Lewis Stevenson: My Story | Hibernian FC

In the lead up to his 600th appearance, Hibs TV followed Lewis Stevenson back to where it all began for the Hibernian legend.

Lewy took us on a tour of his roots in Kirkcaldy, including his old family house and his old boys club, before reminiscing over some of his favourite moments in green and white.

From record-breaking milestones to cup triumphs – Lewy covered it all in this exclusive interview with Hibs TV!

[Music] in September 2005 Lou Stevenson made his hips debut kickstarting a legendary career in the 19 years that followed Louie wrote his name into the club’s history books winning both The League Cup and the scotch cup becoming the only ever player to win both trophies whilst at the club many more Milestones have been ticked off along the way and as he approaches his 600th game for the hibees we took a look back at Lou’s iconic career well Lis back where it all began can you just explain a little bit about where we are today um this is the house I was brought up in C uh lived here till I was about 10 or 11 and moved quite far across the road um so I like fun memories I had the like best childood ever and I’m sure everyone says that but absolutely loved it used to come home for school check in your school bag and then go and play football at park over there so it was good made some friends that you know still kept in touch with friends you’ve lost lost touch as well but um no amazing memories in that house and then good on when I finally moved over the road so who just explain a little bit about who who was in that house for you obviously your mom and dad so my mom and dad and I’ve got two we Brothers we bit younger 5 years and seven years younger so um I like I’ve played mostly were boys in the street who lived in very various different houses down the road and stuff as well so um no like I I loved my love my childhood and um had fun memories being here you were the oldest of the three then what was it like looking after two young ones I said they’re a way bit younger so I couldn’t even fight with them it was almost too much a liberty to fight with them um H they’re just they were into football and stuff as well I did feel it bad because obviously my football kind of took control so I felt they kind of got dragged a bit bit mom and dad make big sacrifices for you to to do what you love doing and um probably no told them they actually appreciate it at the time but being a father now and going through the same with my kids it’s it’s a lot of work for them yeah and then so did you move from this house into that one just across the road did you talk about was think behind that carried the bed over I don’t know it was just a bit bigger house and stuff and um I I didn’t know what to move my brothers didn’t want to move areas and stuff so I believe it or not we we loved it yeah I imagine that was quite quite a strange when you think about people moving house it’s more like all they’re moving somewhere far away mom and dad didn’t want me to change in school and stuff I think I was in that stage where I was going for primary scho to high school as well so it was a awkward time so that house came up we actually knew the people that lived there so it was all seemed to go pretty smooth I was just a kid bit but it was no it was good perect so you didn’t play football in that Garden you you mentioned a park that we moved over to there’s a park that we’re going to go and see shortly hopefully um I there like little grassy bit doed over this is like this is kind of like the middle of C there’s not actually that much big grassy spaces the city center you can see know you look loads of different things you would not just football but just like any other kid what you would do yeah and well you’ve been big up this park so let’s go see it [Music] so this is the infamous Park where all began for you then this was the main one there’s another couple ones started about but this was like the the main Hub where like my street the streets over there with all meet and we we play five aze for some it seems a lot smaller the bigger you get it used to be grass they upgraded it to this ashy stuff I don’t know I don’t know if it’s any better but um now some fun memories here that’s like those painted gos where the old gos we used to use so this another of this no that’s met was that gold painted at the back was there I still don’t I Could Touch the bar so I don’t was can you touch the bar now but really fun memor had to kind of Dodge the dog poo as well which was loads on the pitch but it seems to be a lot clearer than it was before who did you play with down here then uh loads of boys there was like all different age groups as well I was probably one of the youngest but uh there was probably about n or 10 years and like you get like special guests for different people coming or some some else’s P house so it was it was brilliant does it feel we nostalgic coming back actually remembering visualizing everyone being here but I was going to say does it feel weird coming back or it does as I said it feels a lot smaller um but no we just spent hours here as I said just come home for Skool drop your bag in that was till you got shouted on for your dinner um it just seemed like every summer seemed like the Sun was shining it feels like you’re outside all the time seems a lot different I brought the kids back and they were like is this where you used to play football they used to like asro T and stuff like that but and not some very fun memories being here was it here then that you realized that or when did you realize that you you had a talent for football um because they were older it was probably I don’t know I didn’t think I was much better than anyone else it’s probably I went to like my boys club and then started getting picked for things like area select and stuff like that you think oh maybe I’m half decent but no I was always pretty grounded I don’t you could be uh too carried away yourself sure the older boys would knock you back down here all School nearby here I take everything here in kot seems quite quite connected H I went to D Primary School which is about 2 minute walk up the road and then went to B High School which is a we bit further away but did you try any other sports other than football were you no defend H but it was 99% football my dad used to try and get he actually took me for golf a we bit and then took me couple play tennis or badon but it was always always go back to football uhuh you’re not going to good at golf no I was going say GL I was never good didn’t enjoy so Lou tell us where we are now um this is I think it’s called Memorial Park it’s a where I played my boys club football at Thornton Colts um it was a team connected to th hibs actually main pitch is up there well I played here when I was N 9 or 10 years old and it was straight to 11 aside remember my first game we played against a team called josai feel really good and we got to be like 181 or something so it was a I good start to my football career and but no we actually had a successful team we’ done really well like the fif area and stuff and won a lot of Cups and some great memories here with like friends and and stuff that how did you get into playing for this club uh it was a boy in my classical St love he was really good at football and he he came here for a year or something and said like we’re actually needing more players they brought me up and then I rest history I was here for five or six years played like a year above for for a few years and then when I played like M age that was find I probably kind of kicked on but now we had a really good team some really good players that played for like different teams and and progressed as well so it was a it was a good time some fun can’t remember the hill being this big but um it looks like it goes down and then get a few goals ahead in this happening bit about the I volume’s over there but spent a lot of time up here and it’s nice to be back when you lost that first game 181 were you thinking this isn’t for me or uh I just remember was 11 inside I was just taken through I actually played left back probably one of the only games I played left back from Bo Club but I just remember taking like 50 throw that’s all boys just kicking it smashing it boys hitting shots for the guy with the biggest kick just cuz the goalies was tight and so it’s strange the football for kids is so much better now they play like four aside five as side and it’s a lot better but proper baptism a fire playing 11 aside at 9y Old uhuh so you’re left at that game but where did you normally play position WI moved up I played like C Mid most of my boys club career um it’s fun I think if you ask most players that play professional they were probably Center M at some point it’s probably you get the usually try and put the better kind of players in boys club in Center Midfield yeah I’m sure everyone saw a bit a spell a spell there but um as I said there was really good players on my team I don’t think I really stood out till I was about 11 or 12 maybe I moved moved to St Johnson from there uhuh how did that move to St Johnson then come about it was actually I don’t know if it’s the same but it was like a scout who was also a referee so he used to referee games but he was a scout for St Johnson and my d f as well but I went up to St Johnson I think there was three of us from Thon coasts that went and was there for about two or 3 years and then moved to hibs after that and who was it at at hibs then that that kind of made that initial contct it was actually a coach well my Coach Johnson Alis Stevenson we had like a match against the H Team of my age group and then they picked the best players from both teams and I managed to stick around so it was it was good so I moving here up then playing in per and and playing in edra it was a a nice experience but you still kind of see the same players that were good at boys club would still be good and then um I we had some good runs in the Scottish cup here we played like har Boys Club were good at My AG there’s a Le athletic team that were good at My AG so you get the big trip over the big smoking Ed that was the the big games and as a parent now see seeing your your eldest Lou going through that kind of like transition of of of playing us football do you you got any kind of advice advice for him or or did you put yourself I try and St it to be fair my dad he was never pushy even if I was playing well he wouldn’t P me too much or if I wasn’t have a good game it was it was pretty relaxed but I see parents these days that are all over the kid and it’s almost like too much pressure and they almost want it for themselves so I do try and stay out as much as I can with as little points I can give them try and do [Music] that IED in for a bit in for a bit so I’ve had various different crowd skills so going who who are some of the names in that then no real big names my first car scho I probably had was um leam Miller I think he didn’t have a driving license at the time and when I was living in Ed pick him up in town then drive him in so that was my first it was a big name uhhuh um did you get nervous driving driving like older players around I don’t know we it but you get used to after this how I feel driving you around oh I was never part of the Vango bus the Vang for is that the one James MC no was one that they actually bought oh really five boys for bought a think they called it the V had their own Twitter page and stuff never quite made the cut to get that so who was in that like James mCP Paul KY Paul heern and that fat fat B fat so have you never been into cars cars like or probably never had enough money to buy a to buy a ridiculous one had family put aliens someone that I could get a kids off transport them about and yeah till I get that big bump for move I’m holding out for I’ll treat myself a nice car have you ever had a offers to to leave H did that ever kind of crost your mind um no nothing that really tickled my fancy or nothing that was worthwh for really always probably a good fit for each other yeah see see most my probably signed as a backup left back or just a squad player and I just kind of happen to W on way for yeah most of the time so oh so you’re saying that you’ve wangled your way to 600 nearly nearly but now when I got to a certain stage I didn’t what to leave for any they had to be some magnificent offer for somewhere they really changed it [Music] so from Thornton to St Johnston then to hibs how how buzzing were you to to get that move to hibs over the line it was amazing it’s obviously one of the biggest clubs in Scotland and when I got that chance to to sign here from St Johnson it was some I couldn’t turn down bit more traveling for my mom and dad but H as I said before they made a lot of sacrifices and they were happy to do it again for me what was it like playing here root for the first time obviously major your debut was against but what was the thing here do you know what I actually can’t remember my first game on that pitch I think it might have been like an intert Cup game or something Buton and M um but like the Stadium’s obviously changed so much over the years the hospitality is obviously different the pitch is a lot better than what it used to be that stands totally different but this used to be like the Hub we’d come here for training day so we’d get the train for cord to away they walk down we’d meet here like right we’re going to Pink here we’re going to w train the day so now it’s always just used for day so it does feel a bit more special here here you know it’s going to be a game day um so I it’s changed so much for for when I first came so as you mentioned so you obviously here before they got the HCC the training and was was it a case of Simply turn up here and then find out where you’re training that day I didn’t know we’d turn up on the day find out where we were training you’d all jump in your cars or we’d have we mini bus that we have we drive and then come back here clean the stadium do your duties and then back up do everything the home and so it was a great experience it was it was fun it was enjoyable um like I just mad how much things have changed for the facilities now we didn’t have a gy some punch bags up up one behind one of the stands but it was like press UPS setups planks that was as high high as we as we got we used to do piggybacks in the pits and stuff like that that’s definitely a department that’s that’s changed a lot we out outside the stadium then in HC where was your kind of weirdest and wackiest place that you’d train we used to love it when see it was snowing and we couldn’t get any public packs we’d got world of soccer so indoor and was like a Royal Rumble a seven as side match it was it was growing so that was probably the most enjoyable but you go to all these public parks and be again Dodge and dog P which are good link for glue Parks so I was used to that so it was it was fine but it was it was good times had a great changeing with the some young boys and like that still came in touch with today so yeah that was good in terms of them when you must have run out here to play play for hibs 300 odd times here at at Easter Road do you still get that kind of same special feeling of excitement running out under the pitch or how has it kind of changed as as your career moved on there was times where it’s it was that hard it was like a proper pressure cook it was hard to enjoy it because there was so much pressure on us and especially when you’re not doing so well but the older I’ve got I try to enjoy it a lot more and you know never know it’s going to be our last game so need to Cher these moments and it’s a magnificent Stadium an unbelievable place to play when when the fans are behind just no better place to do win solo you’ve been here well essentially including your time at the Academy over 20 years now um in that time you’ve had a few haircuts to say the least I’m going to give you this and you can flick through some of them and I want you to talk me through them um this is I think your first that was a bird K on the head stage when everyone was going for I don’t know what that was look a bit looks a bit Gingy as well um could do a bit more meat on my legs as well H that was I’m sure that was the time we used to put the cap on the head and like flick the you too young remember but you bleach the hair but it doesn’t look great there your mom was saying yesterday that it was her that your ha so she says but I think I a few friends my girlfriend at the time but um I think that was my that my debut in Ireland I remember that game um I went I think it was two weeks after I’d been away with like the school my school friends in in magal and then two weeks and I was two weeks after that I was away with the first team preseason two iseland so thrown in at the deep end but a magnificent experience and you know I thought it would took me two or three years to get anywhere near the first team but two weeks I was I was lucky MF got injured and the Tony mry showed faith in me and took me along so it was good experience mhm there you go there’s a that’s proper Ginger here um uh I think that was kind of the same with the we Cup finals Justin Bieber K the stage and that’s a is that a Scotland under 18s is it h i don’t know what it be but um no I was looking enough to represent my country at a few different age groups so we always going up always quite involved with the in the Scotland setup play in the victory Shield which was like the youngest you could kind of get involved in at 15 when I was still at high school um got to play against England at hamton um Dave gray was actually Striker play in the same Scotland team at that time uh it was mad it was you know for all that team as well there’s probably three or four that kind of went on to make a career it was I was very very lucky to do that England had Fraser forer make riches and stuff playing for them as so that was an amazing experience and luckily in my career I got to go hand in a few more times after that that was when I think it was like some it’s the kit Sho was Hometown home kit thing they were supposed to go to Morocco for Benji Zama but they ran over budget so the pure media team got a trip to K instead and it was try to make it look best it’s um I not quite the same type of beaches you would have got in Morocco never actually that was the first time I’d ever been done that b cuz I don’t think any really goes down the beach and you you’ve done a few kind of like promo shoots and press calls and media calls over the year did you like doing that side of things in your career like the photos the media all that stuff uh honestly I absolutely hated it i’ probably got a bit better over time but it was so awkward man you get used to it and I think I’ve got a bit better over time dealing with but this was another one that you had to do that was when we playing um was playing Barcelona at money field but that was Andrew I was a boy went to school where he played rugby for like Eden BR Scotland and stuff and the media guy Dynamite used to work with Ed rugby so he to do something so that’s actually a no bad one there’s another one where he’s got me on his back carrying me about the pitch which was even worse so talking about Scot ski a few skipped a few years in between this this this is classic Lou ston hair cup but also obviously a proud moment for you playing for Scotland your First International senior cat first and only one but was it no it was M it came about it was nearly End season the season we done pretty well we’re actually close to second we end up finishing fourth I think but I had a phone call for Alex Mich and another guy I genuinely thought it was a prank I had a you know decent season he had a good season as well um but there’s a few injes in the Scotland Squad and he pH me to ask me go but I was supposed to go to Florida with the family and the wife was genuinely saying like well you enough to say you can’t go going to Florida I was like I don’t know if it really works like that I never get this opportunity again so we actually came to agreement and you know the quach and staff and Al special was he said like why don’t you just come play one game and you can go meet your family after so I missed a we bit the holiday but you know so was that was that um was that camp then was there multiple Camp was Peru and Mexico so kind of that side of the world as well so it did work out pretty well but I love the family the holiday with the family after but but I still part of me thinks I could have stayed and got involved in Mexico and I wouldn’t have been a one C Wonder got two CS under but now it was something I never probably when I got to like 25 26 I thought that it had passed Scotland was you know left back was a position that they had plenty of talent so I never really expected to play so to get it so late in my career was um was amazing this is this is the same haircut but it was after your obviously your 250 appearance um I probably look better now I think I’ve aged pretty well terrible then uh I don’t think the kit the training kit or the actual strip really helps to be honest done your any favor when you got to obviously we’ve kind of spoken a lot about different different Milestones that that that you’ve been on Jesus so that so the difference between these two photos here it’s the same haircut they’re taking a day apart oh and so that was the C 250 and that was your 251st against Rangers scoring that goal at I bro would you say say that’s the best goal you’ve ever scored for hibs um probably I wasn’t just the Finish but I think the whole build I think it was a Rangers Corner Ox has caught almost played out for the back came up the left and the full move was pretty good always gets cut you just see me slicing the ball in the net but uh that was a good move all around and a good a good team goal and um I think we won 2-1 so it was two it two no two N I think um soorry important go um talk to the Celebration uh just a bit shock that i’ scored to be honest but no like had a good team that year I think you know we had a decent record against Rangers well especially I Brook so it was a it was a good um hunting ground for That season this is obviously the promotion back of the Premier ship so there was an important time a long time coming tough spells in the championship it was actually like an enjoyable time in periods because we were winning a lot of games and like it was tough with hearts Rangers then done the united in the league but like we got the job done it was a strange kind of day we obviously won the league but the ga L at the time was was raging us how we performed that day and it was a kind of Bittersweet and he actually told us he wasn’t going to come out for the trophy after the game and 10 minutes later they came out so a few boys got slide for that after first lifting him up after at what he said but what was he was a Prof winner and what doy win every game what was your relationship like with with Lenny cuz you he was the manager that in your whole hip sare you played most games under most no it was almost like a a father figure like I love hate at times probably went both ways as well so no I love that it was a proper roller coaster training was fun but it was really hard work he just wanted to win every game we’d go to parad we’ go to Rangers and if we didn’t win he wouldn’t be happy which like I think an exciting time as well I speak to a lot of fans and they loved that time because he used to say before G he want to see a shot within 2 minutes so we it kind of sets the St gets the fans on your back and behind you s on your back there other ways they can do that here not like that um but no I still see him I still speak to him he’s he still speaks to my wife and stuff as well and he’s always asking for the family so not a great man a great manager and this is a testimonial IM SE how young the kids were then like that was another one lenon was the manager at the time he just came in can remember those boots uh but it was a proper game it was like a friendly but the game was actually really good there was tackles fine I remember somebody smashed after 10 minutes again for see for that whole season whenever I didn’t play well when he was like walking around like it’s your testimon like you let please let that go but it was a prob good game I think was it 22 or something or two I can’t but it was a genuinely good game you know like a lot of HS fans turned out not to support me but to support the team as well and it was something I never really wanted to do was was take the option of testimonial but a few people I don’t know I just the whole Spotlight and I tried to TA it down had a game in in a night and maybe now my came I wish more no it was like I don’t know just the time and things had happened and stuff but and no I’m glad they done it and a great turnout and the F show appr appreciation for me that they was was some never forget this this this photo is yeah taken in kind of co co times what was that like to to play is that a CO haircut as well who was doing your haircut good fight um it was a strange time it was uh like it’s strange for everyone not just on football but just to play in the stadium with no fans and the football seemed different was a lot slower and I don’t know there wasn’t as much like honestly some of the games we would just what go one up and just boot the ball as far as we could and you have no pressure having to actually play you kick the ball in the stand take it was a strange but the boys done really well that year finished third that year it was strange and I just wish that the fans were there to see it and stuff and I did feel for like Jack Ross and and the new player because I know if the fans were here the season would have been the place would have been absolutely rocking last season and then just just finally then this is obviously 450 League appearance becoming the alltime hips appearance record in the league another M St to take off yeah um I didn’t think the manager Lee Johnson at time you so it was it was nice to then a presentation after the game and stuff and again I was kind of in and out with Lee Johnson but it was always respectful relationship and tried my best for him when whenever I got the chance and I think it took me a bit of time to get in the team but I ended up doing pretty well for him that that season as well so I see it I especially when you get older stage you know a manager comes in thinking I really need to freshen up the squad these old guys have been hanging about for ages but I think if you’re still performance it takes a bit of time but they see what you do and when they need a result or something they can they they can rely on you how is my current haircut compared to few bit of gray that’s silver I’ve done I’ve done that on purpose that’s right I’m 36 right so from haircuts to history Lou you’re the only ever hibs player to win both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup um let’s take a look back at some some of those memories starting with the Scottish League Cup way back in 2007 um you only 19 years old at the time do you think winning trophies was easy um I was probably blaz at the time thinking this fball Mar all right it seems pretty easy um kind of learn the hard way and it was a long struggle after that but no looking back and just seeing the the ball slapping off the captain’s head going in for a goal and I’ve got a lot of fun memories of that we a really good team and you probably I didn’t realize it at the time but looking back at some of the players we had in um a real strong team and players that went to kick on and played internationally and played for some big teams were you nervous going to the final excited what was the kind of I was proper nervous a different kind of nervous night I hadn’t played that many games I think I played in a few games and the run up towards a game but um it’s a strange it’s a strange kind of feeling I didn’t expect to play when got got the no the night before the game saying I was going to play and then um I the rest history I suppose I played Fett well that day but so did team what did what did the manager say to you the night before then and cuz you were play you were playing left mid weren’t you playing left left Center mid or left mid three um I just said they wanted my energy wanted me show composure on the ball and and uh I like it’s just a blur I don’t remember much of the game at all I’ve never actually watched it all back and it was all pretty hectic I don’t well in the first half and then the second half you know we kicked all and done why have you never watched all back I don’t know I’ve never really been one one for that it’s probably some I’ve done a bit more now kind of analyzing my performance and stuff but uh some haircut that see H I don’t know I never like watched myself I just I hate the way I play and stuff like that few many fans hate watch was the same kind some unbelievable players on that team and magnificent to be part of I never sto winning that cup that I would I would gone to be at this stage the only the only player to win the two cups with the club during the the game then when did you kind of feel confident that that you were going going to go on to to win again because because end up winning 5 51 and looks convincing I don’t know I think when they scor at 3-1 and then when we got the fourth to go 4-1 I think that was kind of um you know the energy kind of kicked out them when we knew that was that was party time so to speak but as a player fan you know you know you’re never safe so I don’t never felt safe to the final I went obviously only 19 years old at the time but in terms of the the party after you mentioned party time what was that like it was different for the Scottish cup we went straight on the bus after the game hav we done like a thing at the city Chambers so that the bus parade was at night and we went back to the stadium and like done a lap at the stadium and stuff so I unbelievable say probably took a bit too much for granted probably enjoyed that night a bit too much and can’t remember too much which it’s not great at 19 years old to the gaffa was very happy me for that but um it’s obviously like kind of the middle of the Season as well so emotional days I think the Gaff from when we lost his Dad recently so it was emotional for him and he wasn’t that long into the job and um I know just it was unbelievable day and someone cherish forever it’s nice looking back as I said I’ve not really looked back in it so I can’t remember too much Yeah you mentioned some of the the players in that team it was it was started wasn’t it you got Rob Jones Scott Brown there obviously boozy um some players that went on to do great things in the game I look a lot of those players are probably my my hi’s best 11 that shows how know how long ago it was as well but some top players in top people as well I know there was a bit of stuff going on off off the park at that time but um notal forage that when I first came I I was only the first team for a year or a year and a half hanging on the corner there hang on the edge squeeze him away in the photo but so this is what you’re talking this straight after this was um straight after the straight after the game we went went in the bus um you know I don’t think I was there probably one by that was probably enough for 19 but I had different set up for the Scottish cup but and luckily took fos cuz I it’s been that long I can can hardly better and of course player of the match in the in the final is that something that you could only really have have dreamt of thinking back to the night before when you get the call that you’re going to be in the in the team look I probably think just do right try stay on at half time and after that but like I still think that there’s probably other players that were better in the pitch maybe my age kind of help me get man of the match that day I’ve played pretty well but um you know if you scored two goals in a cup fting you probably probably to get M right M so this is the The League Cup um we’ll move on to the Scottish cup four finals later and nine years later it takes us to Scottish Cup Final against Rangers and couldn’t have asked for a better start in this one it was probably something that we that we wanted to do was was start quick and get the fans on our side and you know quieten them and we got off to a great start we never gave up at all even after this which could have been a s blow a great strike to be fair you know kind of thinking see more tibs at that point but um now we showed great resolve some great set places great header and I think we had a a fair belief the whole team throughout the squad that we could do it that dayon still feels like a dream watching it to be honest where were you on the pitch I was back the park so I by the time I went over the celebrations it was time we run back I think I was that tired as well barely got to the end but I remember the last two three minutes after that my leg like felt like an outer B The Experience didn’t it feel like it was me playing I was just caught up in the emotion and the Euphoria of all and um don’t give CR so much in my life after that a moment in time a moment in his still awward as W the Scottish cup it is glor glory to the high so going back then to to before and almost the run to the final when you’re coming into the final how do the nerves compare from when you back into 2017 to this one here I felt a lot more nervous a different type of nerves I think just to be the season had when we had missed out on the playoffs I think the week before um we got beat by Ross County in the League Cup you know so for us not to come away with anything that SC would Trav because you can see the players we had unbelievable team and so close uh to a lot of things that season so being the pessimist I was thinking especially two one here we go again but M the boys showed great resolve and um unbelievable unbelievable day not just in my football care but in my life when you get get back to to 22 are you thinking this is now our time because you’ve obviously been there before finals I didn’t think we would had enough time before the end of the game to get a goal but um I thought it might be an extra time actually dread and think penalties as well so I just unbelievably for the captain to score near the last kick of the ball was you couldn’t have picked any better way to do you said it was like an outof Body Experience um the last kind of 90 plus two onwards can you try and put into towards what that that was like from when the ball went into trying to then see out the game to the celebrations afterwards I probably just feel like any other HS fan at that moment he just couldn’t believe what was happening because the way the season has went I knew how close you were but I don’t you can really trust anything until it actually happens and there’s no bit feeling when that final was went and we finally got our hands on the cup I always remember T who was one of the coaches at the time told me in for to go up second and third because i’ had been there for so long and but at the time I didn’t think any of it but was obviously to be close to the cup getting lifted and to be next to yeah lifted it was it was it was nice and something always cherish for from seeing those those small Woods that made me do you mentioned it was a it was a special day for you but also for for your F family as well one of the best your life they’ve seen a lot of the heartache and stuff before remember some that thought and thought it was one of the Cup finals we got beat but was actually just a disbelief of couldn’t believe that we’ actually won it there’s I’m not sure if it’s on this but there’s another photo that um is one of you and Louie your son almost almost standing up behind the where the cup got lifted and just with the family sitting like I think they felt they feel the emotions as much as they P at times they’ been through the heartache was as well so uh that was a nice moment for them and just like a weight of everyone shoulders what ages were the were the kids then at at that time do they know do they know was going on I think it was just I don’t know if Lun was no she would have been B she would have been one and half would been four mhm four maybe um so still pretty young but he he says he can still remember it still hanging on the side of the exing getting in there but not was some some team wasn’t it no it was good even like I don’t know this this morning but even the strip and everything thought looks really classy and the white shs the white socks as well I think is amazing I actually don’t know where my strip is to be honest I only the boys like cherish it with their memories wear those so I really need to look at all it one then hopefully still got kep in good it you you’re not sentimental then with some of your I do I just don’t like FL it too much especially more in the house um but I’m sure when the kids move out one day I’ll get up one day if Miss lets me put up in the wall always beening the biceps that year as it was a great group of boys even like come in out there and it was an unbelievable dressing room and I think through all the tough times you went to that season it does make a difference like lifting the cup we f um you know when we see the boys we always talk about and stuff and it’s I’m sure we’ll be getting fied out and years to come and talking about again the other thing I was actually going to mention was uh the the parade and the bus parade so that was then the day after going down coming down Le walk and that hundreds of thousands of of of Highways there what was what was that like going up everything it was like I obviously tasted it with a week cup but this was a whole different level I think we went to the chambers as well in the morning but it wasn’t until we got to the top ear what looking down some like words kind of describe how this feels in and seeing the Euphoria in people’s faces people hanging at the window on top of pubs on top of lamposts um it was mad a mad day I think we had a play sponsor morning or something just happened to me that day so we had to do that first and then bust up to the chambers and then I can’t remember what we done the night I think went out after the night of the the night of the cup final he must on it was mad I remember we went to like George we couldn’t get in anywh was big we ended up sharing room me like it was like a private schools rugby team function or something and who are you guys it was a strange K T night but we made the most it how did they how did the the two compare you’re saying one you’re at 19 years old it was defin I felt more part of team at this time I felt a bit young and I was still kind of training with the youth team and as well when I was in the league cup so you probably never feel like a first team player but you know these were like playing football we mat the squad so it was it felt totally different and I think just the way the leag had gone the season had gone with with we with a really good team but we worked closer together over the the things that were going on and um I I remember that that team for the rest of Life you’ve come a long way since you first started taking a ball around this park three kids now how special was that experience for you to to raise a family in this area as well uh it was nice Lou was actually born in Eden but to kind of lived and on f one and but now we still come back visit grandparents mom and dad still up the road and jul H mom just di not too far for here so it was nice and just feel for what I started it h to now I’ve got a family few kids and uh a wife as well so it’s it’s my quick things and I see a a player as well H he’s all right he’s he loves it as well he came in nonstop football so I know what it was like at his age and I’m kind of doing the sacrificing and the driving about now that Mom and Dad used to do so uh I appreciate a lot more a lot more now uh don’t know if you those like looking back on it all then um coming up to 600 appearances the only player at hibs ever to in the Scottish cup The League Cup the record League appearance holders could you ever envisage being this successful when you first started out playing n no uh I never was one for Milestones or anything and it’s probably just the closest you get to get to finishing that it kind of all hits home so I look I’ve done well to get close to 600 I would love to love to try and get to 600 still a few games left so we’ll see what happens um but now like when I’ve finally H the boots up and look back at my career I have a lot of fun memories and um I I’ve done pretty well in how much does this club mean to you it means every I’ll be honest that before I went to hibs I didn’t know much about the club and you said how much my life my life’s changed um you know owe basically more than half my life to have so it’s been it’s been amazing and it’s loveing me forever and for be a massive part of my life well you been an absolute hi’s Legend uh everybody at the club loves you the fans all love you and you’ve being a top man thanks for taking well thanks man cheers Legend Cheers Cheers Cheers touch I know