Derby daze

Manchester kids derby dash put Ryan in mood for a scrap
RONNIE MacKAY
Published: 3 hrs ago

RYAN McGIVERN knows how tasty a derby can be.

The Hibs stopper, on loan from Manchester City, had bitter rivals Manchester United putting the boot in because they were losing 8-0 in a youth game.

And the tackles were flying even more because the Blues took the mickey as the clock ran down.

But the Northern Irish international knows today’s Scottish Cup derby with Hearts will be on another level.

McGivern, 22, said: “I’ve played youth derbies and reserves and there’s an edge to them all.

“When we won the FA Youth Cup and the league in 2008, our first game against United had been called off early in the season and it came late on.

“We ended up beating them 8-0, which is probably the most memorable game I had with them.

“It was a big shock. We kept the ball for about five minutes without them touching it at one point.

“We had already won the league and we were in the semis of the cup.

“They were expecting us to field a weakened side but we did the opposite and we gave them a bit of a doing.

“Our team had Vladimir Weiss in it and Dedryck Boyata, while Kiko Macheda played for them along with the likes of Ben Amos, Danny Drinkwater and Cameron Stewart.

“It got a bit tasty towards the end with the tackles, especially when they weren’t getting a touch of the ball, but that’s part and parcel of a derby.

“As players you need to stand up and be counted and we’ll be ready for that on Sunday.

“This is my first proper one. I’ve played in those Manchester ones, but nothing like this.

“As soon as the draw was made, I was as excited as everyone else about it.

“We’ve had a few league games to negotiate, but it stayed in the back of our minds and we’re raring to go now.”

McGivern has stayed in touch with Weiss, who was a cult hero at Rangers during a loan spell at Ibrox.

McGivern added: “I didn’t speak to Vladimir before I came here, but I’ve spoken to him regularly since.

“He did really well up here, and he fell in love with Rangers. He said he’d love to come back.

“If a top-class player like him is saying that then the game here is doing something right.

“Weiss was great for us at City. He scored the second and won a penalty in the Youth Cup final when we beat Chelsea that season.” McGivern knows the Hibs fans are still smarting from the 5-1 Cup Final defeat last May and want revenge.

However he insists that Hampden horror show isn’t part of his thinking.

He said: “I only saw a bit of that game. I was out watching the Championship play-off final and the Scottish Cup Final was on the opposite TV.

“James McPake scoring caught my eye and I kept checking it after that, but I had no idea I’d be here then.

“But listen, this year we’re a totally new team. I’m not sure how many of the team at the moment played in the final, but we’ve shown we’re a different animal.

“Hearts won’t be facing the same Hibs team they faced in the Cup Final.

“We’ll pretty much just ignore it. It hasn’t been getting talked about. It’s a team of different players who are on form, sitting second in the table and have plenty of confidence.

“Obviously it’s different for the fans as it’s about the bragging rights for them — you might even say it’s about revenge.

“I had a guy approach me on Thursday morning at the cash machine who said he hadn’t been to a game all season but he was coming to this one! He just said ‘good luck and make sure you get stuck in’.

“It’s obviously a massive game, but it’s just a chance to get through to the next stage of the Cup.

“If we can take out our rivals along the way it’s an added bonus.”

McGivern’s loan deal ends next month, but he hasn’t ruled out staying at Hibs for the rest of the season.

He revealed: “The manager has said he’d like to keep me, but we’ll take it as it comes in January.

“My contract is up in the summer so the last thing I want is to go back and sit in the stiffs doing nothing.

“Once I’ve weighed up my options, if it’s right to stay here, then it’s something I’ll do.

“I’m loving every minute of it and hopefully my first derby will only add to that.”