'I've lived the Hibs dream' says departing captain ahead of 'emotional' farewell

Hanlon bracing himself for experience of life away from boyhood club

Taking into account the emotion of the occasion, the turmoil of the bigger Hibs picture and the basic, unchanging, relentless need to get a result, Paul Hanlon is likely to be put through the wringer at Easter Road tonight. And he’ll love every single minute of it.

The club captain, an Edinburgh boy who grew up to play for the team he loved, will join fellow veteran Lewis Stevenson in being afforded the warmest of ovations – all going well – after a home game with Motherwell that has become something of an oddity, in the wake of manager Nick Montgomery’s sacking. If the extra attention makes him feel a touch uncomfortable, Hanlon is determined to make the most of this final home game in a Hibs jersey. And to savour every moment.

Asked if the 14-year-old Paul Hanlon who first signed for Hibs would say he’d lived his dream to the full, the central defender didn’t hesitate for half a heartbeat before declaring: “One hundred per cent. As a 14-year-old, or even younger, I dreamt about playing for Hibs, winning the Scottish Cup, scoring against Hearts – that was me as a wee Hibs fan. I’ve managed to do all that and more, racking up the appearances that I have done.

“There’s disappointment that I’m leaving, disappointing it’s coming to an end because I feel I have a bit to offer. But, at the end of the day, I’ve got to be proud.

“I’ve done my family proud in terms of being Hibs fans. It’ll be emotional, leaving. The last game will be difficult but when it’s all said and done, I’ll look back with a lot of pride.”

Hanlon admitted he was taken aback by the reaction to last week’s announcement confirming that, when his contract expires at the end of the season, he’d be moving on from his only senior club, revealing: “It has blown me away in terms of the messages and all the reaction we have got. I just hadn’t taken time to sit back and prepare myself for what it would be like, I thought they’d announce it, and I would still get ready for my last game.

WATCH THE LATEST FITBAW TALK HERE

“Whereas my phone just blew up mental and it proper hit me then. It really hit me the end was coming and obviously disappointment, but that flipped to trying to enjoy it much as I can the last few weeks.

“There was a conversation with the manager a wee while ago that steered me in that direction, so I kind of knew it was coming. I was prepared in that sense, but I wasn’t prepared for the reaction I got afterwards.”

By his own reckoning, Hanlon has NEVER played against a Hibs team. Not once, in all his formative years with Hutchison Vale, did he come up against an academy or community team in the famous green-and-white. It’s going to be a shock to the system if – or when – he lines up in opposition next season.

“I still hope to bring my boys back, they’ll be raised as Hibs fans, there’s no getting away from that,” he said, when asked about not having the club in his life any more. “I have obviously had to think about it, it’s coming quickly that I’ll be moving on and try something new.

“And listen, there’s part of that that’s exciting about that as well, it’s something different. I’ve been here a number of years, the car is on auto pilot, it knows where to go every single morning.

“There’s that new challenge of settling into a new dressing room. I have always been a constant with new guys coming in here, now I am going to be the new guy and try to establish myself in a new dressing room. So it’s a challenge, it’s the next stage, I still think I have plenty to offer playing wise, so we’ll see what the next chapter is

“There’s been a few offers, a few phone calls and a bit of interest. But I’ve told everyone the same thing, that I want to finish my Hibs career first. I’ll have a couple of weeks’ window before I go on holiday that I’ll have as many conversations as I can and see what it looks like. Hopefully, I’ll go on holiday knowing what I’m doing – but that might be a bit ambitious!”

On playing against his boyhood heroes, he said: “If that happens… Listen, I’m a Hibs fan but I’m also a professional football player who’s going to give 100 per cent for whoever it is. As you get older as well, you do savour every single moment on the pitch.

“Coming on and scoring against St Johnstone, wee moments where you think: ‘How many more of these am I going to get?’  If there’s a game against Hibs, I’ll give it my all to win, but it would definitely be nice to play at Easter Road again. 

“I don’t even know if we did play Hibs back at Hutchie Vale. We’ve played a few bounce games against each other out on pitch one (at the training ground), so that’s probably all I can go on.”

Pressed on whether there was any chance of a new manager overturning the decision to let him go, Hanlon insisted:  "I just think it's too early to be answering these questions. There's been a decision made at this club and that's as far as I know.

GET THE LATEST HIBS NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX DAILY WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER SERVICE

“I think it's all about three men losing their jobs, men that we could have and should have done better for. I think that's the main talking point and we're bitterly disappointed that's the case.

"I still feel like it is (over). I'm still gearing towards Wednesday night being my last game at Easter Road, trying to savour it as much as possible. At the minute I'm not anticipating any changes and I've not had any conversations in that way. I'm going to try and savour it as much as I can with my family and friends.”