On the 27th October 1991, Hibs lifted the League Cup at Hampden Park for the second time in their history after beating Dunfermline Athletic 2-0 at Hampden Park. Goals from Tommy McIntyre and Keith Wright helped the Hibees to cup glory under the leadership of Alex Miller.
We caught up with three members from the starting XI that day; Gareth Evans, Keith Wright and Mickey Weir to reminisce about that famous day in 1991.
On the road to Hampden we beat Stirling Albion (3-0), Kilmarnock (3-2) and Ayr United (2-0) before overcoming Rangers 1-0 in the semi-final thanks to another goal from Keith Wright.
Hibs forward, Gareth Evans, made 257 appearances for Hibernian between 1988-1996 recalls the semi-final at Hampden.
He said: “It was an evening game at Hampden. Rangers were a decent team at the time, they had won the league and were the cup-holders. We were playing against near enough an England team mixed with Scottish internationals. So to go there and beat them as we did was fantastic."
Keith Wright, scored 59 goals for the Hibees in 197 appearances – one of which came in the semi-final against Rangers. He said:
“Micky put a great ball in for me and I managed to get on the end of it thankfully. It was a fantastic result and it was our cup final really because we knew if we won this then we would be going into the cup final as massive favourites.
“We had a few chances to kill the game but in general it was nip and tuck – Budgey (John Burridge) helped us out with a few big saves as well that day.
“Hampden was full, the fans were ecstatic. Given what the club had been through in the last 12 months, it was great to have a final to look forward.”
The summer previous, there had been attempt from Hearts chairman, Wallce Mercer to merge the two Edinburgh clubs. The bid fell on deaf ears with the players, management and fans of the clubs. Gareth tells us how the proposed merger motivated the players on the pitch.
“Our neighbours who were trying to take over the football club which to any Hibs supporter would have been an absolute tragedy. The right thing happened and the club fought back and it galvanised the players. We knew how much the club meant to the fans and that spurred us on as players.
Mickey added: “Hibs and Hearts together - it was never going to happen. It never will happen.”
Going into the final, Hibs went in as firm-favourites after their semi-final heroics. But Mickey remembers the pressure getting to Hibs in the first-half.
“In the first-half we weren’t the best. All the pressure was on us, we had just beaten them the week before in the league, but in the first half there was a nervousness about us.
“Alec Miller’s team talk at halftime changed it for me. I’ve never seen him as calm, he just said you know we’ve got the fitness, you know the tactics, we have got good players, so let’s just go out and win the cup - simple as that.
"We got the penalty and were well in control of the game after that. I remember the pressure after the Rangers game was huge and the relief when we went 1-0 up was massive."
Evans added: They (Dunfermline) had a good team too and it wasn’t an easy game. David Moyes was centre half, Billy Davies was in the middle of the park, Ian McColl was in there too. They knew the game and were decent so it wasn’t as if we were going to turn up and win the game.
“When the penalty came, Tommy (Wright) was the coolest man in Hampden and slotted it home.”
Keith and Mickey combined again for the second goal, to put the game beyond all doubt. Mickey tell us that when he played Keith in, he knew he was going to score.
“Keith was one of these players that when he was in a 1v1 situation you were confident he was going to score. I always had confidence him, Keith was one of the best finishers I’ve ever seen.”
Keith recalls the winning goal: “I didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. We won the ball in the right back area and the ball found its way to Micky, once he had the ball I knew the chance was coming.
“I made the run and just beat the offside trap – nowadays – they would’ve probably called it offside. When I was through on goal, I was thinking, three-weeks before that I was in the same situation against Dunfermline, and I did the same thing. I knew the keeper was going to dive early so I just dinked it over him.
“It was the best feeling in the world when it hit the back of the net.”
The cup triumph was the first was the first piece of silverware Hibs had enjoyed since the 1972 League Cup triumph win over Celtic. The fans and players certainly made the most of it, the celebrations carrying over into the coming days.
“The scenes back in Edinburgh were unreal”, Mickey explains.
“There were Hibs supporters everywhere, all around the city. It was unbelievable how mobbed Princess Street and Leith walk were. An absolute sea of people.”
Wright added: “With what happened in the summer it was a relief to still have a club and then to win a cup within three months it was just unbelievable to see how much it meant to the fans and obviously us, the players.
"It was something you will never forget. It just showed us, dreams come true if you are willing to work for them.”
