Overview
It’s hard to state just what an achievement it was for Hibs to lift the Skol Cup on October 27, 1991. Just over a year before, the club faced extinction following disastrous business arrangements in the late 80s during the stock market boom. Worst than extinction was the proposal from Hearts chairman Wallace Mercer who sought to buy a controlling interest in the club and merge Hibs with Hearts to create an Edinburgh side that he believed could compete with the Old Firm. Then local businessman and hitherto uninterested in football, Tom Farmer, was approached by the ‘Hands off Hibs’ campaign to purchase the club. This messy saga overshadowed a team that was teetering on the brink of relegation. The club survived, just. Prospects for the 1991/92 season where not good at all. Yet wins in the League Cup over Stirling Albion, Kilmarnock and Ayr United took them to a semi-final showdown at Hampden versus Rangers.
Iconic Moments
Aside from the final itself, the semi-final victory was momentous for Hibs. 40,000 were in attendance at Hampden on a Wednesday night to see the Hibees knock the overwhelming favourites out of the cup.
No one gave Hibs much of a chance. This was a club down on its luck and one that had just sold its best player, Andy Goram, to Rangers. Even transport was conspiring against the team in green, when Hibs arrived at Hampden the front door to the bus wouldn’t open.
This was a Rangers side packed to the guns full of internationalists: Stuart McCall, David Robertson, Nigel Spackman, Trevor Stevens, Gary Stephen, Mark Hateley and of course, Ally McCoist.
In their iconic Adidas Originals kit (with no sponsor, for added style points) the Easter Road club undoubtedly rode their luck over the course of the 90 minutes. Goram’s replacement, 40-year-old eccentric goalkeeper John Burridge, was absolutely inspired, pulling off some terrific saves, including a fantastic double stop from McCoist in the second half.
The only goal of the game came in the 29th minute, a goal kick from Burridge found its way to Pat McGinlay who, facing his own goal, launched a looping pass behind him. Mark McGraw chased the ball which was punched clear by an on-rushing Andy Goram. The punch landed at the feet of Mickey Weir who played a pin point cross to the unmarked Keith Wright standing just inside the six yard box. His glancing header evaded the two Rangers’ defenders on the goal line.
Manager
Alex Miller is probably one of Scotland’s leading coaches and tacticians. According to Rafa Benitez, it was Miller who masterminded much of Liverpool’s European success in the 00s in his role on the coaching staff. However, his managerial skills are probably more questionable. Aside from his ten year stint at Hibs, Miller has rarely thrived at other clubs.
There’s no doubt Miller could be a dour gaffer. Under much of his reign at Easter Road, it could be argued that Hibs played, to borrow a phrase from Arsene Wenger, with the handbrake on. However, Miller is just one of six managers in the lifetime of Hibs to lift a trophy. He deserves undoubted praise for sticking with the club when lesser men would have walked out on the club during turbulent times when the outlook was bleak.
Miller’s departure from Hibs marked the end of an era of steady manager-boardroom relations at Hibs. In the next ten years, Hibs had five different managers. Time has been kinder to Alex Miller than many Hibs’ fans were at the time. In retrospect, his stewardship of the club post-Farmer takeover represented the steadiness that the club required.
Player
As a friend of mine often comments, he has never caused anyone any trouble, his smile lights up a thousand rooms and his selfless nature is an inspiration to kids up and down the country. He also has wonderful, ginger flowing locks. Now you’ve got it! Its Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith, eh… Keith, Keith, Keith, Keith Wright!
Despite the heroics of many in the Team That Wouldn’t Die, there is no doubt Keith Wright was the jewel in the crown and the match winner for this cup winning side. The biggest example of this fact is his scoring in every round, including the final. Although in the semi it could be argued it was his muff rather than his head that glanced it in.
Keith Wright was a super, all round striker. He wasn’t rated as highly as he should be and was very unlucky to only gain one Scotland cap. He scored a very respectable 222 goals in 637 games in his career, which is a strike rate that many poachers would be proud of. But Keith was much more than that, he was a great partner in a front two. He was an intelligent, unselfish player who was extremely composed in front of goal. His slotted finish in the cup final was Keith Wright all over.
Defining Match
Easy! Stirling Albion 0-3 Hibs. Of course it’s not, it can only be the Skol Cup final victory over Dunfermline at Hampden in front of over 40,000 fans.
While Hibs always looked comfortable in this game, they got a huge slice of luck for the opening goal. Mickey Weir was there, then he was here, then he was on the floor as he fresh aired a shot in the box that left him sprawled out on the turf. A penalty was given. The captain, Tommy McIntyre, with the coolest head in the house, slotted the ball to Andy Rhodes’ left hand side. Rhodes had the most 90’s boy band haircut, it was the 90’s to be fair. What’s Scott Allan’s excuse?
Dunfermline rarely troubled Hibs after that and the man himself, Keith Wright, put the game beyond any doubt with a calm, slotted finish in the 86th minute.
After all the pain and suffering of the previous year, Hibs fans were understandably emotional. There was barely a dry eye in the house. They had done it. The club were so close to being eaten up by Mercer and Hearts and here they were, cup winners (both League and Scottish) for only the fourth time in their history. The VHS of the cup win is a great video, it really encapsulates the feeling at the time. The cheesy music, the scarfs around Sherlock Holmes’s neck and Sunshine on Leith over a montage of the ‘Hands off Hibs’ campaign. Just gives you that warm feeling inside.
The team lines are interesting for both teams on Cup Final Day. Honourable mentions to David Moyes, Billy Davies, John Burridge and Murdo MacLeod.
Hibernian FC, the team that wouldn’t die. All together now, “Hibernian (Hibernian), Hibernian (Hibernian), Hi-ber…Niiian. They’re always there by my side when I need them. Hiberniiiian!” What do you mean you don’t know it?
Best line-up
Podcast
The 1991 Skol Cup winning team was discussed in greater length by Duncan McKay, Tony Anderson and Joel Sked on the podcast Craig Samson – The Undertaker. It can be listened to by clicking here and fast forwarding to 48 minutes, 5 seconds.
Written by Tony Anderson (@tonyterrace) and Duncan McKay (@DuncMcKay)