There was a time when a live TV game at Gayfield would be a novelty for everybody at Arbroath.
Not anymore.
Friday night football on the BBC has got us all used to the spotlight and we’ve coped with it pretty well.
Beating Kilmarnock last week was proof of that and it showed we won’t be fazed when Hibs come to town in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.
But we won’t be kidded into thinking this will be anything other than a significant step up.
We’re a part-time team playing against one of the biggest sides in the country.
Shaun Maloney is an old Celtic team-mate of mine and he’s taking some criticism just now.
But people need to take a step back.
He’s only been in the job a few months and in his first transfer window he lost his best player.
There isn’t a club outwith Rangers and Celtic who wouldn’t have a big hole in their side when Martin Boyle leaves.
Shaun was one of the quieter ones in that Celtic dressing room but he knows his football and has a clear idea of how he sees his Hibs side developing.
You don’t get to coach the Belgian squad by fluke.
🗣️"Fourth place is up for grabs, there are a lot of teams around about us. It's a long term process but I understand short term we definitely want to win more games than we are at the moment…"
Hibs boss Shaun Maloney's aiming high if his players can turn their form around. pic.twitter.com/YNsXmaxyRK
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 9, 2022
It’s never easy taking over in mid-season and you’ll get a proper idea of what a Shaun Maloney team looks like next year.
That’s not something that fans want to hear at time and, for this game against Arbroath, hopefully the pressure is on Hibs.
It certainly won’t be on us.
We’re at the top of our league and it’s getting to the stage of the season when there’s a lot riding on every league game.
For the Scottish Cup, though, this really is a free hit.
St Johnstone suffered another bad refereeing decision on Wednesday night.
Callum Davidson will be feeling the world is against him just now – that’s what life can be like when you’re at the bottom of the league.
Referees have such a tough job.
Goodness knows what makes them want to do it but I certainly wouldn’t fancy it.
And there has to be an appreciation that they’ll make mistakes in their profession as we all do.
From a player’s and coach’s point of view, the best ones are the refs who will be approachable, aren’t dismissive and will put their hands up if they think they’ve got it wrong.
And the longer we go without VAR at the top level of our game, the more it becomes inevitable that it is a matter of when and not if it’s introduced.
Saints’ defeat and Dundee’s victory changed things at the foot of the table again.
James McPake has got a nice habit of finding a big result when he really needs one.
Beating Hearts at Tynecastle is impressive in any circumstances.
Danny Mullen struck the winner as Dundee came from behind to beat Hearts! 💥 pic.twitter.com/LjtS4Qg8WT
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 9, 2022
It won’t be the odd one-off result that determines which of the two teams finishes highest, though – Saints had a good win of their own at Livingston the week before.
It will be the team which turns one win into three or four that gets into the play-off or maybe even higher.
