T
TALLEST
The tallest player to represent Hibernian is reckoned to be Derek Townsley who joined the Hibees from Motherwell in 2001. The Carlisle born midfielder measured 6’5” in his stocking soles and was surprisingly adept on the ground for such a big man.
Not too far behind was the inimitable Tony Higgins who stood at 6’3”. Higgins was a stalwart of the later Eddie Turnbull period and played in the 1979 Scottish Cup final against Rangers. Interestingly a look at Hibernian handbooks of the early 1950s shows that very few players in that era topped the 6 foot mark.
TELEVISION
Today football is widely televised and no longer a matter of particular interest. The first time Hibernian appeared on television was a source of some embarrassment. The occasion was a challenge match against Arsenal at their Highbury Stadium in order to raise funds for the National Playing Fields Association. Alas Hibs were out-played on October 22nd, 1952 and lost 7-1, Roper scored five times for the London side with Lawrie Reilly getting Hibs only counter. Despite the presence of live television cameras there were 55,001 present. The rather accurate gate count is interesting !
Screen Shot
Easter Road is the ‘field of dreams’ for many Hibs fans. It has occasionally appeared on television, however, in a non-football capacity.
Perhaps the most famous example was during the filming of an episode of Rebus (the detective creation of author Ian Rankin), when the maverick policeman takes his girlfriend to a deserted Easter Road. A friendly groundsman flicks the switch to enable the floodlights to come on and illuminate an eerily empty Easter Road.
Hibernian was a recurring theme in the ground-breaking film Trainspotting (based on the novel of Hibernian supporting author Irvine Welsh), which highlighted the seamier side of life in Edinburgh but showed Hibs as an essential part of the social fabric of the area.
Screen Shot
Easter Road is the ‘field of dreams’ for many Hibs fans. It has occasionally appeared on television, however, in a non-football capacity.
Perhaps the most famous example was during the filming of an episode of Rebus (the detective creation of author Ian Rankin), when the maverick policeman takes his girlfriend to a deserted Easter Road. A friendly groundsman flicks the switch to enable the floodlights to come on and illuminate an eerily empty Easter Road.
Hibernian was a recurring theme in the ground-breaking film Trainspotting (based on the novel of Hibernian supporting author Irvine Welsh), which highlighted the seamier side of life in Edinburgh but showed Hibs as an essential part of the social fabric of the area.
TESTIMONIAL MATCHES
There have been a number of benefit matches arranged by Hibernian for players with particularly long service. In the modern era it is unlikely that such games will be a regular feature on the calendar.
Initially benefit matches were intended to provide funds for a particular charity or hard up club but gradually they became a way of financially rewarding especially long serving players.
Amongst the early recipients of benefit matches were Phil Clarke (1887), James McLaren (1895), Paddy Murray (1907), Hamilton Handling (1903), Willie Groves (1904), Bob Glen (1906), Paddy Callaghan (1907 and 1911), Matthew Paterson (1913 and 1921), Willie Smith (1913), Peter Kerr (1920 and 1925), Bobby Templeton (1920), Bob Grossert (1920), Willie Duncan (1924), Willie Miller (1925), Willie McGinnigle (1925), Hugh Shaw (1925), Harry Ritchie (1926), Jimmy Dunn (1926), Jimmy McColl (1927) and Peter McGinn (1937).
After the war benefit matches were replaced with rather more formal Testimonial Matches. The following list shows the main recipients under this category:
Initially benefit matches were intended to provide funds for a particular charity or hard up club but gradually they became a way of financially rewarding especially long serving players.
Amongst the early recipients of benefit matches were Phil Clarke (1887), James McLaren (1895), Paddy Murray (1907), Hamilton Handling (1903), Willie Groves (1904), Bob Glen (1906), Paddy Callaghan (1907 and 1911), Matthew Paterson (1913 and 1921), Willie Smith (1913), Peter Kerr (1920 and 1925), Bobby Templeton (1920), Bob Grossert (1920), Willie Duncan (1924), Willie Miller (1925), Willie McGinnigle (1925), Hugh Shaw (1925), Harry Ritchie (1926), Jimmy Dunn (1926), Jimmy McColl (1927) and Peter McGinn (1937).
After the war benefit matches were replaced with rather more formal Testimonial Matches. The following list shows the main recipients under this category:
1948/9 Manchester United (Willie McCartney)
1952/3 Manchester United (Gordon Smith)
1958/9 International Select (Lawrie Reilly)
1977/8 Celtic (Pat Stanton)
1980/1 International Select (Arthur Duncan)
1982/3 Hearts (Jim McArthur)
1984/5 Newcastle United (Jackie McNamara)
1988/9 Manchester United (Gordon Rae)
1991/2 Aston Villa (Alan Sneddon)
1996/7 Coventry City (Gordon Hunter)
1952/3 Manchester United (Gordon Smith)
1958/9 International Select (Lawrie Reilly)
1977/8 Celtic (Pat Stanton)
1980/1 International Select (Arthur Duncan)
1982/3 Hearts (Jim McArthur)
1984/5 Newcastle United (Jackie McNamara)
1988/9 Manchester United (Gordon Rae)
1991/2 Aston Villa (Alan Sneddon)
1996/7 Coventry City (Gordon Hunter)
JOE TORTOLANO (1966 -
After two years as an apprentice at West Bromwich Albion Hibs signed Joe in 1985. Capable of playing at either full back, midfield or even out wide he gained two Under-21 caps in 1987 against West Germany and Eire. Whole hearted, extremely fit and a willing worker he was a valuable team member in Alex Miller’s era as manager.
Joe was amongst the goals early in his career and went on to serve Hibs from 1985 to 1996. He played in 222 league games for Hibernian and whilst never a spectacular performer he did improve consistently and became a very important team player.
Sadly he occasionally became a victim of the ‘boo-boys’ a state of affairs that was hardly helped when he contrived to get himself sent-off in a testimonial match against Manchester United (the foul incidentally against Gordon Strachan – a dyed in the wool Hibs supporter!). Joe later joined Stirling Albion; which was ideal as he lived a two-minute walk from their ground!
His love of football remained undiminished when he finally hung up his boots and he would been seen around the press rooms of Scottish football in his role as a statistician for the Press Association.
Joe was amongst the goals early in his career and went on to serve Hibs from 1985 to 1996. He played in 222 league games for Hibernian and whilst never a spectacular performer he did improve consistently and became a very important team player.
Sadly he occasionally became a victim of the ‘boo-boys’ a state of affairs that was hardly helped when he contrived to get himself sent-off in a testimonial match against Manchester United (the foul incidentally against Gordon Strachan – a dyed in the wool Hibs supporter!). Joe later joined Stirling Albion; which was ideal as he lived a two-minute walk from their ground!
His love of football remained undiminished when he finally hung up his boots and he would been seen around the press rooms of Scottish football in his role as a statistician for the Press Association.
HONOURS
Scotland Under-21 (2)
Scotland Under-21 (2)
TOSS OF THE COIN
Although all matches are preceded by the captains calling heads or tails as the referee tosses a coin, matches are no longer decided in this fashion. Back in the war years this was not the case and the drawn 1942 Summer Cup final was decided by a toss of the coin, which Hibs lost to Rangers.
In the St Mungo Cup semi-final in July 1951 Hibs drew with Aberdeen at Celtic Park. This necessitated a replay and the venue was decided by the toss of a coin. Hibs lost and thus the replay shifted to Aberdeen and at Pittodrie Hibs went down 1-2, despite a goal by Eddie Turnbull and Jimmy Kerr saving a penalty.
In the Fairs Cup in 1961 Hibs drew 2-2 then 3-3 with AS Roma. Away goals, had they then counted double, would have put Hibs through but in their absence a third match was called for. The venue should have been agreed by tossing a coin but Hibs were offered a team holiday if they agreed to play in Rome. They did so and lost 0-6.
TOURS
Hibernian have toured many countries, both at the end and the beginning of football seasons. Amongst their earliest tours were trips to Denmark in 1921 (where they played in Copenhagen and Aarhus) and Austria/Germany in 1924 (playing in Vienna, Cologne, Munich and Dresden) . In the summer of 1947 there were signs that Europe was returning to normal after the ravages of the Second World War. The club embarked upon a tour of Norway in June. Although the opposition varied in standard the trip proved a valuable bonding exercise and set the scene for many future overseas trips. The club recorded the following results in Norway:
Jun 3 SIF Stavanger W 5-0 Smith 3, Turnbull 2
Jun 8 Djerv Bergen W 11-0 Smith 4, Turnbull 2, Ormond 4, Johnstone
Jun 10 Gjoea Oslo W 7-0 Reilly 4, Smith 2, Ormond
Jun 12 Sarpsborg W 5-2 Johnstone 2, Buchanan, Ormond (p), Turnbull
Jun 17 Norrkoping L 1-3 Johnstone
Since traveling to Norway a great many countries have been visited by Hibernian. Amongst the nations that Hibs have ‘relaxed’ in are: Belgium, Austria, Germany , France, Brazil, Czechoslovakia, Ireland, Canada, United States, Finland and Denmark. Of course the staple summer tour of many years – a trip to the Scottish Highlands – remains popular.
TRAINING FACILITIES
There was a time when Hibernian trained at Easter Road as a matter of routine. Then as the pitches gradually came to be deemed more precious the club took to traveling around Edinburgh in mini-buses seeking suitable training parks. Amongst their favoured venues were Jock’s Lodge and Wardie Park, neither ideal by any standards. Unpredictable conditions underfoot, poor weather, traffic delays and traveling in cramped conditions soured the experience. That all ended in December 2007.
At a cost of £4.9m the club moved into purpose built facilities just outside Tranent. Officially opened by Sir Tom Farmer, the owner of Hibernian, the club finally had state-of-the-art facilities. Covering 2,700 acres the club complex had the following facilities:
· five international size grass pitches,
· one outdoor synthetic pitch sporting floodlights and a small grandstand,
· one indoor 40 metre long synthetic pitch,
· two endurance hills,
· one fully equipped gym one hydrotherapy pool,
· changing rooms for the first team, visiting teams, and under 19 teams,
· catering and laundry facilities,
· audio visual offices, games room and relaxation areas.
If successive Hibs bosses had endured losing transfer targets through poor facilities then the actions of Rod Petrie and Tom Farmer in bringing this grand scheme to life had surely closed that particular door.
TRANSFERS
Hibernian have been involved in a number of high profile transfers. In the immediate post-war period the club was a ‘buying’ rather than a ‘selling’ club and in recruiting Leslie Johnstone from Clyde for £10,000 created a real stir. None of the Famous Five were sold at the peak of their powers and prior to Lawrie Reilly becoming the key centre-forward the club were quite prepared to dabble in the market to solve perceived weaknesses in the team.
Even before World War Two Hibernian had been involved in some high-profile transfers. The most notable of which arguably came in 1925 and saw the sale of Willie Harper to Arsenal for a then British record fee of £4,500.
Even before World War Two Hibernian had been involved in some high-profile transfers. The most notable of which arguably came in 1925 and saw the sale of Willie Harper to Arsenal for a then British record fee of £4,500.
Landmark moves:
1947: The February transfer of Leslie Johnstone from Clyde for £10,000 marks a new Scottish record fee
1961: Hibernian sell Joe Baker to Italian side Torino for £73,000. Joe’s signing on fee was reckoned to be in the region of £8,000
1968: The sale of Colin Stein to Rangers in November for £100,000 was the first six-figure transfer between Scottish clubs. Bob Shankly was the Hibernian manager at the time and threatened to resign such was his disappointment at losing such a talented striker. Hibs had been offered £90,000 by Everton just days before, but Stein turned down the chance to move to Merseyside. Aged 21 Stein was in action against Hibs a couple of weeks later and scored a hat-trick for his new club!
1974: In signing Joe Harper from Everton Hibernian paid a record Scottish fee. The £120,000 paid to the Liverpool side was the biggest footprint made in the transfer market by Eddie Turnbull.
1974: Hibs sold Alex Cropley to Arsenal for £100,000 in December.
1979: When Des Bremner moved to Aston Villa in September he was sold for £220,000. Hibs also received Joe Ward as part of this deal.
1990: Celtic stump up £925,000 to make lure young John Collins away from Easter Road. The irony that he had once been a Celtic Boys Club player is not lost on football fans throughout Scotland.
1991: Walter Smith makes his first signing as Rangers’ boss, taking Hibs goalkeeper Andy Goram from Edinburgh in a June deal worth £1m.
2001: Alex McLeish brought Ulises de la Cruz to Hibernian from Liga de Quito of Ecuador. The fee was believed to be in the region of £700,000.
2006: Garry O’Connor was sold to Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow in February for £1.6m. A clause in the sale allowed Hibernian a proportion of the fee when O’Connor moved to Birmingham City for £2.65m in June 2007.
2007: Scott Brown, by then a Scotland internationalist but still only 21, was sold to Gordon Strachan’s Celtic for £4.4m. Brown apparently rejected overtures from the likes of Everton, to remain in Scotland.
NB: it should be borne in mind that transfer fees are by necessity a bit of an estimate as clubs have at various times inflated or talked down the actual fees, dependent on the politics of the particular day.
1961: Hibernian sell Joe Baker to Italian side Torino for £73,000. Joe’s signing on fee was reckoned to be in the region of £8,000
1968: The sale of Colin Stein to Rangers in November for £100,000 was the first six-figure transfer between Scottish clubs. Bob Shankly was the Hibernian manager at the time and threatened to resign such was his disappointment at losing such a talented striker. Hibs had been offered £90,000 by Everton just days before, but Stein turned down the chance to move to Merseyside. Aged 21 Stein was in action against Hibs a couple of weeks later and scored a hat-trick for his new club!
1974: In signing Joe Harper from Everton Hibernian paid a record Scottish fee. The £120,000 paid to the Liverpool side was the biggest footprint made in the transfer market by Eddie Turnbull.
1974: Hibs sold Alex Cropley to Arsenal for £100,000 in December.
1979: When Des Bremner moved to Aston Villa in September he was sold for £220,000. Hibs also received Joe Ward as part of this deal.
1990: Celtic stump up £925,000 to make lure young John Collins away from Easter Road. The irony that he had once been a Celtic Boys Club player is not lost on football fans throughout Scotland.
1991: Walter Smith makes his first signing as Rangers’ boss, taking Hibs goalkeeper Andy Goram from Edinburgh in a June deal worth £1m.
2001: Alex McLeish brought Ulises de la Cruz to Hibernian from Liga de Quito of Ecuador. The fee was believed to be in the region of £700,000.
2006: Garry O’Connor was sold to Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow in February for £1.6m. A clause in the sale allowed Hibernian a proportion of the fee when O’Connor moved to Birmingham City for £2.65m in June 2007.
2007: Scott Brown, by then a Scotland internationalist but still only 21, was sold to Gordon Strachan’s Celtic for £4.4m. Brown apparently rejected overtures from the likes of Everton, to remain in Scotland.
NB: it should be borne in mind that transfer fees are by necessity a bit of an estimate as clubs have at various times inflated or talked down the actual fees, dependent on the politics of the particular day.
EDDIE TURNBULL (1923-
Eddie was just out of the Royal Navy and playing junior football in the Grangemouth area when he was recruited by Hibernian in 1946. A physically impressive man he had the happy knack of possessing both aggression and creativity. What’s more he was a thinking footballer and he followed a clutch of honours as a player with a raft of successes as a manager.
Born in Falkirk in 1923 he was to be the ‘engine room’ of the Famous Five forward-line. In his very first season with the club he tasted the drama of a Scottish Cup final and with his excellent work-rate and thunderous shot he became a huge favourite with the Hibs fans.
When Willie Ormond arrived as outside-left a Hibernian partnership was forged that would last Hibs a decade. Turnbull played as an inside left and became the ‘enforcer’ for the lighter players in a side that was high on flair but less so on aggression.
Turnbull’s debut for Hibs came in a mid-season friendly against Sparta Prague of (the then) Czechoslovakia. Hibs lost the game 1-3 (despite Turnbull’s autobiography suggesting Hibs ‘easily won the match’) but Turnbull did well enough to retain his first team spot and made his league debut against Third Lanark on November 2nd at Easter Road. Hibernian romped home 4-1 and Turnbull, with a brace of goals, was the star of the show.
His first season was a complete triumph. He had a hat-trick in a 5-3 win at Kilmarnock and two against Queen’s Park (when he missed a penalty and the opportunity of a hat-trick).He even scored in the epic Scottish Cup semi-final win over Motherwell that was played to a finish and lasted an incredible 147 minutes.
From that opening season in which Hibs had lost the cup final and finished just two points away from the title better times would flow. In 1948, 1951 and 1952 the league title would end up at Easter Road and in each and every season Turnbull made a huge impact.
In February 1950 Turnbull stepped firmly in to the lime-light when he scored all four Hibs goals in a magnificent 4-1 league triumph over Celtic. Three of those goals were penalties and Turnbull had a routine approach to spot-kicks – he simply blasted them. He did have an aggressive streak and proved this in December 1950 when he was sent off against Third Lanark (a fairly rare achievement in those days!) when clashing with Staroscik of the Glasgow club.
Club captain by 1954, in addition to his major Scotland representative outings he also earned 1 Scotland ‘B’ cap but pride of place went to his collection of three league championship badges. Indeed the only item missing from his trophy cabinet was a cup winners medal; despite playing in two Scottish Cup finals.
Nevertheless he addressed that absence as a manager. From coaching at Queen’s Park he moved to a struggling Aberdeen in 1965 and by 1970 steered them to a Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic. When Tom Hart became Hibs chairman he lured Eddie to Edinburgh in July 1971 and Hibs were suddenly on the up.
His impact was almost immediate. By 1972 Hibs were in the Scottish Cup final and Turnbull’s old adversaries – Celtic – lay in wait. Strangely the players froze and were thumped 6-1, but Turnbull was determined they would bounce back and they did … twice. A few weeks later the same sides contested the Drybrough Cup at the same venue and Hibs won 5-3, then in the early winter they met in the League Cup final. Again Hibs came out on top. Turnbull was by now boasting a famous forward line of his own – Edwards, O’Rourke, Gordon, Cropley and Duncan.
He moulded Hibs into the second force in Scotland and had it not been for an exceptionally powerful Celtic side they would have been the top club in Scotland. All the same with Scottish Cup, League Cup and Drybrough Cup final appearances (and a 7-0 win over Hearts) Eddie more than did his bit for the club.
His managerial reign at Easter Road ended when the club were relegated for the first time in 49 years in 1980 having won just six matches in a 36 game campaign. Even the introduction of the world famous George Best had been unable to save Hibs. Turnbull never returned to football and thus was lost to the game at the ludicrously young age of 57.
Born in Falkirk in 1923 he was to be the ‘engine room’ of the Famous Five forward-line. In his very first season with the club he tasted the drama of a Scottish Cup final and with his excellent work-rate and thunderous shot he became a huge favourite with the Hibs fans.
When Willie Ormond arrived as outside-left a Hibernian partnership was forged that would last Hibs a decade. Turnbull played as an inside left and became the ‘enforcer’ for the lighter players in a side that was high on flair but less so on aggression.
Turnbull’s debut for Hibs came in a mid-season friendly against Sparta Prague of (the then) Czechoslovakia. Hibs lost the game 1-3 (despite Turnbull’s autobiography suggesting Hibs ‘easily won the match’) but Turnbull did well enough to retain his first team spot and made his league debut against Third Lanark on November 2nd at Easter Road. Hibernian romped home 4-1 and Turnbull, with a brace of goals, was the star of the show.
His first season was a complete triumph. He had a hat-trick in a 5-3 win at Kilmarnock and two against Queen’s Park (when he missed a penalty and the opportunity of a hat-trick).He even scored in the epic Scottish Cup semi-final win over Motherwell that was played to a finish and lasted an incredible 147 minutes.
From that opening season in which Hibs had lost the cup final and finished just two points away from the title better times would flow. In 1948, 1951 and 1952 the league title would end up at Easter Road and in each and every season Turnbull made a huge impact.
In February 1950 Turnbull stepped firmly in to the lime-light when he scored all four Hibs goals in a magnificent 4-1 league triumph over Celtic. Three of those goals were penalties and Turnbull had a routine approach to spot-kicks – he simply blasted them. He did have an aggressive streak and proved this in December 1950 when he was sent off against Third Lanark (a fairly rare achievement in those days!) when clashing with Staroscik of the Glasgow club.
Club captain by 1954, in addition to his major Scotland representative outings he also earned 1 Scotland ‘B’ cap but pride of place went to his collection of three league championship badges. Indeed the only item missing from his trophy cabinet was a cup winners medal; despite playing in two Scottish Cup finals.
Nevertheless he addressed that absence as a manager. From coaching at Queen’s Park he moved to a struggling Aberdeen in 1965 and by 1970 steered them to a Scottish Cup triumph over Celtic. When Tom Hart became Hibs chairman he lured Eddie to Edinburgh in July 1971 and Hibs were suddenly on the up.
His impact was almost immediate. By 1972 Hibs were in the Scottish Cup final and Turnbull’s old adversaries – Celtic – lay in wait. Strangely the players froze and were thumped 6-1, but Turnbull was determined they would bounce back and they did … twice. A few weeks later the same sides contested the Drybrough Cup at the same venue and Hibs won 5-3, then in the early winter they met in the League Cup final. Again Hibs came out on top. Turnbull was by now boasting a famous forward line of his own – Edwards, O’Rourke, Gordon, Cropley and Duncan.
He moulded Hibs into the second force in Scotland and had it not been for an exceptionally powerful Celtic side they would have been the top club in Scotland. All the same with Scottish Cup, League Cup and Drybrough Cup final appearances (and a 7-0 win over Hearts) Eddie more than did his bit for the club.
His managerial reign at Easter Road ended when the club were relegated for the first time in 49 years in 1980 having won just six matches in a 36 game campaign. Even the introduction of the world famous George Best had been unable to save Hibs. Turnbull never returned to football and thus was lost to the game at the ludicrously young age of 57.
HONOURS
Scotland (9), Scottish League (4)
League Championship 1947, 1951, 1952
League Cup final 1950
Scottish Cup final 1947, 1958
Scotland (9), Scottish League (4)
League Championship 1947, 1951, 1952
League Cup final 1950
Scottish Cup final 1947, 1958
See also: Eddie Turnbull: Having a Ball by Martin Hannan and Eddie Turnbull. Published 2006 by Mainstream (Edinburgh).
