Hearts striker John Sutton is hoping to repeat New Year win of 12 months ago when his team take on Capital rivals
David McCarthy

THE striker says Hibs have a long way to go before they can claim to be the capital kings of football.
John Sutton is ready for the Edinburgh derby John Sutton is ready for the Edinburgh derby

HIBS are above Hearts in the SPL, have just beaten Celtic and knocked the Jambos out of the Scottish Cup earlier this season.

That’s more than enough evidence for the fans who flock to Tynecastle tonight to cheer on Pat Fenlon’s team to believe that after years of being second best in the capital the balance of power is switching from Gorgie to Leith.

They’ll travel across town fuelled with the belief their team can win their first league derby since Derek Riordan scored from the spot at Tynecastle to record a 1-0 victory in the spring of 2009.

But according to John Sutton, Hibs fans can think what they want – their team still has a long way to go to prove they are top club in Edinburgh.

The Hearts striker will lead the line for John McGlynn’s men tonight and yesterday at their Riccarton base he was leading from the front.

He was having none of it when it was suggested the SPL table, the Scottish Cup reverse at Easter Road last month and Hearts’ precarious financial position could mean for the first time in years his club might have to play second fiddle to their neighbours.

“If Hibs finish second and win the Scottish Cup 5-1 and we finish where we are then people can talk about a power shift,” was his assessment of that theory.

“There’s a long way to go this season. We haven’t had a good start but we’re not a million miles away even from second place and have the semi-final of the League Cup.

“We have plenty left to play for and if we can get our act together I don’t think people will be talking in terms of a shift.

“From our point of view we didn’t deserve to lose to them in the Cup but we maybe didn’t deserve to win. We could have done more at Easter Road.

“Hibs have had a better season but we’re focused on ourselves. I don’t want to get into the whole they beat us and we beat them 5-1 in the Final.

“It’s not about that – it’s about the next game against them. Hopefully we can beat them and start a decent run in the league.

“A win over Hibs would set us up for the rest of the season. We’re a bit lower down in the league than we’d have liked but we’re still not too far off the pace.

“A win against Hibs, a run of games to get up the league and then there’s still the League Cup to play for.

“Hopefully at the end of the season we can look back and say it’s been a good year for the club.”

Things are looking a whole lot brighter for Sutton than they were a few months ago when he was spending too much time on the bench for his liking.

A change in formation from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 has allowed him to form a partnership with young Gordon Smith and he’s happy with how the relationship is developing.

Sutton said: “I want to play but you have to get your head down and work hard when you aren’t. It’s happened to most players in football and when the chance comes you have to take it.

“Gordon Smith has come in and done well – but you can look at formation and personnel and the main thing is getting results.

“We were disappointed to lose to Killie in our last game because we had been on a good run before that.

“But the main thing is to get a group of wins together. It’s about results.

“It’s games like this against Hibs that make you want to do well at the club. The ground will be jampacked and the atmosphere will be brilliant, everyone is looking forward to it.”

Jambos gaffer John McGlynn can’t wait for his first derby at Tynecastle since becoming manager but knows full well that on the 40th anniversary of Hibs’ 7-0 victory on Gorgie, the opposition fans will have something to sing about.

Then again the Hearts support won’t be long in reminding them about the 5-1 scoreline in last season’s Scottish Cup Final.

McGlynn said: “That’s good- hearted banter and that’s how it should be. If it’s done in that kind of tone then that’s fine, I’m looking forward to it. To have your friends and family there and supporters behind you means a lot.

“All the derby games I’ve managed in have been at Easter Road. Hopefully I can redress the balance and win this game.”

There is a major fitness doubt over Andy Webster and Hearts will also be without ever-present Ryan McGowan who is on his way to finalise a move to China.

And McGlynn didn’t have good news to report on the rehabilitation of Jamie Hammill who will be the natural replacement for the Australian when he recovers from the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained last March.

The Hearts boss said: “It’s very difficult to replace Ryan. It’s not long ago Hearts had about five right-backs but now we have a problem with that position.

“But we will move the pack around and go with the best options we have.

“When I came into the job I was thinking if we lost Ryan in January, Jamie would be an automatic replacement because he had an operation in March.

“But that’s not the case. He is getting a bit of pain and our physio Rob Marshall is liasing with the surgeon about the best way to go forward.

“That doesn’t mean more surgery but the surgeon has the know-how and is advising us on how to get him back.”

Taken from the Daily Record