HIBS boss Mixu Paatelainen today dismissed suggestions that his side have nothing left to play for in their final match of the season, insisting the players owe it to the fans to go out with a victory.
The Hibees host Motherwell at Easter Road on Thursday night, a clash they had hoped would be a UEFA Cup qualification decider.
However, Hibs' defeat at the hands of Celtic and Motherwell's victory over Aberdeen last weekend means that the Fir Park
outfit have already cemented third place.
Hibs will now kick off next season on July 5, almost a full month before the start of the SPL campaign when they will face either Elfsborg of Sweden or the Faroe Islands' FVB Torshavn in the InterToto Cup.
And, although there may still be a sense of disappointment around the club that they've failed to book their place in the UEFA Cup, Paatelainen was adamant that his players put on a good show for the supporters.
"The fans have backed us well this season and this is our last chance to repay then for that," said the Finn. Obviously they will be disappointed to miss out on the UEFA Cup too, but hopefully we will still get a good crowd as it is the final match of the season.
"We want to play well and finish the season on a high. Motherwell have qualified for the UEFA Cup and will be full of confidence so it should be a good game.
"We want to perform well wherever we play but especially in front of our own fans who have been tremendous this season."
Meanwhile, Paatelainen has hinted that the club could still announce another glamour pre-season game in the coming days.
Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic are already lined up to come to the Capital in August, matches Paatelainen described as "fantastic tests".
But the former Strasbourg forward revealed that there could be another "big" name team still to be announced.
"We have some other so-called big clubs just about lined up and the pre-season programme will be announced soon," he said. "I don't want to go into it too much just now."
The full article contains 371 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
