W
JOCK WEIR (1923 – 1947)
Born in Fauldhouse in October 1923, John Weir, known as Jock, joined Hibernian in 1942 from Leith Renton and was a fine outside right who developed into an even better centre-forward. During the war he guested with Cardiff City and Brighton and he was an instant success when football returned in the post-war era. Indeed in Hibs first post-war league game they hammered Queen of the South 9-1 and Weir blasted in four goals, including a first half hat-trick.
He was an ever present in the first post-war campaign until his departure to Blackburn Rovers on the last day of January 1947. Newspapers struggled to find the exact fee but called it ‘substantial’. It was fitting that Blackburn paid good money for Weir as he had netted 14 goals in the 19 league matches played, 5 in 6 league cup games and 4 in his only Scottish Cup tie! Had he stayed he would surely have led the line in the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen; and to this days rumours persist as to why Hibs sold him so abruptly.
He only stayed in Lancashire for a year and in February 1948 returned to Scotland with Celtic for £7,000. He won a Scottish Cup medal there and later turned out for Falkirk, Llanelly and Dumbarton.
He was an ever present in the first post-war campaign until his departure to Blackburn Rovers on the last day of January 1947. Newspapers struggled to find the exact fee but called it ‘substantial’. It was fitting that Blackburn paid good money for Weir as he had netted 14 goals in the 19 league matches played, 5 in 6 league cup games and 4 in his only Scottish Cup tie! Had he stayed he would surely have led the line in the Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen; and to this days rumours persist as to why Hibs sold him so abruptly.
He only stayed in Lancashire for a year and in February 1948 returned to Scotland with Celtic for £7,000. He won a Scottish Cup medal there and later turned out for Falkirk, Llanelly and Dumbarton.
MICKEY WEIR (1966 -
Signed in 1982 by John Blackley from Portobello Thistle, Mickey was a Hibs supporter whose love for the club in turn endeared him to the Easter Road support. A tricky winger, his diminutive stature did not hamper him in any way. He was a capable goalscorer, even with his head, and when in possession of the ball a buzz of excitement would sweep around Easter Road.
Standing at just 5’4” Mickey made his debut in a league cup-tie in season 1983/84 and two seasons later was regularly featuring on first team duty. However, a contractual dispute in 1987 saw him head to Luton for £200,000.
He was unable to settle in Bedfordshire and for the same fee returned to Hibs just three months later. His second spell at Easter Road was arguably more profitable than the first and he played a major role in helping Hibs win the League Cup in 1991. It was from his cross that Wright headed home the winner against Rangers in the semi-final, and he was fouled to earn Hibs their penalty in the final.
He finally left Hibs in March 1997 (having played in over 200 league games) to join Motherwell on a free transfer and scored against Hibs in a 6-2 reversal at Fir Park in January 1998 which ultimately cost Jim Duffy his job as Hibs boss.
At Fir Park Mickey graduated from playing to coaching and spent the bulk of his time with the younger players at Motherwell. By 2002 he was working as assistant manager to former Hibee Keith Wright at Cowdenbeath.
Standing at just 5’4” Mickey made his debut in a league cup-tie in season 1983/84 and two seasons later was regularly featuring on first team duty. However, a contractual dispute in 1987 saw him head to Luton for £200,000.
He was unable to settle in Bedfordshire and for the same fee returned to Hibs just three months later. His second spell at Easter Road was arguably more profitable than the first and he played a major role in helping Hibs win the League Cup in 1991. It was from his cross that Wright headed home the winner against Rangers in the semi-final, and he was fouled to earn Hibs their penalty in the final.
He finally left Hibs in March 1997 (having played in over 200 league games) to join Motherwell on a free transfer and scored against Hibs in a 6-2 reversal at Fir Park in January 1998 which ultimately cost Jim Duffy his job as Hibs boss.
At Fir Park Mickey graduated from playing to coaching and spent the bulk of his time with the younger players at Motherwell. By 2002 he was working as assistant manager to former Hibee Keith Wright at Cowdenbeath.
HONOURS
League Cup winner (1991)
STEVEN WHITTAKER
In August 2007 Hibernian sold this talented young wing-back to Rangers for just over £2m. He was just 23 at the time and in joining Kevin Thomson and Ian Murray at Ibrox revealed not just the prolific nature of Hibs youth system but the fact that the club were addressing what had had been an unhealthy debt situation. In the space of a year the club had taken in somewhere in the region of £8.9m in transfer fees and seen a debt figure drop from £16m to nearer £7m.
John Collins, whilst sad to lose Whittaker, was philosophical about the move “We weren’t looking to sell Steven, but were offered a good fee for a player who has been a good servant to this club. This offer will set Steven and his family up for life and in Kevin McCann and Thierry Gatheussi I believe I have excellent replacements.”
Whittaker had made classic progress through the Hibs youth system before establishing himself in the first team. He grabbed his first senior goal against Partick Thistle and eventually forced himself into the Scotland Under-21 side. Although perhaps not as well known as Scott Brown or Derek Riordan there was a feeling that he had the best temperament of all the young Hibernian players in the Mowbray/Collins era. A CIS Cup winner against Kilmarnock his aim was clearly to progress his chances of adding further silverware to his collection.
HONOURS
Scotland Under-21 (16)
CIS Cup winner (2007)
Scotland Under-21 (16)
CIS Cup winner (2007)
BOBBY WILLIAMSON (1961 -
A powerful and direct centre-forward, Bobby Williamson enjoyed a lengthy playing career that saw him overcome injury to make a mark on the game both north and south of the border. However, he had greater impact as a manager, steering Kilmarnock to a Scottish Cup win and building a strong young team at Rugby Park which tasted European football on a regular basis.
Born in Glasgow in August 1961 his first senior club was Clydebank, whom he joined from Auchengill Boys Club. He proved himself to be a clever forward whilst at Kilbowie and in 1983 was signed by Rangers for £100,000. There is no doubt that his time at Rangers was hindered a broken leg he suffered in 1984, and whilst he recovered from that injury he was nevertheless allowed to join West Bromwich Albion in 1986.
Williamson scored 11 goals in 53 matches for the West Midlands club then joined Rotherham in 1988. His move to South Yorkshire proved more successful; indeed his figures of 49 goals in only 93 matches go a long way to explaining his popularity at Millmoor.
Never quite forgotten in Scotland he was lured to Kilmarnock in 1990 by a £100,000 deal. However, that was proved to be money well spent by a sleeping giant of the Scottish game that was slowly but surely stirring to life. By 1993 Williamson was leading the line for Kilmarnock in the Premier League and he scored in a notable 2-1 win at Ibrox that not brought great personal satisfaction but confirmed Kilmarnock were back near the top of the Scottish game.
In December 1996 the Kilmarnock manager Alex Totten left the club and Bobby Williamson succeeded him into the hot-seat. By this time his coaching ambitions were to the fore and the award of a UEFA Professional coaching licence was just rewards for his endeavour. In 1997 he steered Kilmarnock to victory in the Scottish Cup final over Falkirk, the first such trophy success for Killie since 1929.
A CIS League Cup final outing against Celtic in 2001, and consistent appearances in Europe, ensured that Bobby was one of the Scottish game’s most highly sought after bosses. The departure of Franck Sauzee in February 2002 from the Easter Road hot-seat paved the way for Williamson to become the 17th Hibernian manager since the war.
His initial task was to keep Hibs in the top flight and this he did, with a vital win against St Johnstone all but clinching survival. Thereafter he led the club to safer waters but his rather taciturn and dour manner did not endear him to the Hibernian support which was by now welded to the open and attacking style displayed by his predecessors McLeish and Sauzee. Occasionally defensive when facing the press (and it must be said frequently very funny) he once famously remarked that entertainment was the objective of the cinema, not football. It was more than likely a piece of dry wit but it damaged his standing with a section of the club’s support.
Bobby left to join Plymouth Argyle with Hibs working on a much reduced budget that was making it nigh on impossible for him to repeat the excellent work he had carried out at Rugby Park. By one of the bizarre twists so beloved of football his first game in charge in Devon saw Plymouth promoted to the First Division!
Born in Glasgow in August 1961 his first senior club was Clydebank, whom he joined from Auchengill Boys Club. He proved himself to be a clever forward whilst at Kilbowie and in 1983 was signed by Rangers for £100,000. There is no doubt that his time at Rangers was hindered a broken leg he suffered in 1984, and whilst he recovered from that injury he was nevertheless allowed to join West Bromwich Albion in 1986.
Williamson scored 11 goals in 53 matches for the West Midlands club then joined Rotherham in 1988. His move to South Yorkshire proved more successful; indeed his figures of 49 goals in only 93 matches go a long way to explaining his popularity at Millmoor.
Never quite forgotten in Scotland he was lured to Kilmarnock in 1990 by a £100,000 deal. However, that was proved to be money well spent by a sleeping giant of the Scottish game that was slowly but surely stirring to life. By 1993 Williamson was leading the line for Kilmarnock in the Premier League and he scored in a notable 2-1 win at Ibrox that not brought great personal satisfaction but confirmed Kilmarnock were back near the top of the Scottish game.
In December 1996 the Kilmarnock manager Alex Totten left the club and Bobby Williamson succeeded him into the hot-seat. By this time his coaching ambitions were to the fore and the award of a UEFA Professional coaching licence was just rewards for his endeavour. In 1997 he steered Kilmarnock to victory in the Scottish Cup final over Falkirk, the first such trophy success for Killie since 1929.
A CIS League Cup final outing against Celtic in 2001, and consistent appearances in Europe, ensured that Bobby was one of the Scottish game’s most highly sought after bosses. The departure of Franck Sauzee in February 2002 from the Easter Road hot-seat paved the way for Williamson to become the 17th Hibernian manager since the war.
His initial task was to keep Hibs in the top flight and this he did, with a vital win against St Johnstone all but clinching survival. Thereafter he led the club to safer waters but his rather taciturn and dour manner did not endear him to the Hibernian support which was by now welded to the open and attacking style displayed by his predecessors McLeish and Sauzee. Occasionally defensive when facing the press (and it must be said frequently very funny) he once famously remarked that entertainment was the objective of the cinema, not football. It was more than likely a piece of dry wit but it damaged his standing with a section of the club’s support.
Bobby left to join Plymouth Argyle with Hibs working on a much reduced budget that was making it nigh on impossible for him to repeat the excellent work he had carried out at Rugby Park. By one of the bizarre twists so beloved of football his first game in charge in Devon saw Plymouth promoted to the First Division!
WILSON CUP
John Mackay’s excellent book The Hibees: The Story of Hibernian Football Club details the origins of the Wilson Cup. The trophy was presented by Robert Wilson, who was a Hearts director, and he intended that the cup be contested on each New Years Day between Hearts and Hibs. The precise date restriction didn’t last long but the competition ran from 1905 to 1946.
Hibs won the inaugural clash by a single goal scored by Miller. However, the 1929 final was a bizarre occasion not so much because Hibs lost 5-1 but because Hibs goalkeeper missed the game due to a death in his family and his deputy was injured shortly before the match. Thus Hibs lined up and contested the entire 90 minutes with an outfield player between the sticks.
Hibernian won the Wilson Cup 16 times compared to Hearts 24.
Hibs won the inaugural clash by a single goal scored by Miller. However, the 1929 final was a bizarre occasion not so much because Hibs lost 5-1 but because Hibs goalkeeper missed the game due to a death in his family and his deputy was injured shortly before the match. Thus Hibs lined up and contested the entire 90 minutes with an outfield player between the sticks.
Hibernian won the Wilson Cup 16 times compared to Hearts 24.
WORLD CUP CONNECTIONS
Several Hibernian players, or those with a Hibernian connection, have had a link with the World Cup finals. In recent times full-back Ulises De La Cruz represented Ecuador in the 2002 World Cup finals whilst a Hibernian player. His performances in Korea earned him a lucrative switch to Aston Villa.
In the 1996 World Cup finals Jim Leighton, Darren Jackson, Gordon Durie and John Collins were all in action. All four had a Hibernian connection and Collins scored for Scotland in the opening fixture against Brazil.
In the 1974 finals in Germany John Blackley was a Hibernian player when he pulled on the Scotland jersey against Zaire. Erich Schaedler was in the initial squad drawn up by former Hibernian player, and Scotland boss, Willie Ormond.
The 1958 tournament finals were held in Sweden. Eddie Turnbull played in all three Scotland matches and took several of the coaching sessions during the competition.
In the 1996 World Cup finals Jim Leighton, Darren Jackson, Gordon Durie and John Collins were all in action. All four had a Hibernian connection and Collins scored for Scotland in the opening fixture against Brazil.
In the 1974 finals in Germany John Blackley was a Hibernian player when he pulled on the Scotland jersey against Zaire. Erich Schaedler was in the initial squad drawn up by former Hibernian player, and Scotland boss, Willie Ormond.
The 1958 tournament finals were held in Sweden. Eddie Turnbull played in all three Scotland matches and took several of the coaching sessions during the competition.
Four years earlier 1954 saw Scotland suffer the ignominy of a 7-0 reversal to Uruguay in the finals in Switzerland. Willie Ormond played outside-left for Scotland in that game. He was also in the team beaten by Austria 1-0 in Zurich a few days earlier.