WE'RE EVERY BIT AS DESPERATE AS HEARTS FOR A WIN

THE Hearts game at Easter Road cannot come quickly enough for me.

Everyone has been speaking about the significance of this match for Hearts in their quest for a Champions League place.

Newsflash.

Hib s are actually still competing for a place in Europe and we know we have to win this Edinburgh derby to ensure we stay on course for a place in the UEFA Cup next season by remaining in fourth place.

Some people appear to have forgotten how crucial this game is for Hibs and seem to believe that our season is already over.

It is far from finished I can assure you.

The Hib s players are determined to salvage something from this season after doing so well in the early months. Qualifying for European competition for a second-successive campaign would be a significant achievement.

Hib s do not want Hearts to finish second and we want to put a spanner in the works of their Champions League ambitions.

So make no mistake - we will be trying our utmost to beat them on Saturday.

We will go into the match mindful of the recent Scottish Cup semi-final defeat at Hampden.

I would be lying if I said we were not looking to exact some sort revenge over them for that crushing disappointment.

It was worse for me as I was suspended and I could not do anything about it.

We felt the scoreline was not a true reflection of the game as Hibs did not have their strongest team out and we will have a few personnel back so it will be a tighter game this time around - I am sure of that.

We are two points ahead of Kilmarnock in the race for fourth spot and a possible place in Europe and we just have to keep on winning.

I love the derbies as the atmosphere offers something completely different and when you have been brought up a Hibs supporter like myself then there is no better fixture on the football calendar.

I just wish the days away until Saturday, I am that impatient.

Apoint against the champions at Celtic Park on Sunday though has set us up nicely for the derby match.

It was the first time I had played at Celtic with a wind that strong. I thought I had scored with my chip shot so it was disappointing to see it drift wide.

It was the proverbial game of two halves as we did well in the first half only for it to be all Celtic in the second.

We defended well and to gain an away point was a great result for us.

It is such an intimidating atmosphere in Glasgow when you play either of the Old Firm but we have proved consistently this season that we can handle those occasions now.

I guess the cynics may focus on the fact that I am out of contract with Hibs in October and that this could be my last Edinburgh derby. But I have not given that much consideration.

All I want to do is to play my part in seeing Hibs win and hopefully go on to clinch a European spot.

I've scored against Hearts before but I would dearly love to be part of a winning Hibs team in a derby match.

And there would b e no better time than Saturday.

Taken from the Daily Record