The Edinburgh Reporter January 2021

@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk SPORT 23
Kevin Nisbet PHOTO Ian Jacobs
Calculated Hibs gamble pays off
by John Hislop
A few eyebrows were raised
when Hibs spent a reported
£250,000 to bring in Kevin Nisbet
from Dunfermline during the
summer transfer window and
there was criticism from certain
quarters given that his new team
mates had been asked to take a
wage deferral.
There was no doubting his
quality at a lower level having
netted 34 times in 46 games for
Raith and then 23 times in 32
outings for Dunfermline, but it was
seen as a "calculated gamble"
given his lack of experience in the
top flight.
Since then the gamble has paid
off and following an impressive
start to his Easter Road tenure, the
young striker is being quoted for
an international call-up with next
year’s European Championships
on the horizon.
His progress is all the more
impressive when set against
the backdrop of the personal
heartache that his family have had
to endure after his father Thomas
sadly passed away, having
been diagnosed with terminal
liver cancer towards the end of
Scotland’s first lockdown period.
A few days later, Kevin bravely
honoured his dad’s last request for
him to put his sadness to one side
and take his place in the Scottish
Cup semi-final at Hampden.
Leith Walk Police Box Pop up space
Monty who owns the police
box has hosted many pop
ups here since lockdown
restrictions eased.
In January there will be a
few pop ups all weather,
tramworks and Covid-19
dependent.
Tipico Sicilian confectioners
- nuts, dried fruit, chocolate,
tarrone, brittles and gift boxes
- New Year's Eve as well as
Wednesdays and Fridays in
Kevin explained: “We’d known
about dad’s condition for, maybe,
the last three months, before
I signed for Hibs. Terminal
liver cancer. The words hit
you. Unfortunately, his health
deteriorated in the last week. It all
happened very quickly. We hoped
we’d have had another couple of
weeks with him, but it wasn’t to be.
“I had to leave training quickly on
Tuesday to be at his side. There
are all the obvious precautions
for everyone just now and, like
a lot people, I’ve had to say
goodbye to a loved one in difficult
circumstances. It’s been a tough
time for so many people.
“I’d been visiting him in the
garden for the last wee while,
at his insistence. More than
anyone he was making sure I was
following all the proper protocols.
I’m grateful for that time we had
but it has been hard.
“Dad’s been the driving force
behind how I’ve been playing in the
last few months. Not just because
he’s my hero and I wanted to do it
for him, but because he’s always
believed in me. Ever since I first
kicked a ball.
“In the last few months it hasn’t
been easy in terms of worrying
about him and juggling that with
football, but he was adamant that
I – as best as I could – stayed
single-minded when I was at
training and playing games.
January 11-5ish Card payment
please.
Free food shop (zero waste)
and soup - rescued food and
hot soup Tuesdays 12-2 by
RCK. All welcome. Bring a
bag.
Crazy Croissants will be back
in 2021.
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Anything I do now will be for him.”
By his own admission, Kevin
didn’t fulfil his own potential in
those early days at Partick Thistle
but he has more than made up
for it since with a relentless
commitment to improve.
Thomas played a big part in
Kevin’s decision to sign for Hibs
amid other offers north and south
of the border, including from city
neighbours Hearts.
He added: “Dad was adamant
that I should come here. It was
in my head to do the same, but
he really was set on it. He was
convinced this was the best place
for me to come at this point in
my career. It’s worked out that
way and I like to think I made him
proud.
“With the way I’ve started the
season, and the way the team
has been playing, I think it’s
helped keep him going and been a
welcome distraction. Every week
he’s looked forward to the games
and watching me play. He loved to
see me score.
“Darren McGregor has been there
for me. He lost his own dad at a
young age and knows exactly how
I feel and how to juggle that with
football. I have to thank Darren
and the rest of the lads because
they’ve all been great with me. The
same for the gaffer (Jack Ross)
and Potts (John Porter)."
Team mate Darren McGregor was
video diary. Returns Spring
2021.
PLASTIC FREE JULY has passed
but are you still doing your bit
to help protect the oceans
and marine animals? Small
changes can have a big
effect. LWPBPU asks all pop
ups to think about changes
they can make to their
packaging to cut single use
plastic.
Churros con chocolate - the
quick to praise the 23-year-old’s
character saying: “I’ve said time
and time again that Nizzy (Kevin
Nisbet) has been nothing short
of a revelation since he’s came
here. He’s such a grounded guy
and has such potential and the
background stuff going on at
the minute shows that he can
still come out here and bash
out a performance like that is
testament to him as a person and
a character.”
Scotland will take part in their
first major tournament for 23-years
next summer and former Hearts
captain Michael Stewart is one of
a growing number who believe that
Kevin should be selected for the
European Championships squad if
he keeps up his current form.
Kevin however is focussed on
adding to his goal tally with Hibs
although he admitted that playing
for Scotland would be a pinnacle
of his career so far.
He added: “It’s encouraging to
know the Scotland manager is
aware of how well the team are
doing. I just have to keep playing
well, scoring goals and hopefully
it will happen for me too but I’ve
always backed my ability that I will
get goals and I’ve proved that in
the last few seasons.
“Of course, I do think that I can
make the step up to challenge
for a Scotland place as I’ve made
a good start to the season and
I’m high in confidence about the
future.
“Playing for your country would
be the pinnacle of anyone’s career
and it’s all good right now but the
priority is to focus on staying in
the Hibs team by continuing to
score goals that can help us win
games.”
Hibs’ Head Coach Jack Ross is
in no doubt about his ability to
progress to the international stage
and he believes that he is not far
away. He added: “Kevin has that
ability to score all sorts of goals.
"We’ve seen it countless times.
He has been terrific since he came
to us and his contribution has
been invaluable.
“I have spoken to Scotland coach
Steve Clarke recently with the
inclusion of Ryan (Porteous) and
then Paul McGinn going into the
squad – and he’s well aware of
Kevin’s progress.
“I don’t think he’s far away and
if he continues in the vein of form
he’s in at the moment, then he’ll
force his way in.”
www.leithwalkpolicebox.com
authentic traditional Spanish
snack Saturday 2nd and
Saturday 9th January 2021.
Check social media for
details.
On the fly
by Nigel Duncan
Ben Robertson was concerned
about the lack of competition
fishing. He has one Scotland cap
and a second was denied this year
because of Covid-19.
There are no internationals
scheduled next year so the
Scottish international decided to
organise the inaugural Scottish
Open Fly Fishing Championship.
All heats and final will be fished at
the Lake of Menteith near Stirling
and there will be three heats
featuring 20 boats and 30 boats
for the final.
Anglers can only enter one heat
with a boat draw completed live on
Facebook a week before the heat
and 50 per cent from each heat
go through to the final. The first
two fish caught will be timed and
all fish are counted by your boat
partner. In the event of a tie then
the timing of the first and even the
second fish will decide the winner.
Heat winners will receive £100
cash with the first in the final
receiving £2,000, second £1,000
and third £500.
Whitburn-based Ben said
international fly fishing rules apply
and hooks are either barbless or
debarbed. He said: "Anglers will
record the time of their first and
second fish and score cards must
be signed by the boat partner."
The entry cost is £60 per angler
for a heat and £35 per angler for
the final
Payment must be made through
PayPal to confirm a place and the
PayPal address is scottishopen@
outlook.com.
The heat dates are: May 16 (9.30
to 5.30), May 30 (9.30 to 5.30),
June 13 (9.30 to 5.30) with the
final on 12 September (9.30 to
5.30).
The event is sponsored by
Glasgow-based trout fly tying
company Fariofly.com and
Robertson explained: "There has
been no competition fishing this
season because of the world-wide
pandemic.
"Guys want competition angling.
I have one Scotland cap and was
due to get a second this year.
That did not happen and I won't
get one next year as there are no
internationals planned.
"So, I thought, organise one. The
Lake of Menteith is in the centre
of Scotland and easy to get to and
when I approached them they said
they had been thinking of doing
something like that. Money is tight
so we've kept the costs down as
much as we can."
Robertson, who is originally
from Penicuik and fishes with the
Dalkeith-based Black Bull Angling
Club as well as on local waters like
Allandale Tarn near West Calder,
hopes to take the competition
forward after the first year.
He said: "The initial reaction has
been great. I've launched it on
Facebook and we've had a great
deal of interest and we hope to get
more once word-of-mouth and the
media picks up."