Hibs Top of the Scottish Premier

By: Daryl | October 6th, 2007

Hibs Top of the Scottish Premier Scottish football is on a bit of a high right now. There’s the national team’s victory over France, as well as Celtic and Ranger’s excellent midweek Champions League wins over Milan and Lyon respectively. Even better for Scottish football in general, if not for Rangers or Celtic fans, is that John Collins’ Hibernian are currently top of the Scottish Premier League.

Hibs beat Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox today with a goal from David Murphy, to add to their recent 3-2 win over Celtic. That puts the Edinburgh club top, two points clear of the Old Firm, at least intil tomorrow.

OK, so Celtic play Gretna on Sunday and could very likely reclaim top spot by beating the SPL’s bottom team. But the fact that the Glasgow clubs look to have some serious competition outside of each other is good news for the league. I’d always thought that Hearts would have been the team to challenge, backed by Vladimir Romanov’s money, but he’s made such a mess of a promising situation that now looks unlikely. Hearts did come between Rangers and Celtic in 2005 to claims a Champions League spot, but you can’t win the SPL with a bunch of on loan Lithuanian internationals and chaos around every corner.

Even more amazing is that despite the CIS Cup win last season, Hibs manager John Collins had been unpopular with the players after taking over halfway through last season when Tony Mowbray left for West Bromwich Albion. The players eventually backtracked and apologized for any embarrassment caused, and now Collins and his team have made a great start to the 2007/8 SPL season.

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Category: Scottish Premier League, World Football

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Ian

Scratch that. NT vs. Ukraine next week, OF derby the week after.
Ian

You'll get no argument from me about Dunfermline. No way should a relegated team with 2 away wins on a league season represent Scotland in Europe. That was the stupidity of the policy of letting a Cup runner up have a UEFA Cup spot. I root for the Old Firm in Europe, like I root for any Scottish side against any non-Scottish one, but a team like Hibs challenging for a spot, in my opinion, is good for the league. OF derby next week!
Matt

I actually agree Ian, that it's good for the league to get some parity. I'll gladly take Hibs in 2nd rather than Rangers. But with teams like Dunfermiline qualifying for the UEFA Cup, the league will be a joke. If Hibs is able to nab a CL spot this year, the key will be next year. If they can show that someone besides the Old Firm can qualify, it'd be leaps and bounds for the league! It just annoys me when teams complain about the Old Firm without realizing without them that the SPL would be on par with the MLS!
Ian

I think it's unfair to say that both Rangers and Celtic "probably won't even qualify for the (Champions League) knockout rounds". Rangers look extremely strong in that department (if a little weak at home), and Celtic beating Milan is a huge step as well, even if they can't control their fans. Oh, and Matt, I'm not a Hibs supporter (I support Inverness) - I just like to see someone else on top every once in a while. It's good for the league.
Matt

Ask your cross town rivals about beating us early, oh say like last year? How'd that work out for Heurtz? As for Brad, Celtic is second in the group and qualified for the last 16 or the "knock out round" and although I don't like to defend Rangers, they are also 2nd in their group, only out of first by goal differential. The last time they were in the CL, they made it to the knock out round as well. So I wouldn't count out the Old Firm in making an impact in the Champions League. Celtic have Shaktar and Benfica at home. If Rangers don't qualify, you know they'll make an impact on some opposing team's bus windows! lolz! As for the national team, well you're probably right, but they certainly didn't disappoint taking six points from France, eh?
Brad

you guys (scottish) get too excited about little things. It's likely that Celtic and Rangers wont even qualify for the knock out rounds, and even if Scotland do qualify for the european champs they're only going to dissapoint the thousands of scots that travel over there
King Tom

Well done Hibs, a fantastic result and you're making the Scottish Premiership a little less of a farce for at least a couple of weeks - long may it continue!
b-man

Enjoy the glory and happiness while it lasts. Because in a years time, Celtic would have won the league (again), and Scotland would have had an awful Euro 2008 (if they qualify).
Ian

It's always interesting to hear fans put down teams that just beat them. Hibs 3-2 Celtic ... ring a bell?
Matt

As a Celtic fan, I'd like to thank Celtic's feeder club for beating the huns and keeping our first position warm. We'll collect it tomorrow.
wsc

... and yet the maroon side just seems to get darker every week. =(
Ian Rose

Hibs really deserve this. Collins has done a great job, and they are not only top of the table, but have the only undefeated record in Scottish football, at 6 wins and 3 draws out of 9 matches. The green side of Edinburgh is going to have a long night of celebration over this one, and I wouldn't expect any shops open early tomorrow.