Hibernian

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• Aberdeen have won just one of their past nine league meetings with Hibs (D3 L5), a 4-0 victory in May 2024.

• Hibs are looking to win three successive league meetings with Aberdeen for the frst time since December 2004, and could also win two in a row away to the Dons for the first time since September 2004.

• Aberdeen have only lost one of their past eight league games (W4 D3), and are unbeaten in five (W2 D3) since defeat to Celtic in February (5-1).

• Hibs have won each of their past three league games, all by at least two goals. Hibs last won four in a row by 2+ goals in the top fight in February 2008 – a run which included a 3-1 win over Aberdeen.

• Martin Boyle has scored (four) or assisted (one) a goal in each of his past five Scottish Premiership games; the last Hibs player to do so in six in a row in the competition was Marc McNulty in March 2019.

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Defender Jack Iredale has signed a new deal to stay at Hibs until summer 2028 after proving to be a "fantastic addition to the squad".

The 28-year-old centre-back, who arrived on a two-year contract from Bolton last summer, became a regular starter in late November and has made 26 appearances this season.

His solitary goal was a memorable one - a stunning volley in the 2-1 derby win over Hearts at Easter Road last month.

"Jack has been a fantastic addition to our squad this year, he is a top professional and he's a good player," said head coach David Gray.

"He had to wait patiently for his chance this season, but he grasped it with both hands and is thoroughly deserving of his new deal."

Sporting director Malky Mackay said Iredale is a "good character and role model for the younger players coming through".

Hibernian wide man Chris Cadden, 28, has not given up hope of a Scotland recall. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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In terms of fanbase and financial strength, Hibernian are undoubtedly one of Scotland's top clubs, so perhaps some will shrug at the idea of them finishing third in the Scottish Premiership being a significant feat.

But digging through the archives highlights the scale of the achievement, should the Leith side secure their current position over the course of their final five league games.

Since finishing third in the top tier with an exciting young team under Tony Mowbray in 2004-05, Hibs have only gone on to repeat that once in the following two decades - in 2020-21 under Jack Ross.

If David Gray is able to replicate Mowbray and Ross' achievements, it will be just the third time in 20 years that Hibs will be able to class themselves as Scotland's 'best of the rest'.

And that is before you take into consideration the start of the season Gray endured, and also the fact it is just his first year as a permanent head coach.

Now on a remarkable 17-game unbeaten league run, Hibs have a three-point cushion in third spot, and former Easter Road midfielder Kevin Thomson is backing them to end the campaign there.

"I think Hibs will get there," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "It's hard to predict these post-split games because the top six are all playing each other.

"Points can be dropped or you can easily go on a good run. Everybody thinks the Hibs bubble is eventually going to burst, they're almost due a defeat.

"But I think they will do enough to finish third and it'll be up to the rest to try and chase them."

Meanwhile, fellow ex-Hibs midfielder Stephen McGinn feels Gray's decision to switch to a 3-5-2 formation has been "perfect" for a lot of the players, with many "reinventing themselves" in the set-up.

"Someone like Lewis Miller, who was really struggling as a Hibs player as a right-back," McGinn added. "He's come into his own on the right of a back three three.

"Rocky Bushiri, who was really struggling as one of two centre-backs, has been moved to the middle of the three as almost an old-fashioned sweeper.

"Jack Iredale probably hasn't got the pace to be an out-and-out left-back or one of the two centre-halves, but at left of the back three he's been absolutely perfect.

"Then you've got the strikers almost going to a split with either Junior Hoilett or Josh Campbell hitting the box."

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As a sell-out Easter Road crowd primed themselves to be entertained by high-flying Hibernian, David Gray's players got themselves prepared with their usual pre-match warm-up.

With the four stands in Leith filling up, Chris Cadden turned to twin brother Nicky during their preparations.

"We've done alright, by the way," the former Motherwell winger said. A wholesome moment between two siblings, who have done more than "alright" in a Hibs shirt.

The team currently have a three-point cushion in third spot heading into their final five matches and the Cadden brothers have played integral roles on both flanks.

And that is making a potentially special season all the more sweeter for Chris, who was reunited with twin Nicky last summer when he joined him at Hibs following his exit from Barnsley.

"Coming from Motherwell and being able to do this, it's a credit to the two of us," right winger Chris said.

"It has been a special season from a Cadden family point of view. It's great and it's something you couldn't really imagine growing up.

"And going to one of the biggest clubs in Scotland, hopefully being successful as well, it just adds to it. It's been great and I've loved playing with him.

"He's carried himself brilliantly in how he's performed this season, he has been brilliant. He's my best mate as well, I always want him to be successful so it's been great."

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It makes "complete sense" for Hibernian to trigger the one-year extension clause in Lewis Miller's contract, says head coach David Gray.

The decision means the 24-year-old's deal will now run until the end of the 2025-26 campaign.

The versatile Australia defender, who joined Hibs in the summer of 2022, has gone on to make 83 appearances for the club.

Miller has featured in 30 Scottish Premiership games this term, starting 21 of them, as Gray's side ride high in third.

"This decision makes complete sense," Gray said. "Lewis has been working really hard on his game, he's a very coachable player, and he's seen the rewards from that so far this season.

"He has shown with his performances for us, and on the international stage, that he's developing as a player."

Hibs sporting director Malky Mackay added: "Lewis is a good player, great person, and a valuable asset for the football club, which is why triggering his contract extension is important for us."

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

Hibs head to Scottish Cup semi-finalists Aberdeen on Saturday for a massive game in the race for third place.

Both teams have ambitions to finish best of the rest and while Hibs are in the driving seat, Aberdeen's recent form shows there can be no room for complacency.

Not that complacency has been easy to find in recent months at Easter Road. The trouncing of Dundee last time out could easily have been a fixture where David Gray's men took their eye off the ball, but the team were up for it from the word go.

I expect more of the same on Saturday. Hibs have had the measure of Aberdeen this season, with two wins and a draw. Rocky Bushiri's injury-time equaliser in the six-goal epic last November proved pivotal, with Hibs since going on to overhaul Aberdeen's significant lead.

Should Hibs avoid defeat, it will set a new post-war club record of 18 league matches unbeaten and that's an added incentive to the players, who should be looking at the next two fixtures against Aberdeen and Dundee United as opportunities to secure third with games to spare.

It's unlikely to be that straightforward though; all three teams in the hunt for third will fancy their chances and you'd be foolish to put your house on any of them at this point.

Fingers crossed Hibs set a record on Saturday and extend the breathing space we currently have.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers, external

Hibernian have started talks aimed at persuading Junior Hoilett, the forward who turns 35 this summer, to sign on for a second season at Easter Road. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Hibs head coach David Gray thinks on-loan Sunderland midfielder Nectar Triantis would improve his chances of playing in the World Cup with Australia if he extends his stay at Easter Road after the 21-year-old's agent said last week they would be exploring a number of options come the summer. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Hibs head coach David Gray thinks qualifying for European football next season would make his club more attractive for potential signings and allow him to reduce the number of non-committed out-of-contract players on his books to just a handful. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland

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Three of Hibernian, Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Mirren will join Celtic and Rangers in Europe next season after Brendan Rodgers' treble-chasing side reached the Scottish Cup final.

Had bottom-six sides St Johnstone or Hearts progressed through the last-four stage, they could still have claimed the European place awarded to the cup winners.

But that is no longer a possibility, which adds another layer of intrigue to the post-split fixtures in the top half of the division.

So what do we know?

Well, Celtic have secured a place in the Champions League qualifiers and will enter at the play-off round assuming they clinch the title.

Rangers will almost certainly be in that competition, too, but at the second qualifying round stage.

After that, there remains a wee bit of uncertainty.

The Scottish Cup winners earn a spot in the Europa League play-off round, so if Aberdeen upset Celtic at Hampden on 24 May, that's straightforward.

However, should the holders retain the trophy, the place would go to whoever finishes third in the league.

Currently, that's Hibs. But United and Aberdeen and St Mirren - albeit the arithmetic is hugely against them - are still in the mix.

Given whoever it is would be guaranteed - at worst - a six-game Conference League campaign, it's a lucrative prize for their season's work.

But two of the clubs who miss out on third would still be rewarded.

Fourth place would be upgraded from Conference League second qualifying round to the Europa League equivalent, with the Conference spot going to fifth place.

Read more: Premiership quartet fight for three European spots

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Hibs have cut the away ticket allocations for their final two home matches this season to allow more of their own fans to attend.

Both Dundee United and final-day visitors Rangers will be given just under 1,500 tickets at Easter Road next month.

When Rangers last played in Leith - the 3-3 draw in January - they had around 2,900 tickets for the 3,800-capacity South Stand.

Hibs fans will now be able to purchase tickets in that stand.

A club statement said: "As we look to create a raucous atmosphere for our final two home fixtures of the season, we have reduced our opponents' allocations to provide more tickets to Hibernian supporters."

Hibs have won their past seven games in the capital and are unbeaten at home since November.

David Gray's side, who last weekend equalled a 77-year club record by making it 17 top-flight games unbeaten, have a three-point lead over Aberdeen and Dundee United with five matches left in the battle to finish third.

Subbed on with 25 minutes to go, Kieron Bowie scored two fine goals from two shots on target to keep Hibernian in the driving seat for third.

He even remarked after the game that he wished he had scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Dundee.

In a debut season at Hibs seriously impacted by injury, Bowie has still managed to score five league goals from just three Scottish Premiership starts after signing from Fulham last summer.

Speaking on BBC's Sportscene, former Rangers and Aberdeen defender Richard Foster says the 22-year-old has all the attributes to keep growing in the game: "He's an old-school number nine for me; he's big, he's quick, he's mobile."

"If you look at the profile of a number nine, that is it," added Foster before suggesting a Scotland call-up could be on the horizon for the former Under-21 striker.

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Be honest, who else did a double-take when Lewis Miller was marauding up the left-wing on Sunday and set to tee up Kieron Bowie against Dundee?

The Australia international himself admitted he was in unusual territory, but thanks to his fresh, blond look, he fancied himself as a bit of a Brazilian playmaker.

David Gray's side were leading though a first-half goal from defender Rocky Bushiri when the right-back turned left-winger to set up substitute Bowie to sweep in a second on a record-equalling afternoon.

"I dyed my hair, I look like Neymar now, just thought I was a left-winger," he joked when asked what he was doing up the left wing.

"I won it at halfway, gave it to Jordan (Obita) and I kind of just saw there was so much space on the left side.

"No one was really covering for Dundee so I just occupied the space and got into a good area and then obviously Kieron takes up a great position in the box, I give him the ball and what a finish that was. I'll take that for an assist."

Veteran striker Dwight Gayle, also off the bench, curled in a third before Bowie headed in the fourth as the Easter Road side equalled a club record of 17 successive Premiership games unbeaten – set in 1948 – and took them clear in third place.

"It's just a great feeling," the 24-year-old added. "You look at the games, and we just look so solid at the back.

"We have this belief in our team that we're just never going to concede, and the camaraderie that we have at the back, the communication between Rocky, Jack (Iredale), myself, the midfielders filling in, we're such a unit, and then even on the counters as well.

"Winning's a habit I think and obviously we've kind of stuck to that mentality now, and I've said it multiple times, it's just that belief, and we just don't really seem like we're going to drop off.

"As long as we can keep this up then we're going to be very positive in the split."

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

It wasn't that long ago that Hibs had a reputation for finding ways to muck things up, so much so that the phrase 'Hibsed it' became a thing.

Sir David Gray's header in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final put that phrase to bed, but early this season it was starting to pop up again, along with the taunts of 'Hibs are falling apart again' to Joy Division's famous tune.

Again, it's Gray that has quietened that phrase. Sunday's game was all set for a slip-up. Dundee United had gone level on points with Hibs on Saturday, while Aberdeen bottled a two-goal lead against ten-man Rangers minutes before kick-off at Easter Road.

With all the pressure on Hibs, an 18,000 crowd at Easter Road, and lots of Hibs fans poking fun at Hearts for their failure to reach the top six on Saturday, this was exactly the kind of game we've seen Hibs flounder in previously.

You would never have known though. Hibs were superb. Dundee never had a sniff as Hibs controlled the game throughout and we left the stadium buzzing at what we'd just witnessed.

Hibs seem to be improving week to week. We've taken nine points from nine in the past three games - including a trip to Ibrox - without conceding a goal. The team have equalled a seventeen-game unbeaten record that's stood at the club since the 1940s.

With five games of the league season left, Hibs are in the driving seat for third place, which when you consider the head start given to Aberdeen and Dundee United is phenomenal. It's a great time to be a Hibee – long may it continue!

Matty Fairnie can be found on the Longbangers podcast., external

• Aberdeen v Hibernian - Saturday, 26 April 2025

• Hibernian v Dundee Utd - Saturday, 3 May 2025

• Celtic v Hibernian - Saturday, 10 May 2025

• St Mirren v Hibernian - Wednesday, 14 May 2025

• Hibernian v Rangers - Saturday, 17 May 2025

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Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Rocky Bushiri: Another big performance - and a goal - from the Belgian at the back.

Junior Hoilett: His game intelligence caused all sorts of problems for Dundee and helped Hibs dominate the play.

Kieron Bowie: Two goals and an assist. Not bad for less than half an hour on the pitch. Could he be a long-term answer for the national team up front?

We asked for your views on Hibs' 4-0 win against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Craig: Wow, we now approach every game with confidence, and it's refreshing to be walking along to the stadium in such high spirits. Another display of Rocky Bushiri brilliance, Kieron Bowie showing that he's a real contender to the star man, and Dwight Gayle, well, that's his quality right there. Everyone on the park is playing for each other, and it's truly a joy to watch this best brand of football the world has ever seen... In this part of Edinburgh, at least.

Stephen: From absolutely berating this team at the beginning of the season, now I am almost lost for words, absolutely amazing turnaround and deserved from being bottom in November to third place now, couldn't ask for any more, well done Hibs.

Gordon: Again, well done Hibs, another solid, confident and dominant display. Congratulations again to David Gray and his players for keeping this amazing unbeaten run going.

Scott: Hibs' work rate without the ball now is unrecognisable as they hunt in packs and bully teams into giving up possession. Not only that, but they play really attractive attacking football, all quite unrecognisable from a few months ago. Keeping Bowie fit over the next few weeks will be key to Hibs' final finishing position.

Sandy: We must be running out of superlatives for this Hibs team. What a near-perfect performance and a great game to watch. It could easily have been more than 4-0, but the standout was the glimpse of Bowie's natural footballing skills. I believe he's going to be absolutely one of the greats for Hibs and Scotland. Onwards and upwards.

Sean: Excellent, especially the first half, unlucky not to go in with more than the one, that's not to say the second half was poor, it certainly wasn't. A great team performance, and people eager to close down quickly after someone made a mistake. Bowie will take the headlines with his brace. However, for me, if I had to pick anyone, Rocky was the standout. Solid at the back, organising and with an excellently taken goal.

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• Hibernian have scored in each of their last seven games in the Premiership, scoring 17 goals in that run.

• They have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three games in the Premiership, a run of 304 minutes without conceding a goal.

• Their last longer run of games without conceding a goal in the competition was a run of four games from 19 February 2022 to 5 March 2022.

• Martin Boyle has contributed to goals in his last five games in the Premiership (four goals, one assist).

• Boyle has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

• Nicky Cadden has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

Watch highlights as four-goal Hibernian extend their remarkable unbeaten run by thrashing Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

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