Hibs are riding high at the minute but you wouldn’t find many who would rate them higher than Neil Lennon’s crop.
After beating Hearts 2-1 at the weekend to remain unbeaten in the derby this season and move up to the third in the table at a crucial juncture, now the favourites to remain there at the end of the season.
That’s despite pundits tipping Aberdeen for that accolade just last week.
Manager David Gray is now being linked to Swansea, the credibility of which is unknown but Hibees fans have already been warning the English Championship side off.
There are definite similarities with Neil Lennon’s side that finished fourth having just been promoted back up from the Championship.
The fulcrum of the team to win promotion was the midfield which included a certain Aston Villa and Scotland star John McGinn, Dylan McGeouch and Scott Allan.
Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
McGeouch rated Scott Allan along with McGinn at Hibs
At the time, many actually thought McGeouch was just as good as, if not better than, McGinn, and the now-Carlisle United midfielder actually won the club’s player of the year awards.
Their careers turned out very differently with the 32-year-old now playing in League Two via spells at Sunderland, Aberdeen and Forest Green Rovers.
McGinn is starring in the Champions League and a hero of the Tartan Army due to his exploits with Scotland.
In Allan’s case, he is in Scotland’s League One with Arbroath.
Asked on Open Goal if he always thought McGinn was the best player in the side, McGeouch hesitated and said: “He was most effective I would say. Obviously Scott was good quality.
“But when you think who could go to those levels, McGinn physically could go up against those top guys. Physicality is a lot to do with it.
“I think if you asked teams we played against ‘who do you not want to play against?’ They would’ve said McGinn.
“I would keep the ball, Scotty has got a pass or two in him, but John was physically able to roll you and all that kind of stuff.
“It’s just taking opportunities at certain times as well. I go to Sunderland and we don’t do that well, I don’t do that well. And I go down the levels.
“He goes to Villa and they’ve done really well, he’s done really well and just jumped a level.
“They were close to getting relegated one year. I think he admitted himself he thought his days were numbered but then Emery came in and he’s shot up again.”
No fears for McGinn at Aston Villa
With their raised status of being a Champions League club, Aston Villa are making bigger and bigger signings. In January they spent £20million on Donyell Malen as well as bringing in Andres Garcia, Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Axel Disasi.
Host Simon Ferry expressed fears for McGinn with all the turnover going on but McGeouch insists he will be fine.
He said: “I think they love the way he is about the place, you can tell with the way they talk about him. He’s obviously a top player but just how grounded he is.
“He’d be good to have about. With all these people coming in the culture can change quickly. I think he just keeps it to the core.”