Academy To Play Hibs In Pre-Season Friendly
After announcing our pre season friendly fixtures on
Wednesday, we are now delighted to confirm that Hibernian FC have agreed to
send an XI team to Harmsworth Park on Sunday 15th July to mark the Club's 125th
anniversary year. Club Chairman James Innes has been in discussion with the
Edinburgh Club since February and has secured their visit to the far north for
the glamour tie friendly. The introduction of the Bet Fred Cup has meant it's
near impossible to attract Clubs to venture this far north, as the competition
starts in mid July, meaning that Clubs not in European cup competitions don't
have time to fit in many games in what was traditionally the pre-season
friendly month. A different approach was needed explained James.
Innes said "I spend a fair bit of time in Edinburgh on
business and I decided it would make sense while I was in the city to try and
get a Central Belt club to consider coming to Wick, I knew the only chance of
Hibs coming would be if they were in Europe as that would mean they'd have more
free weeks in July. The scatter gun approach just doesn't work." said James.
"You can fire off as many nice emails as you like
asking Clubs to visit and you'll get lots of nice emails back saying thanks but
no thanks, but after speaking to people I know in Edinburgh I thought we might
have a chance with Hibs and eventually I was invited out to their Tranent
training ground where I met up with their Director of Football George Craig and
Operations Manager Finlay Stark. I'd to miss our AGM to attend but luckily the
discussions went brilliantly and I left with a good gut feeling that if Celtic
won the Scottish Cup and therefore Hibs qualified for Europe, then they would
be on their way north this July"
"It should be a great occasion for the whole county and
I hope the fans turn out in their numbers to welcome the Hibee's to our great
Club and its historic anniversary year."
