald green and white. The strip is a green body, with white sleeves, with a white collar, and green cuffs. The shorts are white, and the socks are green with white tops. For the 2004/2005 season the colour of the shorts was changed to a green which matches the shirt colour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the club's 2-0 win over Real Madrid, as this was the kit originally worn for this friendly match. Hibernian fans claim that their team has a history of cultured and attractive football - the current manager, Tony Mowbray, embodies this and the current young team does their best to adhere to these principles despite the youth of the team and the pressure for results. This was rewarded with a 3rd place finish in season 2004\05, and a place in the UEFA Cup for the 2005/06 but they were beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Ukrainian club FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the first round [1].
They are known by their fans by the nickname "the Hibees" (pronounced "high-bees"), and the club's name is almost universally shortened to Hibs. Hibs supporters are known as "Hibbies" (singular: "Hibby").
Hibs are also the only team in world football to have their own homosexual supporters club. The footballing world saluted the club as they embraced a demographic that is usually absent in football. The Hibernian FC homosexual supporters club or the "Gay Gordon's" as they are known, (named after a legendary player) were formed in 1998 and still going strong today. John Leslie, Grant Stott, Dougray Scott, Irvine Welsh and the Proclaimers are rumoured to be members.
Managers
- Willie McFarland 1969 - 1970
- Dave Ewing 1970 - 1971
- Eddie Turnbull 1971 - 1980
- Willie Ormond 1980
- Bertie Auld 1980 - 1982
- Pat Stanton 1982 - 1984
- John Blackley 1984 - 1986
- Alex Miller 1986 - 1996
- Jocky Scott 1996
- Jim Duffy 1996 - 1998
- Alex McLeish 1998 - 2001
- Donald Park (twice) 2001 and 2002 (Temporary)
- Franck Sauzee 2001 - 2002
- Bobby Williamson 2002 - 2004
- Tony "monkey heid" Mowbray - 2004 - present
Current squad (season 2005-06)
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Players out on loan
| 12 | GK |  SCO
|
Alistair Brown (on loan to Raith Rovers) |
| 13 | FW |  NIR
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Sam Morrow (on loan to Livingston) |
| 21 | DF | SCO
|
Jonathan Baillie (on loan to Ayr United) |
Famous players
Famous players have included: The Famous Five - Gordon Smith, Bobby Johnstone, Lawrie Reilly, Eddie Turnbull and Willie Ormond; in the seventies Pat Stanton, Alex Cropley, Alex Edwards, John Blackley and Arthur Duncan, Eric Schaedler, in the 80's Alan Rough and Gordon Durie, and in the 90's John Collins and Jim Leighton. Turnbull also managed the team in the seventies, and at that time his team was nicknamed the "Turnbull's Tornados". In the early eighties former Manchester United legend George Best played with the club for half a season: he played 22 games and scored 3 goals.
Other more recent noted players include:
- Franck Sauzee - European Cup Winner
- Garry O'Connor - current Scotland Player
- Derek Riordan - current Scotland Player
- Gary Caldwell - current Scotland Player
- Ivan Sproule - current Northern Ireland Player
- Scott Brown - current Scotland Player
- Kevin Thomson - current Scotland Player for Under 21's
In literature
The works of author Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting) contain several references to Hibernian, presumably due to his being a native of Leith. The team is often mentioned in casual conversation and is normally the team most of his characters support. There are many references to Hibernian's firm support. Visual references to the Hibs are noticeable in the films adapted from his works. More observant persons would have spotted many images of Hibernian in Danny Boyle's film, Trainspotting. During the famous baby on the ceiling/detox scene, many posters and pictures of Hibernian can be see all around the room. However, the most prevalent screening of Hibernian would be the final short film in the trilogy The Acid House, with the same title as the movie, where Coco Bryce, as a boy from the Hibs firm is struck by lightning while under the influence of LSD in a Pilton park only to have his soul transferred to the body of an unborn child from one of the more affluent areas of Edinburgh. The final scene of the movie is that of Coco in the baby's body whilst strapped to his mother's back with a Hibs top in the firm's pub chanting "Oo to, oo to be, oo to be a Hibee..." with the rest of his mates.
Club records
- Highest home Attendance: 65,860 vs Hearts F.C., 1950
- Biggest League Win: 10-0 vs. Rangers F.C., 1950
- Next Biggest Win: 8-1 vs. Kilmarnock F.C., April 2 1983
- Most capped player: Lawrie Reilly, 38 Scotland
- Most League appearances: Arthur Duncan, 446
- Most League goals: Gordon Smith, 364
- Most goals in a season: Joe Baker, 42
Honours
- Scottish football champions: 4
- 1903, 1948, 1951, 1952,
- Scottish first division champions
1981Template:Fn, 1999Template:Fn
- Scottish Football League Division Two: 3
- 1894, 1895, 1933
- Scottish Cup: 2
- 1887, 1902
- Scottish League Cup: 2
- 1972-73, 1991-92
- "Championship of the World": 1
- 1887
- Drybrough Cup: 2
- 1972, 1973
Notes
Template:Fnb1981 and 1999 represent 2nd level championships, after the advent of the higher Scottish Premier Division/League in 1976