Lee Johnson knows trying to get his players mentally ready for any visit of Rangers is a challenge.
Throw in the fact that the game comes 24 hours after what is sure to be an emotional memorial service for late owner Ron Gordon today and the Hibs boss realises he faces a test getting the team in the right frame of mind for the clash.
The visit of Michael Beale’s side is the first chance Hibs have had at home to mark the life of Gordon, who died a fortnight ago at the age of 68 after a battle with cancer. Images of Gordon are set to be shown on the big screens while a tear-jerking rendition of Sunshine On Leith will be sung before the game to honour the American. Today’s private gathering in the centre of Edinburgh will be a more intimate affair involving Gordon’s family and Hibs’ playing and non-playing staff. Johnson, whose side beat Livingston at the weekend after holding a one-minute silence at the Tony Macaroni Arena, said: “The service is going to be tough, that will be tough, it is our first feeling of meeting the family, we want to give them a big hug each, make sure they are as good as they can be. Just to be there to support but also remember our own experiences with Ron and grieve on a personal level.
“The difficult thing for me, personally, will be the challenge of having that feeling and trying to inspire the lads 24 hours later. I think they have already shown on Saturday they can cope with that.
"I feel like the fanbase will give us another 10-15 per cent to our performance being a home game.”
Johnson also hopes the occasion is not ruined by the visiting fans. A section of Rangers supporters tried to drown out a minute’s applause with singing prior to the recent Viaplay Cup Final against Celtic. He added: “I hope it’s like Livingston, where it was fantastic.
“I thought the home supporters there were totally respectful and the Hibs fans there were brilliant. I can’t control anything outside of Hibs but at the same time I know our fanbase through the messages I’ve seen, the encouragement to the team, through the flowers, the cards, the online stuff we’ve done, I know it will be observed perfectly.”
On the pitch at least, Hibs have regained the trust of their fans following a recent fruitful run with five wins from an unbeaten seven-game league sequence – form that leaves them five points behind third-placed Hearts. The mourning for Gordon will bring the fans closer together and Johnson hopes a performance against Rangers will strengthen that relationship between the team and the supporters.
He added: “The majority of the fanbase have understood the challenges we have faced this year, have enjoyed elements of our performance and have stuck with it. I have always said fans should be absolutely allowed to feel how they want to feel but always support the team.
“If we lose their trust and we gain it back then obviously they support us that little bit more. I’m used to big clubs and this is a big club and I understand how fanbases work and understand the passion, particularly northern supporters.
“The further north you go the more heart on the sleeve it is and I like that about these clubs.”
