It’s an argument which has split Hibs fans down the middle: Win the Scottish Cup, end the 114-year hoodoo and settle for another year in the Championship or lose the Cup final, seal promotion and be back amongst the big boys in the top flight.
Ideally you’d like both, of course you would. But for me if I had to pick one or the other it would be promotion – it’s a no brainer.
It’s going to be another competitive Championship next year if Dundee United go down and it could be anyone from Hibs, Falkirk, Raith or Kilmarnock that will also be involved.
I understand the argument how the players would go down in history and gain legendary status with the fans – I still get Partick Thistle fans coming up and congratulating me on the 1971 League Cup win!
But if fans look at the bigger picture it could be another two or three years in the second tier and that would be disaster for the club.
Look at Falkirk they went down a few years back and still fighting their to get back to the top. St Mirren were relegated last season and have struggled this term.
Very few teams that go down the division make it straight back up as Hibs have found out but of course there were mitigating circumstances with Rangers and Hearts also in the league.
You can talk about Cup wins all you want but the financial reality is players livelihoods are at stake.
It means they might have to lose key players to balance the books as Championship revenue is not as good as the Premiership.
The longer they are in the division the tougher it’s going to be to get out.
