Source: FOOTYMAD
Two Ambitions Could Be Achived Today
Hibs and Rangers games are usually full of incident, If Rangers are champions before kick-off will they take the foot off the gas? Hibs' David Wotherspoon hopes he can finish off his debut season by helping ensure they qualify for Europe. The midfielder has enjoyed a dream breakthrough season at Easter Road since graduating from the club's double-winning under-19 side last year. Played mainly at right-back but pushed further forward in recent weeks, Wotherspoon admits he has savoured every minute and has eyes set on today's game against with champions elect Rangers. While Walter Smith's side can retain their title this weekend, Hibs have an agenda of their own as they seek to get back to the kind of play and form shown in earlier in the season and hold onto fourth place and qualify for the Europa League. John Hughes' team form has dipped dramatically recently and they have won just twice in 14 games and Wotherspoon does not want his efforts and those of his colleagues from the early season to go to waste. The Perth-born player said: "It's been tremendous this season. I've been really delighted with the way I've got my games. To be honest, I was just looking at coming in and trying to get a bit of experience among the older boys, train with them day-in, day-out and then hopefully at this stage of the season get regular starts. I obviously wasn't expecting to be chucked straight in. I'm just over the moon at the moment, still living the dream of first-team football and I hope it continues. After the summer I've just got to come back, work hard in pre-season and try and build on this season. We are fighting to get the three points on Sunday. The main objective is to try and get the win, to get ourselves back on track. It would be a shame if everything was to slip after a good first half of the season.'' Lee McCulloch has revealed that former captain Barry Ferguson will be rooting for his former team-mates as Rangers bid to win the SPL again. A win at Easter Road would allow the Scottish champions to hang onto their crown and the celebrations could even be under way before kick-off if Celtic fail to win at Dundee United in the early kick-off game in Dundee. Ferguson left Rangers and joined forces with former Ibrox boss Alex McLeish at Birmingham last summer. And, according to McCulloch, the ex-Ibrox captain has been keeping tabs on his old club as they edge closer to the championship. The midfielder said: "I've spoken to him a few times and he has wished everybody all the best. He still watches out for the results and I get a text message from him every now and again. He is delighted as well.'' Looking ahead to the game in Edinburgh, McCulloch added: "It's more excitement than nerves going into the game. It's in our hands and we know if we win the game we will be champions for a second time in a row. It would be a great achievement by all the boys and coaching staff at the club. But it's not done yet. We just hope that Sunday is the day we can do it. We've done it before and it's a great feeling. We know what that feeling is like and we also know the feeling to lose or throw it away. It's within touching distance and we just want to make sure that we get there and we will be up for that on Sunday.'' Rangers look set to secure a domestic double amid a turbulent season off the pitch, with ongoing financial uncertainty and as yet no resolution to a potential takeover of the club. McCulloch said: "Everybody knows that the future is uncertain for a lot of people. It's good that the players have just got their heads down and concentrated on the football. For me, personally, this would be a better title than last year if we do it.'' Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is ScottishFitba Net
