Hibs next outing is in the SPL and a tie against Gretna. The Borderers have been forced to play their ‘home’ games this season some 75 miles north of their home base due to SPL ground requirements.
This undoubted handicap has led them to struggle in their inaugral season in Scottish Football’s top flight and they are currently sitting bottom of the table some 6 points adrift of Inverness Caledonian.
Since owner Brooks Mileson took control of the club their rapid rise up the divisions has been described as a miracle while many others simply see it as an indication of how far a team can go with a ‘sugar daddy’ at the helm.
Indeed they are still the only British club to achieve three successive promotions.
The Black and Whites though do have a history and prior to their admittance to the Scottish Football League in June 2002 played their games in the English Non League circuit.
Gretna have actually won the Cumbria and district League Title on some 28 occasions and won six consecutive titles prior to their entry into the newly formed Northern League Second Division in 1982.
Showing their ambition, they spent some £100,000 bringing Raydale Park up to scratch to play at this level and the investment was duly rewarded with promotion at the first time of asking.
The club spent 9 years in the First Division of the Northern Premier and won back to back titles in 1990/91 & 1991/2.
That Championship win in 1992 ensured promotion to the Northern League where they managed to finish in a creditible 6th place in their first season.
They also hit the headlines in the early nineties by becoming the first Scottish Club since Rangers in 1887 to play in the English FA Cup First Round proper against Rochdale (1991/92) and Bolton Wanderers (1993/94). Both ended in defeat.
Prior to Scottish League entry in 2002 Gretna had applied for membership on two occasions in 1993 & 1999. In the summer of 2002 they took the place of the original Airdrieonians (The current Airdrie having taken over Clydebank following their sad demise).
Their first season saw them finish in 6th position in Scottish Football’s basement league. The following season seen them just miss out on promotion by finishing third.
However season 2004/5 was to be the beginning of Gretna’s fairytale.
They romped to the Championship winning a record 98 points scoring an amazing 130 goals in the process (Only 1 short of the British League goals scored in a season). Striker Kenny Deuchar scored a remarkable 41 of those.
The following season saw them take the Second Division by storm and won it by an enormous 18 points margin, securing 88 points and scoring 97 goals.
The 2005/6 season was also to see them reach their first major cup Final where they entertained Hearts.
Gretna were certainly hard done by as the Edinburgh Club luckily secured the Scottish Cup winning 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out after a one all draw in normal time.
Last season saw Brooks Mileson’s dream come true when he saw his side promoted to the SPL.
A dramatic last day culminated with James Grady scoring an injury time winner against Ross County which pipped nearest rivals St Johnstone to the title.
The clash this coming Saturday will be the second between the sides this season.
Hibs turned it around after falling two behind early in the second half in the previous encounter eventually running out 4-2 victors in an entertaining match.
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You must fancy your chances against Gretna?
its a win..but you would have expected a bit more than a 1-0 I’m sure…saying that I think its great that Gretna are up there with the big boys just a shame that their ground is not up to SPL standard and they have to play away….