Hibs Scottish Cup win was the best day of my LIFE – but beating them with Forfar Athletic would be career high

Hibs gave Andy Munro the best day of LIFE.

But the Forfar Athletic captain insist dumping his beloved Hibees out of the Scottish Cup would be the highlight of his career.

Munro, 31, was among the 25,000 Hibs fans who made the pilgrimage to Hampden on May 19, 2016, as Alan Stubbs’ side claimed a famous 3-2 victory over Rangers.

David Gray’s unforgettable header ended a 114-YEAR wait to lift the iconic old trophy for the capital club, with punters spilling onto the pitch following the full-time whistle.

Munro grew up in Saughton Mains and attended Tynecastle High School – very much Hearts territory – but his whole family support the green side of Edinburgh.

And the big defender says that day at the national stadium was bucket list stuff.

⏪ #OnThisDay in 2016, @HibernianFC lifted the Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years with a dramatic 3-2 win over Rangers.

⚽️ Anthony Stokes, 3'
⚽️ Kenny Miller, 27'
⚽️ Andy Halliday, 64'
⚽️ Anthony Stokes, 80'
⚽️ David Gray, 90'+2#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/I0QSvscK3k

— Scottish Gas Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) May 21, 2019

“My fondest Scottish Cup memory? That’s probably Hibs winning it in 2016 – and being in the stands for that one,” Munro told Courier Sport. “That probably beats anything I’ve done on the pitch.

“It was maybe the best day of my life, I can’t lie.”

So, lining up against his boyhood heroes will be a magical experience for Munro – and one he started to fear may never happen.

“I’ve played Hearts twice, Dundee United, Dundee a few times,” he continued.  “I’ve played at Tynecastle, Hampden, Pittodrie. So, you do start to think, “I’m 31, maybe it’s just not to be”.

“I remember the draw. Celtic got paired with Buckie Thistle and I thought, “that would have been good”. Then we come out against Hibs – and my phone has never been hotter!

“Up until I started playing football, I was a season ticket holder at Easter Road. My brother; my big sister; three nephews – all go to Easter Road religiously. And my mum used to own pubs on Leith Walk when I was a boy.

“My memories of growing up are just steeped in playing football outside the pubs and then walking up to Easter Road. It was a huge part of my life.”

Sibling rivalry

Which does beg the question: what end will his family be in when Hibs visit Station Park on Saturday afternoon?

“It’ll be half and half, I think,” he smiled. “My brother (Ben) and his mates will still be in the Hibs end. My mum and sisters will be in the Forfar end.

“In all seriousness, if we did manage to put Hibs out, he’s the only one in my family who would be GENUINELY gutted. He might be my brother, but he absolutely wants Hibs to beat us!”

“Why not?”

While a dream occasion for Munro, he has no intention of rolling out the red carpet for Nick Montgomery’s men as Forfar – struggling in League Two this term – eye an all-time upset.

And he draws inspiration from his Stenhousemuir debut back in January 2019 when the Warriors held a strong Aberdeen side to a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie in the Scottish Cup.

Derek McInnes’ Reds were out of sorts upon their return from Dubai – where Hibs have just spent the winter break – and, although Aberdeen won the replay, Munro sees intriguing parallels.

“I made my Stenhousemuir debut against Aberdeen and we managed to get a draw at Pittodrie,” he recalled. “In terms of cup games that I’ve been involved in, that probably tops it.

“They had (Sam) Cosgrove, (Graeme) Shinnie, Greg Stewart, Lewis Ferguson – we’ve seen what he’s gone on to do. They didn’t rest players and weaken themselves.

“However, it was also their first game back from a winter break in Dubai and we managed to get a big result, so I’m hoping Dubai had a similar effect on Hibs!”

A crowd of more than 4,000, including 1,000 Loons, is expected to pack into Station Park, with chairman Scott Murdie telling Courier Sport this week that the tie would boost the club AND town.

Munro added: “There is real excitement around the town and it’s what the Scottish Cup can bring.

“It is a one-off game and, although it might be a cliché, there is magic to the cup. If we are at our best and they maybe don’t reach their top levels, then anything can happen.

“Where would a win rank, for me? Right at the top.

“But the manager (Ray McKinnon) has stressed that, in any game, you need to be competitive. If we are competitive, up for it and do ourselves justice, that’s all you can ask. And why not?”