Hibs 12th Man

Its been a while but at last a there’s a Hibs game; a Hibs game in our home; a Hibs game in our home against them; a Hibs game in our home against them that will probably be the biggest gathering of the Hibs 12th Man this season.

The Singing Section in the East is ready to play a blinder that will put our opposition in the shade. Can the Singing Section make sure you are all in your ‘seats’ by half past please? And from then it will be full volume until beyond the final whistle. Every other Hibee in the can play their part too – Greenlex even you can join in the singing between your Werther’s Originals!

Here’s a laugh! There was a few of them mocking the Singing Section before our last visit over there “They’re coming to sing us a song”. Oh how things have changed. Now they see the Singing Section as something to aspire to; something they want to beat. No chance! Lets show them and the rest of the country that the Singing Section and all of the Hibs 12th Man are the loudest and best support in the country.

We are an important part of our team. We are the Hibs 12th Man.

We are now into the final week for supporters wishing to take advantage of the interest free 11 month payment plan deadline is next FRIDAY 25 March 5pm. The Club cannot take any applications after that date. (11 instalments plus the deposit makes up the 12 parts to be a Hibs 12th Man )

Even during the dark days of the season the support from the stands has been FANtastic.

The Hibs 12th Man has had the privilege of speaking with our directors recently as well as some of the players and our management team, Colin Calderwood and Derek Adams. Each couldn’t speak highly enough of our contribution off the pitch. Its now time for us, once again, to play our part in getting the 11 players on the pitch for next season.

Supporters wanting to join the Singing Section – remember it’s Section 43, even if you forget the ticket office will be happy to help.

Edit: Oooops!

Our mistake.

It is actually deposit and 10 payments to make it 11 but if anyone wants to make that 12th payment to the Hibs 12th Man all donations gratefully accepted!

A few weeks ago we asked for volunteers from the Singing Section if they would like to move to another stand for a match. After further consultations with supporters and the club it has been decided not to take this forward at this time.

As some of you will be aware the Hibs 12th Man has had discussions with some guys in the Singing Section and Hibernian FC about groups from the Singing Section moving for one match to the West and the Famous Five stands.

The proposed match is the one against Hamilton on the 16th April, although this has still to be confirmed.

The Hibs 12th Man is looking for at least 50 volunteers for each stand to be the Singing Section Ambassadors.

Hibernian FC like the idea and will do all they can to make the transfer an easy one for season ticket holders. PATGs would just PATG for their chosen area.

The areas being set aside are; in the West Lower at or around the 18 yard line, basically opposite where the Singing Section is now but down a bit – it also gives the opportunity to get stuck right in to that linesman; in the Famous Five in the posh seats.

‘Normal’ Singing Section rules will apply – don’t ask what they are, if you’re in the Singing Section you’ll know!

The Singing ‘Sections’ could sing to each other, wave to each other, even show their shoes to each other! It could turn out to be a right good laugh!

This message will up on the Hibs 12th Man Facebook page; the HibeesBounce and Hibs.net. If you are up for it please only reply on one post as there is no way of matching user IDs on the forums to real names on Facebook. Don’t be shy; we won’t come looking for you if you change your mind!

No doubt about it.

Ask any player or manager, and you will find that the supporters, those both supporting and opposing, can make a difference to the outcome of a football match.

A good match is one where the support come away as emotionally drained and as physically tired as the players – only the bruises are missing!

Around the world there are parts of stadia set aside for the clubs most vociferous supporters, ours is the Singing Section at the back of the East Stand. But it is the whole support, everyone is the Hibs 12th Man, that need to wholehearted and unreservedly back the team on the pitch.

Regulars have seen a turning in the last three or four weeks. The enthusiasm of the Singing Section is spreading along the East to the other stands on the back of a trio of good results and the Palsson, sorry passion, shown by the players on the pitch.

Ask any one of the players, ask the Gaffer, and what they will tell you that it is the fans can make the difference.

The roar of the crowd and the energy that is shared gees up the players, especially at critical moments or turning points in the match.

Remember against Killie? There was definitely a feedback loop when our players showed courage and determination (in the case of Killie where the ref also lost the plot, showed stupid, unnecessary and unwarranted cards). Our support, good as it was up till then, was fantastic from those incidents till the end of the match. In fact from Dickoh’s wrongful sending off, we were not the Hibs 12th Man but as good as an 11th man standing shoulder to shoulder in the defensive barrier that was thrown round Stacks goal! Well played everyone!!

To all our Greenday mewbie and returning nominees, welcome!

We all hope you enjoy the match and join in with the singing, particularly if you’re in the Singing Section. Become part of the Hibs 12th Man and get behind the team. We hope very much you will become part of our community.

It is important to remember that every supporter, everyone of us, is the Hibs 12th Man. Together we make the difference.

It would seem the new players have inspired some amongst us to put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, to scribe a whole raft of new songs.

The Hibs 12th Man has been watching and singing along as each hit the boards of the HibeesBounce and Hibs.net.

Two of these songs have risen to the top to almost universal acclaim and thankfully for the judges, if there were any, one came from each of the forums.

Out first equal winner is, and its congratulations to, egb_hibs of the HibeesBounce for this;

To the tune of Buffalo Soldier.

Ak-a-po Sodje,
Hibbie coming at ya
Fighting on arrival, shiting on our rivals
said he’s Ak-a-po Sodje, Hibbies come at ya

[to a bounce the chorus of]

Na na na
Na na na na
Na na na
Na na na na

Our other first winner is a bit of a joint effort with the plaudits going and congratulations to the originator Tricla;

You are my sunshine in case you cant pick up the sing just from reading it!

You are my Palsson
My Victor Palsson
You came from Iceland
Where skies are grey
5 foot 11
Of football heaven
Please don’t take my Palsson away

Once again its congratulations to both winners and also a very well done to all the others on both forums whose songs have not been chosen on this occasion. Keep trying, most of the others were only beaten by the narrowest of margins

So, over to the Singing Section, lets hear these songs for the new guys as well as our auld favourites as we carry on from our win in the last game where the atmosphere was simply magnificent. Well done the singers, well done the dancers!

On the way to the stadium last night I was talking to a medium. “Rare night its going to be.” she said. How wrong she was, it was well done all round!

Well done the Singing Section, well done the East Stand, well done the Famous Five, well done the West, well done the players.

A lot of folk have wondered what our support, the Hibs 12th Man, would be like when we actually win a game, and more recently even when we score a goal.

Well now we know.

A sub 10,000 crowd had the place rocking on a blustery winters Wednesday night. The whole crowd, the Hibs 12th Man, got behind the whole team and the response from every player in the team made the whole support even more animated in an enthusiastic spiral of excitement.

It was Carlsberg crowd, probably the best crowd at Easter Road for a long time.

To the 2, 3, 4 or five thousand that couldn’t make it. Haste ye back.

When the Hibs are at home being part of the Hibs 12th Man at Easter Road is what you really want to be doing – definitely!

As I type this post I can feel among the support there are mixed feelings. We are all sad, disappointed, surprised, shocked, unbelieving, worried, confused, you name it.

There are those around who been quiet about football for some time, even some dissenting voices (BOOOOO to you too!), but it doesn’t mean we support the Hibees any less. Watching games has sometimes been painful, we are not where we want to be.

I say we because Hibernian FC is all of us, is it important to all those that work at the club in whatever capacity, we thank them for their work. But Hibernian FC is important most of all to the fans, and that is us, everyone, the Hibs 12th Man. Those who have worked at the club have come and gone, the Hibernian support have always, and we always will be, with the Hibees.

Some fellow supporters are under the delusion that their favourite player, Zemmama, Riordan, Bamba, even Colin Nish is the main reason for supporting our club; that’s because they didn’t really know that it is the club that has been part of our soul ever since we can remember, ever since we was kids! The only reason we ever watched football, ever loved it, was watching the team play. I could go on about the reasons we support Hibernian FC.

There’s the degree of optimism amongst us things will look better from now on.

As we move into the second half of the season Colin Calderwood’s Soccersix – Akpo Sodje; Jakub Divis; Victor Palsson; Matt Thornhill; Martin Scott; Richie Towell join us and maybe becoming our new heroes just as players have done in the past. The Hibs 12th Man welcomes you to our proud and historic club.

Let us get right behind them and the rest of the team, starting tonight. Lets show them Easter Road isn’t just a fantastic looking stadium when its empty but when the support is there it’s the best stadium to be in, in Scotland.

I would imagine most of us have seen ‘that’ picture of Akpo Sodje. It reminded me of the commentary made by Arthur Montford, I’m sure it was, as Jimmy O’Rourke (a hero for many) came running out the tunnel “… and look at the thighs on Jimmy O’Rourke!” Is with regret then I sadly, but happily at the same time, pass the supporters thigh trophy on to Akpo. Akpo if you score as many goals as our legend could in a season you will become a cult figure, a sensation; Jimmy we all hope you’re keeping well.

There are loads of suggestions coming into the Hibs 12th Man.

How would people from Hibs 12th Man Singing Section feel about a meeting to get the Singing Section formally running with a meeting to discuss fundraising etc.? A few suggestions have been made like, let’s have a Hibs 12th Man flag, raffles, footy games etc..

We know we are the best bunch of supporters this season by far. We, the Hibs 12th Man would like to take that to the next stage. We can only do it with the help of all of you. We are sure you have all seen the vids on you tube of teams on match days with 100+ flags in the air at once, well, it looks brilliant. The flags are usually owned by the supporters and dished out at the game, and handed back at the end of the game. We can!!! That’s just it, we can.

The Singing Section is looked upon by Hibs fans and others as a positive influence in Scottish football. The Hibs 12th Man can be the 1st to put up 100 plus flags say at The Old firm. We know the Aberdeen did it. But not 100. You guys from the singing section have a bit more foresight than the average supporter when it comes to knowing how far we can go.

The suggestion is to meet on Feb 5th (no game that day due to Scottish Cup) at the Hibs Club. Say about 12:30 (date and time to be confirmed). The Hibs 12th Man would like 20 names before we can seriously think about holding a meeting. So if you’re interested in making us an even better bunch of fans (is that possible?) then put your name down on our Facebook page and let’s get this whole supporting to a new level. GGTTH.

Tell all your friends who maybe don’t have access to a computer what’s happening.

Scottish Cup action tomorrow folks when Ayr Utd. come to first foot us!

The Hibs 12th Man and the Singing Section have come a long way this season and the New Year is great opportunity to rack it up another notch. There’s been a big push by some of the support to boost the noise we’re already making by adding flags in a continental sort of wavy way. Imagine Easter Road with the Singing Section belting out another 20 minutes worth of Calderwood’s; Green and White Army Calderwood’s; Green and White Army Calderwood’s; Green and White Army Calderwood’s; Green and White Army Calderwood’s; Green and … sorry, got a wee bit carried away there … while there’s a sea of Green and White waving flags, superb.

Well don’t imagine it, do it, it’s the only way it will happen!!

If you have your flag bring it along to the Ayr game if not get one for the Celtc game. Beg [don’t steal] or borrow one.

Just a wee reminder that sticks should be no more than 1 metre in length. The stewards have been briefed to expect us. If anyone is stopped by stewards or has problems please take a note of the stewards number and report it to the Hibs 12th Man. We will take it up with the Hibernian FC Director, Fife Hyland, who said its OK!

Incidentally the Hibs 12th Man was stopped by the Police on Easter Road recently as the banner made its way to the stadium. The policemen involved congratulated us, praising the efforts of the Singing Section and the Hibs 12th Man – something as football supporters we might not be used to.

Our players, our manager and our Directors have all commented recently about how fantastic the crowd is and they have passed on their best wishes for the New Year.

We are making a difference!

Well done!!

We can make a bigger difference!!!

A Cauldron!!!!

The Hibs 12th Man website was down because of technical issues but happily we can now announce full service has now been restored.

We are still not sure of the reasons we received a yellow card, probably issues related to other sites hosted on our shared server, cause we’re nice guys!