Pat Fenlon is praying city rivals can overcome financial difficulties

"I WOULD like see Hearts to stay up. It’s important for us as a club," says Hibs gaffer before derby.
Pat Fenlon knows how important the rivalry between Hibs and Hearts is for both clubs Pat Fenlon knows how important the rivalry between Hibs and Hearts is for both clubs

HIBS boss Pat Fenlon wants bitter city rivals Hearts to avoid the drop – because the capital clubs need each to flourish.

The Easter Road men travel to Tynecastle today to face a Hearts side in administration.

They’ve had to jettison stars and been hit with a 15-point penalty that makes them the favourites for the drop.

But ahead of today’s first derby of the season, Dubliner Fenlon admits he wants to see the Jambos pull through.

He admits the loss of Hearts to the Premiership would leave a hole in Hibs’ finances.

Fenlon said: “I would like see Hearts to stay up. It’s important for us as a club.

“This weekend’s match is close to being a sell-out and derbies bring a 16-17,000 crowd to Easter Road too.

“Over a season that’s a lot of money for both clubs.

“And if you want to progress and bring in better players then your revenue streams have to be good.

“We have lost Rangers and most of the clubs have had to adapt to that. It was a big blow because they brought a big crowd through. It’s the same with ourselves and Hearts.

“You don’t want to see any football club go out of business, that’s for certain.

“Are Hearts paying for overspending? There is a piece of that, the saying that you make your bed and lie in it.

“That’s the way it is at times, not just for football but every walk of life.”

Hibs enjoyed an unbeaten five-game run against their rivals last season, winning twice, but the 5-1 drubbing to Hearts in the 2012 Scottish Cup final remains the club’s nadir.

He added: “I’m glad it’s still around, it’s the big game. I love the derbies, it’s why you want to be involved in football.

“You’re going into the lions’ den and that’s what gets the pulses going when you go into fixtures like that.

“It’s tremendous to look forward to and if you’re a player and a coach and you don’t enjoy going there, then you’re in the wrong business.”

Fenlon does not have his own problems to seek after Hibs’ 9-0 aggregate defeat to Malmo in the Europa League. But he has an idea of Hearts gaffer Gary Locke is going through after encountering severe financial problems during his time at Shelbourne in 2006.

He added: “I know what it’s like. It’s difficult for anybody in financial trouble whether you’re a footballer or builder.

“At Shelbourne, we were never in an insolvency event but got to a situation where the players and staff had maybe not been paid for 12 weeks.

“Shelbourne paid their debts and they’re still going so that’s great credit to them.

“When players are not being paid, that’s difficult – because the manager is the one who has brought them to the club so it’s hard to deal with.”

Taken from the Daily Record