Hibs quartet put pen to paper ahead of Sunday’s semifinal

Hibs have been handed a quadruple boost prior to their Hampden semifinal showdown with Rangers on Sunday.

Hibernian quartet Jake Doyle-Hayes, Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson and Christian Doidge have all signed contract extensions this week to lengthen their stay in Leith.

Irish youngster Jake Doyle-Hayes, whose performances have seen him overtake Alex Gogic in Hibs’ midfield engine room, has penned a new deal that will see him remain until at least 2025. The ex-Aston Villa man has turned out a string of positive performances in this season’s early exchanges, and Jack Ross was delighted in announcing his capture for a further four years.

Speaking to the Edinburgh Evening News, Ross stated:

"“I’ve been really impressed with Jake so far this season. He worked hard to force his way into the team, and he’s added another dimension to our midfield.””We want to keep hold of our best players and I think Jake has shown everyone how much ability he has and how important he is for us’’"

Familiar faces extend stay

If Doyle-Harris is a recent revelation, then Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson are positively part of the Easter Road furniture. Both, if you discount Hanlon’s brief loan spell at St. Johnstone, harness an extremely rare commodity to their names: one-club men.

Hanlon made his debut in 2008, and has his fair share of experience in a green-and-white jersey, turning out a massive 481 times for the Edinburgh side. He was handed the captain’s armband in July 2021 after another club legend, David Gray, called time on his playing career. But Hanlon’s appearance record doesn’t quite compete with Lewis Stevenson, Hibernian’s all-time 4th-longest serving player.

Indeed, it seems like Stevenson has been around forever. The 33-year-old has galloped up and down Hibs’ left flank for 16 years and, although playing time has been limited in recent months, he still plays a critical role in galvanizing a dressing room desperate for some consistency. He remains the only Hibees player to lift both domestic cups, and is hoping that a semifinal victory against Rangers will provide a platform to repeat one half of that feat in December’s showpiece final.

Hibs ‘doidge’ transfer interest to keep Welshman at Easter Road

Christian Doidge has also put pen to paper, continuing his stay until at least 2024. Doidge, whose contract was due to run out next summer, has attracted a range of top-league suitors since arriving from Forest Green Rovers in 2019.

Hibs will be happy to nail the Welshman down for another few years; the 29-year-old has impressed in recent times, notching 21 times and proving a handful for many a SPL defence since his arrival.

Hibs took to twitter to celebrate Doidge’s new deal:

So, will this lift be enough to propel them to a victory over Rangers and new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst on Sunday? Hibs’ league form has been absolutely woeful of late, with a run of four straight defeats and occupying 6th place.

However, the omens are good. Hibs’ 2003-04 League Cup campaign saw them dispose of both sides of the Glasgow divide, and the Leith club will be desperate to re-incarnate their semifinal penalty victory over Rangers that year, ironically the last time the two rivals met in this competition.

And who can forget their last outing at Hampden vs. the Gers? Told you David Gray was a legend……..