Jordan Smith aims to help Hibs break Hearts to finally claim the derby bragging rights after a five-game winless streak against their fierce rivals.
The Hibees head to Tynecastle on Boxing Day looking to stretch their winning run to three games after continuing their revival with Saturday’s impressive win at Pittodrie. Smith is in line to make his Edinburgh derby debut and the keeper is desperate for the victory. The 30-year-old previously played for Nottingham Forest and only managed a draw and a defeat in his two derby showdowns.
He said: “Well, Nottingham Forest is where I spent most of my career, so that one against Derby, being the derby, was the big one. Whichever club you’re at, it’s painted as the biggest game ever and that is purely because it means so much to the people we represent, the fans. I played in two, and I got one draw and one loss. My record in derbies isn’t great, so that’s something I’ll be looking to turn around.
“I made no excuses about wanting to play for what I’d say are elite clubs and this certainly is one of them. For that exact reason, so many eyes are going to be on this game and there’s going to be scrutiny on everything from that first whistle.
“So you have to perform. There are no excuses. There certainly isn’t going to be anywhere to hide. The pitch doesn’t swallow you up, believe me, and I’ve been in positions before where I hoped it would! It’s one we’re looking forward to but one we’re taking very seriously.”
The Englishman admits he has been short of derby tales and advice. Smith said: “Well, if I listened to everything I’d be really nervous about it! It’s a massive game. The build-up is there, all the boys talk about it.
“The atmosphere changes derby week and that’s a testament to the size of the clubs and to the size of the city that we represent. I’m just really looking forward to it. It was a stalemate the last time we played them at Easter Road – it’s probably going to be a lot more hostile this time.
“Our travelling fans have been fantastic. They’ll be there in their numbers again. I’m just looking forward to it but that probably comes from the fact we’ve found a little bit of form. But we know we need to do everything in our power to win that game and send our fans home happy as it’s probably one of the biggest.”
Hibs will head across the capital with confidence after their win over Ross County and this one against Aberdeen. The former Stockport County keeper said: “Yeah, hugely important. We needed to get another win off the back of last week against Ross County.
“It’s no secret – we feel like we’re fighting at the wrong end of the division so to get that little bit of breathing space is really nice. To get the win against Aberdeen is massive and it just instils that belief that we are a good team, we can find different ways to get the job done. But as I said after Motherwell, which was a bit of a turning point, we can’t rest on our laurels, that’s the standard set, we have to go again.”
Hibs were bottom of the league for a long time but definitely have a resilience to them. They showed it in this game, after Leighton Clarkson sent Topi Keskinen clear to put Aberdeen ahead.
Slobodan Rubezic then made a massive blunder when he failed to clear and that allowed Martin Boyle in to square to Elie Youan to net. Boyle was the creator again as he took a pass from Joe Newell and provided the perfect cross for Nicky Cadden to volley home.
And Hibs added the third after Aberdeen lost the ball in the midfield and Nectarios Triantis won it and found Boyle, who slotted it past keeper Ross Doohan. The Australian was the star of the show after a slow start to the season, interrupted by injuries.
Aberdeen huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way back in and Hibs saw the game out with relative ease. Smith knows his team have always scored goals but they are keeping them out now.
He said: “Absolutely. Questions have been asked of all of us, and rightly so, since the beginning of the season and the best way to answer the critics is to go out there and perform. We can get three points our way.”