Stokes proves player power rules

The transfer window closed today with the most intriguing switch of the summer, as Antony Stokes moved from Hibs to Celtic.

A straightforward deal on the face of it - another coveted player moves to the Old Firm - but there's more to this than meets the eye, and the clue is in the transfer fee, rumoured to be around £800,000.

£800k? For a player who scored 23 goals last term, and has two years remaining on his contract? Hibs sold Steven Fletcher to Burnley a year ago for £3.5m, and he never scored 23 goals in a season.

The days of Hibs being pressured into selling a player for a cut-down fee have long gone, and yet Celtic appear to have got a bargain. Gary Hooper suddenly looks rather overpriced compared to Stokes.

So what's going on?

Hibs have a recent history of getting their business done early in the summer - Scott Brown (to Celtic), Steven Fletcher and Rob Jones were all sold with lots of time left to bring in replacements. So maybe the club are a little short of money, or at least cash flow. With the new East Stand built this summer, Hibs probably banked on selling either Sol Bamba or Merouane Zemmama to balance the books.

But Bamba didn't play in the World Cup, although he was part of the Ivory Coast squad, so missed the opportunity to put himself in the shop window, while Zemmama is recovering from a serious knee injury so hardly attractive to potential buyers. Maybe the Stokes deal was the only one possible?

Or maybe Hibs wanted rid of Stokes. He's a player with baggage, who got dropped into the reserves by Roy Keane at Sunderland for his unprofessional behaviour. He managed to turn up for every game at Hibs last season, but rumours that he likes a flutter and a party remain.

But maybe the truth is that Antony Stokes was always in control of his destiny, whatever Hibs wanted. It was a massive coup for the club to sign him last summer, despite his baggage - he was a graduate of the Arsenal academy, after all, who signed for Sunderland for £2m. Hibs got him on a free, and on a massive cut in wages as well.

In his assured first press conference at Celtic, Stokes paid tribute to Hibs and manager John Hughes for helping him rebuild his career, but there was also conviction that he was now back in control of his future. Was there a clause in his contract that compelled Hibs to sell at a certain price?

We'll probably never know the full details. Hibs can justifiably claim this was a good piece of business, getting a proven striker for a year and then selling him on at a profit.

Who knows if Stokes will prove a success at Celtic. Denied a certain starting place, he might not enjoy the loss of status within the dressing room, and return to his bad old ways.

What is clear, though, is that Hibs are weaker tonight, and another player has journeyed along the M8 to join the Old Firm.

Hughes first taste of Europe is stale

Hibernian's manager, John Hughes, is fond of saying that his ambition is to get his club "closer" to the Old Firm.

Job done, then, as his team mirrored Celtic's 3-0 loss to Braga with an identical scoreline against Maribor in Slovenia in their Europa League qualifying tie. The 300 or so Hibbys who made the trip in excitement and expectation were left watching a sorry and familar story unfold - a Scottish club in pre-season being rinsed out by European opposition.

Hughes claimed that his preparation for the match was meticulous, but his decision to start without Antony Stokes and Derek Riordan (who had both played parts in warm-up games in Holland) was baffling. Colin Nish is a tryer, but not the obvious choice if trying to keep possession against fitter, technically-competent opponents.

So well done Motherwell, who are bitter about conceding a late equaliser against Norwegian club Aalesunds but have a great chance of getting through the tie. In contrast to his naive counterpart at Hibs, Craig Brown is continuing to show there is still a place for experience in the game.

Hibs give new East Stand the green light

Forget the three defeats in a row that have derailed any hopes Hibs might have had of hanging onto Celtic's coat tails into the split. Whatever else happens, this is a very significant season for the Leith club - today Hibs confirmed that they are finally building a new East Stand.

By starting work now, the club hopes to have the new stand finished early next season. Once open, it will complete the redevelopment of Easter Road which began in 1995, when Hibernian decided to create a modern, purpose-built all seater stadium on a ground that had seen the old banked terracing chopped up and covered in piecemeal fashion for decades.

Planning permission for the new stand had been secured some years ago, but the current slump in the construction industry has persuaded the club to enter a buyer's market and build the stand now. When complete, Easter Road will have a capacity of a little over 20,000.

Think about that for a moment. The biggest Scottish football stadia outside Glasgow are currently Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, at around 20,000 seats or so, and neither club comes close to filling them at the moment. Meanwhile, clubs across Scotland (from Celtic and Rangers down) are tightening belts as new financial realities hit home.

Yet Hibs have decided now is the time to spend a few million on a new stand.

It's brave, ambitious, and testament to the prudent way the club has been run over the past few years. Hibs are often lauded as a model of how a football club should be run - for good reason. They've spent only what they could afford, and resisted fan pressure to invest in long-term infrastructure rather than short-term signings.

In fact, chairman Rod Petrie could probably transfer himself for a hefty seven figure fee to any club that wanted to benefit from his business acumen.

If the footballing map in Scotland is changing, with the Old Firm no longer so dominant, then keep an eye on the club from Leith.

St Johnstone thump Hibs

They say you're only as good as your last game. In that case, Hibs aren't very good at all.

All credit to St Johnstone for thumping their visitors 5-1 last night, a result that gives them real hope of moving up into the top six. But they were certainly given a big helping hand from an insipid opposition.

Their second goal came from a counter attack, and as the Saints swarmed up the park, most of the Hibs team decided that getting back to defend was a job best left to other people. The third was even worse from a defensive point of view, the Hibs defence simply inviting Cilian Sheridan to cross an inviting ball and then leaving Kenny Deuchar the time he needed to nod it in.

John Hughes now has issues to sort out, with serious questions being asked about his team for the first time this season. He pointedly refused to bring in cover at right back in January, saying it was unnecessary, but in the past two games has moved Chris Hogg out there from central defence. And they've conceded 8 goals.

Meanwhile, the crazy 4-2-4 formation that Hibs have been playing most of the season now looks to have run its course. There is no point having so many strikers on the pitch if midfield is being over-run.

Time for the Hibs manager to earn his corn. His team needs a little attention now that the season is entering its decisive phase.

Derby draws

Sunday saw the Old Firm and the two Edinburgh clubs square up for their New Year derbies - and in the end, both matches finished all square. It was a missed opportunity for the green halves of both cities.

At least Celtic played well. Tony Mowbray has been asking for patience from the supporters for months, as he gets his team to play the way he wants them to, and yesterday Celtic looked like a cohesive team. With better finishing, they would have buried Rangers - even Walter Smith conceded that his side were lucky to earn a draw.

Mowbray has also been dropping heavy hints that players will move on this month - but unlike Smith, he will have money to reinvest in his squad. The Rangers boss is hoping no bids come in, because he can't be sure that the bank will let him spend any of the proceeds. January could be a pivotal month for the SPL title race.

It's a race that Hibs won't be involved in. Getting a draw in the first Edinburgh Derby of the season at Tynecastle was a creditable result, but at home they really should have imposed themselves more on the game. As it was, a poor first half ended with a goal for Hearts. Hibs then equalised early in the second half, but couldn't get another.

In other respects, it was a fiery encounter, with Darren McCormack and Ruben Palazuelos sent off for head-butting eachother, robust tackles aplenty, and a smoke canister thrown from the Hearts support as well. All good stuff, but sadly there was little quality football.

Still, Hibs remain fairly comfortable in third, a good place to be going into the second half of the season. Hearts have surged up the table in recent weeks, but with the usual off-the-field chaos don't expect it to last.

Hearts hog the headlines, but Hibs might be the season's real story

After last week's (lucky) win over Kilmarnock, Hearts had a chance to get their season up and running away at Hamilton on Sunday. It didn't go well.

Highlights of the match show that, even though Hearts should have been awarded a late penalty, they did not deserve anything from the game. Silly Mikey Stewart lost the plot again, and a post-match fracas in the tunnel led to two more red cards for Ian Black and Suso Santana.

It's all symptomatic of a club lacking direction and leadership, with rumours swirling about financial problems for months (bright spark Gary Mackay has only just found out, however). Vladimir Romanov's regime has been an unmitigated disaster, but as long as the fans continue to be so apathetic in response, nothing will change. (Here's a neat summary of the myriad broken promises so far).

Manager Csaba Laszlo is now banking on six points in their next two games against Dundee Utd and Celtic... we'll let you know when we stop laughing. The truth is, Hearts are now condemned to a season bumping around in the bottom six, with a possible relegation battle ahead if they don't fix things pronto. And they won't... there's no money for new players in January, and - not for the first time - Laszlo is being found out. In truth, he's a fairly limited coach, with a very high opinion of himself.

Meanwhile...

As Hearts hogged the headlines from the weekend, Hibs recorded a comfortable 2-0 win over Motherwell that extends their unbeaten run to 10 matches. At the moment, they and Dundee Utd look favourites for the "best of the rest" title, which is all anyone could reasonably ask of them.

This is not an unusual situation. Hibs have finished third twice in the past decade, while two years ago they had a great start to the season under John Collins before falling away badly. Yet, there is a feeling this time that Hibs could be able to build a more sustained challenge.

Hibs are no longer the debt-laden club they once were. While players seem to move around a lot more these days, Hibs can now be much more selective about which offers they accept. The days of having to sell a player for the first decent offer that comes in are long gone. (Dundee Utd, on the other hand, have already admitted to some financial difficulties.)

John Hughes has made an impressive start as manager, made some eye-catching signings, and his face just seems to fit. He says that he is in his dream job and plans to stay around for several years, and there are few reasons to doubt him. Along with the club's sound finances, this brings stability, and the chance to build a squad over several seasons.

And, of course, the Old Firm just aren't the powerhouses they once were in the Scottish game. Hibs are currently just two points behind Celtic, with a third of the season gone. Celtic and Rangers just can't bank on an easy three points most weekends, as they used to - they have both dropped a fair few points already this season, with both Tony Mowbray and Walter Smith having their fair share of problems to deal with.

There is a long, long way to go still, and realistically even finishing in second place this season would be a huge achievement, never mind first. But there is the feeling of something special starting to happen down at Easter Road.

Aberdeen lose their heads

Mark McGhee does seem to like a moan. He was complaining about a lack of resources almost as soon as he was in the door at Aberdeen, and he was moaning again following his side's 2-0 defeat against Hibs at the weekend.

Well, ok. Managers of the losing team often sound off after the final whistle, caught up in the frustration and disappointment of a poor result. McGhee felt that his club had been unfairly treated by the referee, who sent off both Maurice Ross and Chris Maguire while the game was still scoreless, handing a huge advantage to Hibs. Perhaps, once he had seen the game again, he might realise that he had got it wrong?

Nope. Instead of spending the weekend reflecting on things, Aberdeen FC instead released an unattributed but utterly idiotic statement on Monday, berating the referee for being "hell-bent" on sending players off, and "cheating the fans who pay good money to watch a competitive and balanced encounter".

Interesting, then, that the statement refuses to mention any specific incident in the game that treated Aberdeen unfairly. Why? Because they are plain wrong.

Maurice Ross was sent off for collecting two yellow cards for fouls on Ian Murray and Derek Riordan. The second was perhaps a little soft, but he undeniably had a swipe at Riordan, not the ball, and cannot have any complaint.

Chris Maguire's stamp on Kevin McBride, on the other hand, deserved the straight red he received. If you have any doubts about it, watch the incident again. McBride was lucky not to break a metatarsal or two.

No such luck for Fraser Fyvie, who's out for six weeks with ankle trouble - ironically, caused by a clean but strong tackle by Ian Murray, who had an eventful game, all told.

Winners and losers so far in the SPL

So... the transfer window has shut, we're three games in... who's hot and who's not in the SPL this term?

Looking Good...

Rangers have avoided any more departures, and that's a good thing for them. The income from the Champions League (they don't have to share any of it with Celtic now) will help with the cash flow at least, and the arrival of Jerome Rothen on loan from PSG adds experience and guile for those ties too.

Given that they are not even offering new contracts to anyone currently on the payroll (Kris Boyd is now in his final year), don't expect much business in January either, unless they sell first. They remain dependent on a few key players staying fit - otherwise, that title looks very vulnerable. For now, though, the Champions have made an impressive start.

A year ago, Derek Riordan returned to Hibs from Celtic for a rumoured £400,000 (big money these days for a non-OF outfit), and the Edinburgh club's chief executive described the deal as a "statement of intent". This summer, they've invested a similar sum in Anthony Stokes. Hibs now have lots of options up front and John Hughes has done some fairly radical reshaping of the rest of the squad, with Liam Miller the latest to join. It might take time to gel, but Hibs are looking promising.

So are the Arabs, with Craig Levein again pulling a rabbit out of the hat with Danny Cadamateri. Who knows how, but the well-travelled and wayward striker has hit the ground running. Dundee Utd have started well and still have a number of injured players to come back into the team. These two clubs are surely favourites for third place.

Motherwell will be pretty happy with a top six finish, but that looks on the cards following a decent start. Jim Gannon is living up to his reputation, and he's been given some money to bring in much needed strength in depth.

St. Johnstone, meanwhile, managed well-earned draws against Motherwell and Hearts, but got thumped by Celtic. That's a tough start for a promoted team, even if Hearts aren't anywhere near as good as they'd like to be, so probably a job well done. And they are scoring goals, which is crucial for the confidence.

Steady as she goes...

Neither wonderful nor woeful, St Mirren and Kilmarnock have both made respectable starts, and have legitimate reasons for optimism. As both clubs are vulnerable to being dragged into a relegation scrap, any early points are a bonus.

Early signs of shakiness...

After being dumped out of the Champions League, there were rumours that a few Celtic players might be on their way, but in the end they've all stayed. Things should be pretty peachy at Parkhead, yet somehow problems seem to be surfacing early in Tony Mowbray's tenure. The bad natured and narrow win at Hibs looked ugly, with Mowbray first orchestrating a "huddle" at the end of the game and then refusing to accept that McGeady dived (he did, and everyone knows it). A siege mentality at the end of August - is that really healthy?

Still, at least they are winning games, which is more than can be said for Hearts. Manager Csaba Laszlo has been spilling the beans about his difficult relationship with Vladimir, and we all know that Mr Romanov does not tolerate insubordination. Is his employee asking to get sacked? Hearts had a woeful summer, the new signings (much hyped by some supporters) have looked substandard so far, and Larry Kingston is stirring the pot, too. Oh dear.

Things aren't much happier at Aberdeen, where the manager also seems content to moan about his squad in public. Best get your excuses in now, Mark McGhee, because those fans who were so excited about your arrival in the summer might just be having second thoughts.

And so to Hamilton and Falkirk. Both managers were sounding very optimistic during the summer, but that optimism has looked seriously misplaced so far. Falkirk have, at least, held on to Darren Barr and Scott Arfield, two vital players. They are going to need them, while Hamilton look well short of the required standard.

Mixu on the brink

While Celtic gave way at the top of the SPL table to Rangers at the weekend, the other green team slipped up too. Hibs are now out of the top six, and manager Mixu Paatelainen's position is now looking extremely shaky.

It doesn't matter that Hibs always do badly in Inverness (in fact, they have never won there in the SPL). It doesn't matter that Hibs have not finished strongly in the league for a few seasons, and so are hardly miles away from their usual finish of 6th. Nor that the Hibs board have a history of showing loyalty to their managers, and will be very reluctant to sack him.

What does matter is that the majority of fans have now lost faith in the manager. The Hibs board can no longer be accused of parsimony, and have backed big Mixu in the transfer market (all things are relative, but the Hibs boss has one of the bigger budgets in Scottish football to play with, though obviously not on the scale of the Old Firm). The team has been playing poorly pretty much all season, and has now stopped winning even the occasional game.

Without a doubt, Hibs are under-performing. Mixu desperately needs a result against Falkirk next weekend, another struggling team. He may not get that chance, however.

Celtic fluff their chance

While Rangers are paying for a date with AC Milan to try and get some cash into the club, Celtic have a night off to think about whether they've done enough in the transfer window.

They might be leading the SPL, but only by two points, and their manager described them as one dimensional in their 0-0 draw with Inverness last weekend. Maybe, you'd think, Strachan might use the transfer market to freshen up his team. He has brought in Willo Flood from the Arabs, but is it enough?

Meanwhile, Rangers have lost a few squad players like Chris Burke and Darcheville, but failure to sell any of the big names means the squad is pretty much the same. It seemed improbable that they could win the SPL a couple of months ago, but since then Celtic have been dropping points all over the place.

Apparently, they wanted Steven Fletcher from Hibs, but didn't come up with enough money. Celtic certainly have the cash, so you can only assume they didn't want him enough. Hibs might have said he wasn't for sale, but an offer of, say, £5m would have got their attention.

Is he worth that much? Fletcher's had a poor season, but then Hibs are having a poor season. If Scott Brown is worth £4.5m, and more and more Celtic supporters would agree that he is, Fletcher is worth at least that much.

Hearts deflect the flak by smashing Hibs

They say the sign of a good manager is pulling results out of the bag when it really matters, and Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo certainly pulled one out of the bag on Sunday by beating Hibs 2-0 in the 4th round of the Scottish Cup.

His team hadn't scored a goal since sometime last year, rumours are growing about imminent sales of players, and they performed miserably against Motherwell on Wednesday. Yet Hibs proved the perfect hosts, giving their opponents a much-needed victory.

The match turned just after the half hour mark, when Steven Fletcher got sent off for a dangerous foul, Hibs lost the plot, and Christian Nade scored. After that, there was only going to be one winner of this tie.

Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen felt the sending off was wrong (he had a point) and that it changed the game. He was right here, too, because nothing he did after this moment had any impact. Down to 10 men, Hibs could not find a way back into the game. Derek Riordan - the player whose return from Celtic last August was described as a "statement of intent" by the club - was utterly anonymous right up until his substitution on the 65th minute, when he made an abusive guesture towards the Hearts fans and got booked for his trouble.

Forced to throw caution to the wind, defender Rob Jones went up front, leaving Hibs open to the counter attack which was smartly finished by Gary Glen.

Hearts have now won a 5th round tie at home to Falkirk, which is at least another matchday to bring in some cash.

As for Hibs, it's hard to see where they can go from here. They really need to finish 3rd if this season is not to be seen as a failure. That looks like a very slim hope.

More 4th round results here.

Goalfest in League Cup leaves Hibs with a headache

An exciting night in Scottish football, with the 2nd round of the CIS League Cup leading to plenty of goals. It seems that the players are still getting used to regular football, so mid-week fixtures are a treat rather than a chore. Well, a treat for most anyhow.

Most of the fixtures went according to the book, with the bigger club dominating - Dundee Utd beat Cowdenbeath 5-1, Falkirk beat Raith 3-1, and St Mirren put 7 (SEVEN) past Dumbarton. But Hibs hosted Morton and crashed out.

The home team was 2 nil down, pulled back to level terms, went ahead in extra time, and then conceded twice more. Not good, and you can't help but wonder if this might define Hibs' season.

The Edinburgh club had a terrible pre-season, but seemed to be knitting it together slowly this season. But they remain a fragile team, seemingly quick to lose confidence and with a shaky defence. They were missing captain Rob Jones at the back tonight, but it they really should have closed out this match in normal time, let alone concede the tie in extra time.

Motherwell await on Saturday, and it should be a fascinating game. It's still August, but both Hibs and Motherwell could do with a result.

As for the League Cup, let's hope there's as many goals in the second half of the draw on Wednesday night.

SPL predictions 08/09

The 08/09 SPL season starts tomorrow, so it's time for we love fitba to stick it's neck out again. No comprehensive preview here - just opinion - but if it's facts you're after, the Beeb have come up with a pretty comprehensive preview this time around

Alternatively, Inside Left have previewed all the weekend's games, and have got more predictions on their site too.

So here's how its' gonna pan out:

1. Celtic, obviously. 3 in a row, and although they were very, very lucky last time, they should have enough in the tank to make it 4. Strachan has won over more of the doubters with that last-gasp title clincher, by proving that even if some of the fans don't believe in him, his players surely do. Holding onto McGeady and Boruc will help, as will the form of Hartley and Robson at the end of last season. Surely Celtic will have a more coherent midfield this season?

The only doubts might arise if Celtic get into a European final, and become as distracted as Rangers did. But it's looking good for the team in green.

2. Rangers. What is Watty Smith up to? He had lots of strikers, so he's gone and bought 3 more, yet forgotten about his midfield entirely. Madjid Bougherra is presumably a replacement for Cuellar. It may all make sense come the end of August (will Real Madrid panic buy Lee McCulloch for £30m to get over being jilted by Ronaldo) but it doesn't right now.

3. Dundee Utd. Craig Levein is not just the manager at Tannadice, but he sits on the board too. The trust he enjoys there seems to be transmitted to his players, and he's done well in the transfer market, getting Willo Flood to return for another season's loan and strengthening upfront to make up for Noel Hunt's departure. Good work.

4. Hibs. Everyone's written off Hibs, who have had a shocking pre-season. Yet radgy manager Mixu Paatelainen has already shown he can mix it in the SPL, with decent results if not performances. Now he needs to step up, by proving he can beat the Old Firm occasionally as well, and get the team playing better football. He's not a great tactician, mind.

5. Motherwell. Did brilliantly by finishing 3rd last season, but the squad looks weaker without Ross McCormack, and manager Mark McGhee is not known for his consistency.

6. Falkirk. Slowly, slowly inching their way up the League, and play decent football too. This could be their season to break into the top 6. Their worry will be that another club finally realises what a fine job John Hughes is doing, and nicks the gaffer.

7. Aberdeen. Some characteristic wheeling and dealing from Jimmy Calderwood this season, but hard to say if the squad is any better. And the fans really don't like him at all, despite the UEFA Cup heroics last season. The wheels might be about to come off.

8. Hearts. They might have a manager at long last, but they've only made one signing so far, and that's just not enough. All the talk of unity and togetherness just rings a little hollow, too... this is Hearts we're talking about, after all. Expect the next crisis sometime before November, as Vlad re-asserts his authority and starts faxing through the team sheets again. Jambos believing that they are going to finish 3rd are living in dreamland.

9. Kilmarnock. Shocking last season, but the shock should jolt them into a (slight) improvement this time around.

10. St Mirren. Steady as she goes at Love St. Wait, not Love St, that'll be a building site come the end of the season.

11. Hamilton. They're young, untested at this level, and should go straight back down again. But that's no fun! Let's go crazy and predict a stirring start for the new boys, until reality and injuries kick in and they sink to a still-respectable finish.

12. Inverness Caley Thistle. Really not great last season, and with Niculae gone, it can only get worse. Will be hoping that Hamilton get put in their place early on.

Hibs look to the future as Mixu Paatelainen signs on for the 3rd time

Hibernian filled their managerial vacancy today after 3 long weeks, with Mixu Paatelainen the chosen man. After two spells as a player, and interviewed for the post last year before losing out to John Collins, Paatelainen now has the chance to succeed in the job he has openly coveted for some time.

He is an enormously popular figure at Easter Road, and just the appointment to lift the despondency of the past 2 months, following Hibs' horrendous slump in form and Collins' resignation.

Mixu Paatelainen played at a number of clubs during a long career, including Aberdeen and St Johnstone, but he really made a lasting impression at two. He is still a cult hero at Bolton, and secured a place in the affections of Hibs fans when he scored a hat trick in their rampaging win an Edinburgh derby in 2000. He was never the most technically able striker, but he played with his heart on his sleeve, and his trademark cartwheel celebration was quite something from such a chunky, well-built man.

He then left for Strasbourg, but returned to Edinburgh after just a season. Famously, he then resigned for Hibs after bumping into then manager Bobby Williamson during a training run around Arthur's Seat.

He has now served a manager's apprentice at Cowdenbeath and TPS Turku, which is more experience than Tony Mowbray and John Collins had.

It's now time to see if that experience can be put to good use.

Collins walks as Hibs look for yet another manager

So, this blog was right... Collins wasn't sacked by Hibs. His resignation on Thursday settled the issue.

Why has he gone? He claims it is due to the restrictive budget he was forced to operate under, but it's still an extraordinary decision, handing in his notice after just 14 months at the club with a crucial run of fixtures coming up. It comes across as the rash decision of a man backed into a corner - and perhaps in the next few days more details will emerge. Some fans contend that he wanted out before the current slump in form got any worse. If this is true, it points to a man who is shockingly unsure of himself in such a brutal profession. Other rumours allege that an argument with the chairman, Rod Petrie, came to a head, leading Collins to conclude that he could no longer have a workable relationship with the club's board.

So, Hibs have a managerial vacancy once again. For a club lauded for being well-run and taking the long-term view, they do work through managers at a fast pace.

Collins' replacement will be the 5th new face in the dugout since 2001.

Edinburgh in uproar

It's not easy being overshadowed by bigger, more successful football teams.

Edinburgh's two clubs have been kept out of the light for so long by the Glasgow Old Firm that you'd think the fans would have resigned themselves to their fate by now. Thankfully, this hasn't happened, and Scottish football is all the richer for it.

While supporters at Aberdeen and Dundee Utd have responded to repeated disappointment by drifting away from match days, leaving dwindling crowds to rattle around stadiums still haunted by memories of glorious achievements in the 1980s, Hearts and Hibs supporters are turning up in numbers, despite the fact that most fans of either club weren't alive the last time their club won a league title.

Yet this gloriously irrational behaviour has a flipside... it tends to cause despondency and anger rather than resignation when things aren't going well. And neither club has had a good month.

Hibs have won just once in their past 8 games, and the fans are starting to vent their fury. Rationally speaking, this shouldn't be happening - the club has sold so many players in recent seasons that expectations for this term should be muted, and their excellent unbeaten run at the start of the season means the club is still in 5th, which is hardly a disaster. Furthermore, what with the debts, new training centre and potential new East Stand at Easter Road, the club has got a fairly large list of bills besides going shopping for new players.

But the team's form is awful, and a minority have begun calling for John Collins to be sacked. Both manager and squad seem short of confidence at the moment, not helped by an increasingly edgy mood at Easter Road. It wasn't last Saturday's 1-1 draw against Falkirk, but the abject defeat against Aberdeen that proved the catalyst for the latest discontent. Few of the new signings have really made their mark yet, while the tactics and line up seem to chop and change from one match to the next.

Unless this current slump becomes a prolonged losing streak, there is no prospect of Collins getting the sack. Hibs simply don't respond to short term pressure in that way, much to their credit. But the manager certainly faces an important Festive period, and Hibs need to stay in touch with Motherwell and Dundee Utd in the battle for third spot at least. Otherwise the famously radge support could get even more vocal.

All this could seem no more important than the typical family row at the Christmas dinner table, though, compared to what's going on at Hearts just now. They are also on a poor run of results, but this time the catalyst was goalkeeper Eduardas Kurskis' mistake at the weekend that allowed Rangers to grab all three points from a game that had "draw" written all over it. The player's inclusion in the team is symptomatic of the chaotic way player selection works at Hearts, with the teamsheet faxed in from Lithuania covered in Vladimir Romanov's scribbles, some names crossed out and others put in their place.

Predictably, the Jambos are furious. Yes, Hearts have also lost plenty of decent players over the past year or so as well, but given the still large 1st team squad and huge wage bill they should not be down in 8th position in the league. And while Hearts, too, claim to be planning a new stand at their stadium, the latest promised date for submitting the planning permission has come and gone this week without any progress. Whatever Vladimir Romanov is up to, living up to his promises is not featuring high on his list of priorities at the moment.

The big question is: are the Hearts fans going to turn their anger into action? If Hibs were currently in their position, the fans would probably have rampaged through the streets of Leith by now, before orchestrating a forced occupation of the stadium and holding a mass rally to demand action.

Instead, the Jambos are trying to organise a meeting to plan a meeting to discuss a possible boycott of a home match, perhaps in February. For all their bluster, they tend to sit on their hands during crises and moan, rather than stand up and be counted. The occasional open letter to the owner is about as forceful as they get.

So far, Romanov has been able to do as he likes at Hearts, almost completely un-opposed (and there are still many Hearts fans that caution against doing anything that might upset Dear Leader, despite the chronic misrule). Indeed, it's arguable that Hearts only ended up in his hands because the fans failed to organise themselves against the proposed sale of Tynecastle to a property developer until the very last minute, forcing them to go cap in hand to a mysterious Russian businessman whose ultimate motive remains unclear.

Could this be the moment that the maroon half of Edinburgh finally reaches breaking point?

Hibs and Hearts share the points after another thrilling Edinburgh derby

The second round of fixtures in the SPL kicked off at the weekend, and again the Edinburgh derby was the match that received the biggest build-up. And again, it wasn't on Saturday, this time moved to a Sunday lunchtime slot, with the television cameras in attendance. Setanta have certainly demonstrated their faith in this fixture to draw a bigger audience to the "product".

It turned out to be a neatly symmetrical afternoon, Hibs' dominance in the first half being rewarded with a goal, Hearts' early reply in the 2nd demonstrating their increasing presence in the game. When all sides of such a tempestuous fixture say that a draw was just about fair, then you can be fairly sure that the result was the right one. Hibs were prettier and more cohesive; Hearts were strong and frequently dangerous. The two Edinburgh teams look evenly matched at this point in time.

A shame for Jambo supporters, then, that prior to this game they had handed a 7 point lead to their biggest rivals in the race for 3rd place, after their baffling and inconsistent approach in the first quarter of the season left the maroon team in the wrong half of the table. It's an even bigger shame that neither club is capable of putting together a real title challenge, and will again leave the Old Firm to battle it out amongst themselves for the SPL, as so often in the past.

At least Hibs fans have the comfort of knowing why. The last time the club gambled on success, by giving then manager Alec McLeish more money than it could afford, it forced the club to the brink of selling its ground and relocating to the Edinburgh outskirts to pay the debts. Instead, they have cut expenditure and traded their way out of trouble - a sound long term decision, but one that precludes any romantic dreams of challenging the big two Glasgow clubs.

With Hearts, of course, it's a more complex story. They have spent serious money - far beyond any other club except the Old Firm - but have just one 2nd place finish, and one Scottish Cup victory, to show for it. Now, as they approach the third anniversary of Vladimir Romanov's arrival, they seem no better off than when he arrived. It is inconceivable they can finish any higher than 3rd this season, yet surely they are not accumulating unheard of debts for this? Meanwhile, there are still no confirmed plans for redeveloping their ground. Something, sometime, is going to have to give.

Of course, most of Scotland predicted trouble... Hearts are not the only club in recent times to make bombastic claims about challenging the Old Firm, only to sink back again without achieving their stated aim. Dundee and Motherwell come to mind. There are signs of discontent in Gorgie, with many Hearts fans now openly calling for Romanov to end his involvement with the club, but - as yet - no concerted campaigning. For all the excitement on the pitch, the real story in Edinburgh football is yet to unfold.

Old Firm tied at the top of the SPL as Rangers beat Celtic again

Rangers won the first Old Firm clash of the season on Saturday, an impressive 3-0 win that puts the Old Firm level on points again at the top of the SPL. After two seasons of not mounting a decent challenge for the title, this season's battle already looks like it could go down to the wire.

Gordon Strachan admitted that Rangers deserved to win, and he will be used to it by now - since Walter Smith returned to Ibrox, they've won all three Old Firm clashes. To be fair, Celtic weren't helped by a nasty head injury to captain Stephen McManus, especially as Gary Caldwell is such an inferior defender. With the games now coming thick and fast, Celtic still need to learn how to stop conceding cheap goals or their season could unravel.

Elsewhere, Hibs' unbeaten start to the season was ended by impressive Motherwell, but John Collins praised his players for their performance: with Hibs only a point off the leaders, he claimed there is a "huge amount to feel positive about". Mark McGhee was naturally pleased with the win, but was also full of praise for Collins' passing football philosophy. These two teams are arguably the ones a neutral would choose to watch this season.

Hearts were undone by Dundee Utd, and Aberdeen beat ICT. Kilmarnock and Falkirk shared the points, while St Mirren beat Gretna to move away from the foot of the table.

Hibs living up to the "Scottish Arsenal" tag

It's usual for fans to spend the summer talking up the prospects of their club in the season ahead. In Scotland, where a small league makes for even more intense rivalry, supporters can banter about football seemingly without end, defending their own team while denigrating their rivals.

So when Hibs' new keeper, Yves Ma-Kalambay, said when he met the Scottish media back in June that the footballing fraternity in England spoke about Hibs as "the Arsenal of Scotland", it sparked bragging and barracking across Edinburgh.

On the face of it, the comparison is ridiculous. Arsenal are one of the very richest clubs on the planet, playing against elite competition in a spanking new stadium, with an enviable recent record of success. Hibs are, measured by turnover, a 20th of the size of the London club, have got their hands on silverware just twice in 16 years, and one of those occasions is widely forgotten about because, to get their hands on that Division One trophy, they had to get relegated from the top league first.

And yet... while Hibs could not hold on to 1st place in the SPL going into the international break, they are right up at the sharp end of the table, the only unbeaten club in the SPL. Having sold their most valuable and talismanic player over the summer, they have made a stunning start to the season, relying on a youthful team and a coaching philosophy that bears a strong French influence.

Sounding familiar?

John Collins deserves all the credit now coming his way. He has only been in the job 12 months, and had something of a turbulent first year. He was perceived as more aloof than his popular predecessor, Tony Mowbray, and the player revolt and subsequent slump in form last season only added to the impression that he was arrogant and ill-suited to management.

His critics are now either admitting their errors, or staying quiet. Indisputably, Hibs are now his team, and he has got them to play for him. Having lost around £10m of talent, flogged to pay off the debts, and spent no more than £1m in fees to bring new players in, he has ended up with a better balanced and harder-working squad. Yet they are still capable of the fast, fluid football that is Hibs' trademark.

There is no doubt that the manager is driven. His mantra, repeated constantly, is that success in football requires hard work and humility. But he reserves his highest praise for those players who, in matches, show him that they "want the ball", that they always make themselves available for a pass. As a result, the man in possession has more options, the passing is less hurried, and the team has more composure.

Yet he is also keen to dispel those myths about his unapproachability and impossible standards. Sounding hoarse after the win over Rangers, the BBC's Chick Young asked if he had been shouting at his players during the match. "Only encouragement", Collins stressed, "only encouragement".

He may be still a rookie manager. But all the signs are he is learning very fast.

Hibs looking up, while Killie suffer

Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies is famed for his hang-dog, glum demeanour, but no one could blame him for looking dejected after what he described as possibly his worst week in charge of the Ayrshire club.

Being dumped out of the League Cup, and by Division One opposition as well, was a desperately bitter pill to swallow for a man desperate to make amends for their 5-1 thrashing in last season's final. Killie's best hope of silverware this season has now gone, and Jefferies knows it.

He might have relished taking out his frustrations on Hibs in the SPL, but with a long injury list, probably feared the worst. And the worst did happen - Hibs only scored 4 on Saturday, but having a defender sent off probably hurt as much as shipping an extra goal. Jefferies had ligitimate complaints about the first of 3 penalties awarded to Hibs in the match, but admitted that the better team won. He now faces a real test in steadying the ship... Kilmarnock are currently 7th and face a crucial period in which they need to pick up some points while missing many of their influential players. A couple of good results will have a dramatic effect on their League placing at this stage of the season, but Killie fans must already be concerned about their chances of securing a top 6 finish this season.

Things are looking so much brighter at Hibs. Saturday's victory meant that they resumed their unbeaten start to the SPL almost as if the mid-week Cup defeat had never happened, and opened up a 5 point lead betweeen them in 3rd place and the chasing pack. Their play is improving match by match, with this summer's new recruits starting to really gel into the team. Clayton Donaldson, the striker signed on a free transfer from York City, got all the headlines with his hat-trick, but Yves Ma-Kalambay in goal and defender Thierry Gathuessi have also settled well.

After losing around £10m worth of talent in the summer, and spending no more than £1m on fees to replace them, Hibs' have started better than many fans expected, and any remaining doubts about John Collins' perfectionist management style are melting away. Whatever his methods, they seem to be working.