LEGEND MIXU STILL GETS ODD PAAT ON BACK

Aug 6 2005

By Anthony Haggerty

MIXU PAATELAINEN is the man to talk to when it comes to Edinburgh derbies.

During his time at Easter Road the Finn was involved in two eight-goal thrillers. One turned him into a Hibee legend - the other he would rather forget about.

A Paatelainen hat-trick helped Alex McLeish's Hibs thrash Jim Jefferies' Jambos 6-2 in October 2000at Easter Road.

But the Tynecastle clash in January 2003 was just as special. That game finished up 4-4, with Hearts netting twice in injury time to earn a point after Grant Brebner had put Hibs 4-2 up in the 90th minute.

One was his career high, the other without doubt a low, but results like those are why derby day is so special in Edinburgh.

Paatelainen said: 'The 6-2 game was unbelievable. After my third goal went in I went mad.

'I remember doing a silly dance with Franck Sauzee that we used to do in the showers after matches. It wasn't planned and I still don't know why we did it.

'To score a hat-trick for Hibs in an Edinburgh derby was special and fans still ask me about the game.

'It's nice to have touched so many people's lives just by scoring a few goals.

'I still have the match ball in the house and that game gave me one of the best highlights of my career.'

But for every ying there is a yang and Paatelainen knows there are Hibs fans who still treat the extraordinary 4-4 derby match as a defeat.

He said: 'I had to remind the boys after the match that we had drawn the game.

'I doubt I'll ever play in another match with three goals in the 90th minute.

'The Hibs fans were upset - and understandably so. Some still register that game as a defeat.

'After that day I now know that anything is possible in football and you always have to play to the final whistle.'

Paatelainen would love to don the green and white jersey tomorrow when Tony Mowbray's men lock horns with George Burley's rejuvenated Jambos.

And the Finn believes both sides are getting closer to taking on the Old Firm.

Paatelainen said: 'It's often difficult for clubs like Hibs and Hearts to sustain a decent challenge over a full season but George Burley has signed some quality players and Hibs have really impressed me under Tony Mowbray.

'Along with two of my other old clubs, Aberdeen and Dundee United, they can close the gap on the Old Firm this season

Taken from the Daily Record