2007–08 Hibernian F.C. season

Season 2007–08 for Hibernian could be split into three distinct parts: a great unbeaten start to the Scottish Premier League season that temporarily took the club to the top of the league;[1] a terrible middle phase which saw a long winless run and the resignation of John Collins as Hibs manager;[2] and, finally, a modest recovery under the management of Mixu Paatelainen, who was appointed in January 2008. This took Hibs into the top half of the SPL, but short of third place and the UEFA Cup spot, which was won by Motherwell.

Hibernian
2007–08 season
ChairmanRod Petrie
ManagerJohn Collins
Mixu Paatelainen
SPL6th
Scottish CupFifth round
CIS CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: Fletcher, 13
All: Fletcher, 14

Pre-season

Hibs started pre-season training at a training centre in Austria, where they worked with fitness coach Roger Propos.[3] At the end of the week they played SV Vöcklabruck in their first pre-season friendly. John Collins used this game to experiment, using 21 different players as Hibs lost the match 3–2.

Returning to Scotland, Hibs played a friendly against Brechin, which they won 2–0 with goals from Abdessalam Benjelloun and Clayton Donaldson. Four days later, Hibs routed First Division new boys Stirling Albion 5–0. Hibs then played their third friendly in eight days at the Almondvale Stadium, where they left it late against Livingston. Hibs eventually won 2–0 through goals by Steven Fletcher and Merouane Zemmama, who scored on a rebound from a penalty taken by Ross Chisholm. Hibs rounded off their pre-season campaign with two friendlies against Premiership opposition, beating Bolton Wanderers 3–0 and Middlesbrough 1–0.

Results
7 July 2007 Friendly matchSV Vöcklabruck3 – 2HibernianVoralpenstadion, Vöcklabruck
Benjelloun
Joneleit 		Attendance: 193
10 July 2007 Friendly matchBrechin City0 – 2HibernianGlebe Park, Brechin
Benjelloun
Donaldson 		Attendance: 661
Referee: Willie Hornby
14 July 2007 Friendly matchStirling Albion0 – 5HibernianForthbank Stadium, Stirling
Benjelloun ,
Trialist
Beuzelin
Donaldson 		Attendance: 1,757
Referee: Alan Muir
18 July 2007 Friendly matchLivingston0 – 2HibernianAlmondvale, Livingston
Shiels
Zemmama 		Attendance: 3,162
Referee: Steven Nicholls
25 July 2007 Friendly matchHibernian3 – 0Bolton WanderersEaster Road, Edinburgh
Fletcher
Murphy
Benjelloun 		Attendance: 8,256
Referee: Dougie McDonald
28 July 2007 Friendly matchHibernian1 – 0MiddlesbroughEaster Road, Edinburgh
Campbell Attendance: 9,082
Referee: Mike Tumilty

League season
Hibs 3–3 Aberdeen,
25 August 2007

Hibs got the season off to a dream start by beating Edinburgh derby rivals Hearts 1–0 at Tynecastle. Brian Kerr, who was making his competitive debut for Hibs, scored the goal in the second minute. Hibs continued their winning start to the season, coming from 2–0 down to beat Gretna 4–2.

Hibs extended their unbeaten run with two draws, 0–0 away to Dundee Utd and 3–3 at home with Aberdeen. In the latter game, Hibs had to come back from 3–1 down after two clear mistakes by their goalkeeper, Yves Makabu-Makalambay. Hibs then beat Inverness 1–0 in their next game, during which Makalambay saved a penalty taken by Marius Niculae.

Despite being unbeaten in the league, Hibs were expected to struggle in the next three games, as they were due to play both of the Old Firm. Hibs upset league champions Celtic at Easter Road 3–2, although they were aided by two clear errors made by Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc. Hibs then bounced back from their disappointing CIS Cup exit by beating Kilmarnock 4–1, mainly thanks to a hat trick by Clayton Donaldson. In the following match, Hibs beat Rangers 1–0 at Ibrox to temporarily go top of the SPL and extend their unbeaten league run to 10 games, including the last game of the 2006–07 season.

Hibs then started a dreadful run of form by losing their next two games against Motherwell and St Mirren. After a 1–0 victory over Gretna, Hibs went on a run of 11 games without a win in the SPL. By the end of 2007, Hibs had fallen out of the top six. This slump prompted the resignation of manager John Collins in December.

Hibs 0–0 Rangers,
4 May 2008

Mixu Paatelainen was appointed as manager on 10 January 2008. Hibs won their first game under him, defeating Inverness 3–0 in the Scottish Cup, but lost their first league game, 1–0 in the derby at Tynecastle. Hibs won four successive league games in February, defeating Gretna 4–2, Aberdeen 3–1, Inverness 2–0 and Falkirk 2–0. Hibs lost their next league game 2–0 against Celtic, but bounced back to win their next two games, 1–0 against Motherwell and 2–0 against Kilmarnock. This completed a run of 6 wins in 7 league games.

Hibs lost their next two games to Rangers and Motherwell, but defeated St Mirren 2–0 in their last game before the SPL split. Hibs guaranteed a spot in the Intertoto Cup by finishing in the top six at the split. This was because Falkirk, the only other SPL side who applied to enter the competition, finished in the bottom half of the table and therefore could no longer overtake Hibs. Hibs were in contention for a UEFA Cup place at this point, but then only took two points from the five games after the league split and finished in sixth place.

Results
6 August 2007 SPLHeart of Midlothian0 – 1HibernianTynecastle, Edinburgh
Kerr  2' Attendance: 16,436
Referee: Stuart Dougal
11 August 2007 SPLHibernian4 – 2GretnaEaster Road, Edinburgh
Zemmama  64', 82'
Fletcher  66'
McCann  90'		 Yantorno  17'
McMenamin  49'		 Attendance: 13,795
Referee: David Somers
18 August 2007 SPLDundee United0 – 0HibernianTannadice Park, Dundee
Attendance: 8,405
Referee: Mike McCurry
25 August 2007 SPLHibernian3 – 3AberdeenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Zemmama  5'
Fletcher  70'
Shiels  84'		 Brewster  18', 37'
Smith  57'		 Attendance: 15,280
Referee: Brian Winter
1 September 2007 SPLHibernian1 – 0Inverness CTEaster Road, Edinburgh
Fletcher  2' (pen.) Attendance: 13,258
Referee: Eddie Smith
15 September 2007 SPLFalkirk1 – 1HibernianFalkirk Stadium, Falkirk
Moutinho  47' Donaldson  5' (pen.) Attendance: 6,298
Referee: William Collum
23 September 2007 SPLHibernian3 – 2CelticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Fletcher  5'
Gathuessi  41'
Shiels  87'		 McGeady  26'
Caldwell  66'		 Attendance: 16,125
Referee: Alan Freeland
29 September 2007 SPLHibernian4 – 1KilmarnockEaster Road, Edinburgh
Donaldson  12', 31' (pen.), 78' (pen.)
Antoine-Curier  65'		 Nish  76' Attendance: 14,500
Referee: Stuart Dougal
6 October 2007 SPLRangers0 – 1HibernianIbrox Stadium, Glasgow
Murphy  61' Attendance: 50,440
Referee: Kenny Clark
20 October 2007 SPLMotherwell2 – 1HibernianFir Park, Motherwell
McCormack  35', 37' Fletcher  31' (pen.) Attendance: 7,071
Referee: Charlie Richmond
27 October 2007 SPLHibernian0 – 1St MirrenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Mehmet  13' Attendance: 13,884
Referee: Chris Boyle
4 November 2007 SPLHibernian1 – 1Heart of MidlothianEaster Road, Edinburgh
Berra  18' (o.g.) Nade  46' Attendance: 17,015
Referee: Charlie Richmond
10 November 2007 SPLGretna0 – 1HibernianFir Park, Motherwell
Fletcher  52' Attendance: 2,666
Referee: Eddie Smith
24 November 2007 SPLHibernian2 – 2Dundee UnitedEaster Road, Edinburgh
Benjelloun  77'
Antoine-Curier  82' (pen.)		 Robertson  66', 74' Attendance: 14,440
Referee: William Collum
2 December 2007 SPLAberdeen3 – 1HibernianPittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Miller  33'
Clark  47'
Young  86'		 Fletcher  24' Attendance: 10,110
Referee: Craig Thomson
8 December 2007 SPLInverness CT2 – 0HibernianCaley Stadium, Inverness
Niculae  42', 78' Attendance: 4,224
Referee: Kenny Clark
15 December 2007 SPLHibernian1 – 1FalkirkEaster Road, Edinburgh
Donaldson  21' (pen.) Barrett  80' Attendance: 12,391
Referee: Iain Brines
22 December 2007 SPLCeltic1 – 1HibernianCeltic Park, Glasgow
Jarosik  78' Murphy  20' Attendance: 58,016
Referee: Mike McCurry
26 December 2007 SPLKilmarnock2 – 1HibernianRugby Park, Kilmarnock
Nish  36'
Taouil  75'		 Shiels  90' (pen.) Attendance: 6,372
Referee: Mike McCurry
29 December 2007 SPLHibernian1 – 2RangersEaster Road, Edinburgh
Zemmama  88' Naismith  12'
Cousin  59'		 Attendance: 16,217
Referee: Charlie Richmond
5 January 2008 SPLSt Mirren2 – 1HibernianLove Street, Paisley
Maxwell  4'
Mason  43'		 Antoine-Curier  89' Attendance: 4,212
Referee: Kenny Clark
19 January 2008 SPLHeart of Midlothian1 – 0HibernianTynecastle, Edinburgh
Velicka  20' Attendance: 17,131
Referee: Kenny Clark
9 February 2008 SPLDundee United1 – 1HibernianTannadice Park, Dundee
Hunt  13' (pen.) Rankin  46' Attendance: 6,635
Referee: Eddie Smith
13 February 2008 SPLHibernian4 – 2GretnaEaster Road, Edinburgh
Nish  10'
Fletcher  19', 58', 90' (pen.)		 Skelton  88'
Deuchar  88'		 Attendance: 12,087
Referee: Iain Brines
17 February 2008 SPLHibernian3 – 1AberdeenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Zemmama  49'
Shiels  55'
Fletcher  90'		 Diamond  18' Attendance: 13,825
Referee: Charlie Richmond
23 February 2008 SPLHibernian2 – 0Inverness CTEaster Road, Edinburgh
Nish  3'
Fletcher  5'		 Attendance: 12,522
Referee: Kenny Clark
27 February 2008 SPLFalkirk0 – 2HibernianFalkirk Stadium, Falkirk
Ross  12' (o.g.)
Rankin  52'		 Attendance: 5,928
Referee: Steve Conroy
1 March 2008 SPLHibernian0 – 2CelticEaster Road, Edinburgh
Naylor  64'
Samaras  75'		 Attendance: 15,735
Referee: Iain Brines
12 March 2008 SPLHibernian1 – 0MotherwellEaster Road, Edinburgh
Nish  52' Attendance: 11,692
Referee: William Collum
15 March 2008 SPLHibernian2 – 0KilmarnockEaster Road, Edinburgh
Morais  29'
Fletcher  73'		 Attendance: 12,486
Referee: Charlie Richmond
22 March 2008 SPLRangers2 – 1HibernianIbrox Stadium, Glasgow
Darcheville  40'
Novo  79'		 Shiels  90' Attendance: 50,117
Referee: Steve Conroy
29 March 2008 SPLMotherwell1 – 0HibernianFir Park, Motherwell
Clarkson  3' Attendance: 6,580
Referee: Kenny Clark
5 April 2008 SPLHibernian2 – 0St MirrenEaster Road, Edinburgh
Nish  4'
Zemmama  5'		 Attendance: 13,161
Referee: Stephen Finnie
20 April 2008 SPLDundee United1 – 1HibernianTannadice Park, Dundee
Hunt  60' (pen.) Shiels  57' Attendance: 7,404
Referee: Eddie Smith
26 April 2008 SPLAberdeen2 – 1HibernianPittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen
Mackie  63'
Miller  70' (pen.)		 Shiels  54' Attendance: 8,387
Referee: Stuart Dougal
4 May 2008 SPLHibernian0 – 0RangersEaster Road, Edinburgh
Attendance: 16,872
Referee: Calum Murray
11 May 2008 SPLCeltic2 – 0HibernianCeltic Park, Glasgow
McManus  37'
McDonald  87'		 Attendance: 58,515
Referee: Dougie McDonald
22 May 2008 SPLHibernian0 – 2MotherwellEaster Road, Edinburgh
Lappin  4'
Murphy  50' (pen.)		 Attendance: 10,754
Referee: Charlie Richmond

Final table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
4 Aberdeen 38 15 8 15 50 58 −8 53
5 Dundee United 38 14 10 14 53 47 +6 52
6 Hibernian 38 14 10 14 49 45 +4 52 Qualification for the Intertoto Cup second round[lower-alpha 2]
7 Falkirk 38 13 10 15 45 49 −4 49
8 Heart of Midlothian 38 13 9 16 47 55 −8 48
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.
  2. Hibernian qualified for the Intertoto Cup as the highest ranked club to apply for a place in the competition.

Scottish League Cup

Hibs started their defence of the CIS Cup with a 2–1 win over Queen's Park at Hampden. After the game, manager John Collins was quick to praise Filipe Morais, who scored the opening goal. They were drawn to play Motherwell at home in the next round. Hibs took the lead through an early goal by Clayton Donaldson, but Motherwell ran out comfortable 4–2 winners, ending Hibs' defence of the Cup and their unbeaten start to the season.

Results
28 August 2007 Scottish League CupQueen's Park1 – 2HibernianHampden Park, Glasgow
Dunlop  62' Morais  56'
Fletcher  58'		 Attendance: 2,343
Referee: Eddie Smith
26 September 2007 Scottish League CupHibernian2 – 4MotherwellEaster Road, Edinburgh
Donaldson  11'
Antoine-Curier  85'		 Clarkson  17'
Lasley  20'
McCormack  24'
Porter  83'		 Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Mike Tummilty

Scottish Cup

Hibs progressed to the fifth round of the Scottish Cup after a 3–0 win over Inverness. Dean Shiels scored a hat-trick.

They were then drawn against league leaders Rangers in the next round, and drew the first game 0–0 at Easter Road. Rangers finished the match with ten men after Allan McGregor was sent off for a professional foul on Shiels. The tie was replayed at Ibrox on 9 March, but Hibs lost 0–1 to a goal by Chris Burke while Hibs were temporarily down to 10 men due to an injury sustained by Ian Murray. Rangers again had a player sent off late on the match (Nacho Novo), but Hibs were unable to take advantage of the extra man.

Results
12 January 2008 Scottish CupHibernian3 – 0Inverness CTEaster Road
Shiels  5', 53', 84' Attendance: 12,578
Referee: Steve Conroy
3 February 2008 Scottish CupHibernian0 – 0RangersEaster Road
Attendance: 11,513
Referee: Craig Thomson
9 March 2008 Scottish CupRangers1 – 0HibernianIbrox Stadium
Burke  39' Attendance: 33,837
Referee: Craig Thomson

Transfers
Hibernian home kit (2007-08)
Hibernian away kit (2007-08)

Hibs lost several key players in the 2007 close season. Star player Scott Brown was sold to Celtic for £4.4 million,[4] while Chris Killen, Hibs' top goalscorer in 2006–07, also moved to Celtic.[5] Ivan Sproule was sold to Bristol City for an undisclosed fee, estimated to be around £500,000.[6] Defender Shelton Martis joined up with former Hibs manager Tony Mowbray at West Brom for £50,000.

Hibs manager John Collins made several signings in an effort to replace those players. These included the Bosman signings of Brian Kerr, Clayton Donaldson, goalkeeper Yves Makabu-Makalambay and Republic of Ireland international Alan O'Brien from Newcastle.[7] German youth international Torben Joneleit was taken on loan from AS Monaco.[8] On the last day of the summer transfer window, Hibs signed striker Mickaël Antoine-Curier from FK Haugesund for a nominal fee.[9]

During the January transfer window, new Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen strengthened the squad by bringing in defenders Abderraouf Zarabi, Ian Murray and Martin Canning. He also signed midfielder John Rankin and striker Colin Nish. Unlike most of the summer signings, all of the winter signings, except Zarabi, had significant experience of playing in Scottish football. David Murphy was the only major transfer out during the winter, joining Birmingham for a fee of £1.5M.

Player stats

During the 2007–08 season, Hibs used 30 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.[10]

No. Pos Nat Player TotalSPLScottish CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
GK Yves Makabu-Makalambay 3402903020
GK Andrew McNeil 1001000000
DF Martin Canning 1101100000
DF Thierry Gathuessi 2512311010
DF Paul Hanlon 90702000
DF Chris Hogg 3803403010
DF Torben Joneleit 30200010
DF Rob Jones 3403003010
DF Kevin McCann 2311912020
DF Darren McCormack 60401010
DF David Murphy 1821720010
DF Abderraouf Zarabi 80701000
MF Guillaume Beuzelin 3002701020
MF Ross Chisholm 1901800010
MF Brian Kerr 3012513020
MF Filipe Morais 3222812021
MF Ian Murray 1701502000
MF Patrick Noubissie 40400000
MF Alan O'Brien 2702303010
MF John Rankin 1921722000
MF Dean Shiels 27102273320
MF Lewis Stevenson 2302100020
MF Merouane Zemmama 3162862010
FW Mickael Antoine-Curier 1541331011
FW Abdessalam Benjelloun 1811512010
FW Ross Campbell 50500000
FW Clayton Donaldson 2161851021
FW Steven Fletcher 351432132011
FW Damon Gray 20200000
FW Colin Nish 1541540000

See also

Notes
  1. "Rangers 0–1 Hibernian". BBC Sport. 6 October 2007. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  2. "Collins resigns as Hibs manager". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 December 2007.
  3. "We'll be SPL's man mountains". Edinburgh Evening News. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  4. Celtic win race for Hibs' Brown, BBC Sport, 15 May 2007.
  5. Celtic confirm signing of Killen, BBC Sport, 31 May 2007.
  6. Bristol City sign Hibs' Sproule, BBC Sport, 28 June 2007.
  7. Alan O'Brien Joins Hibernian Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Hibernian official site.
  8. Joneleit latest recruit Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Hibernian official site.
  9. Mickael Antoine-Curier Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Hibernian official site.
  10. "Hibernian 2007/2008 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
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