buster.

I don't think the standard statement would have registered. Having players attacked on the pitch and the reaction to it has been sad but fairly predictable. A reaching of a 'line in the sand' of sorts that has been coming. There is an undercurrent of hatred that is now going beyond the normal football rivalry levels, is becoming more widespread and manifests itself with people in roles of responsibility attempting to downplay attacks on players and many general supporters today online trying to deny it even happened.....and when faced with video evidence trying to present mitigating factors. You could argue that parts of the statement further polarizes matters but there comes a time when a stand has to be made and you have to try and change the debate from what is relatively comfortable for the 'other side' into one that starts down a road to get to the underlying problems.

There is already clear proof that attacks took place. What was clear from the NL incident was that the attack didn't actually result in bodily harm to a Celtic official because the offender seemed so slip onto his bahookie. ie. the footage already availbale from Saturday re. attack on Wallace is sufficient but perhaps not so well broadcast. It is from a distance but does offer conclusive proof.

May 2011 Neil Lennon gets attacked First Minister Alex Salmond said: "This sort of behaviour is utterly unacceptable. "The Joint Action Group formed after the recent football summit is developing the eight-point plan to present to ministers before the start of the new season to tackle all issues of violence and bigotry in relation to football, because we cannot have the safety of individuals endangered by such mindless incidents, and our national game tarnished." http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-13368945

In many ways the general reaction is an extension of the polarized referendum debate and a reflection of how it lingers. Contrast the reaction to that of the attack on Neil Lennon.

It really homes in on Petrie, his responsibilities, actions and lack of actions. Here you have the Hibs Chairman and SFA Vice Pres. who is wearing a double hat of responsibility outright refusing to call attacks on Rangers players disgraceful when given the opportunity by journalists. His attitiude and tone was of difiance. He then subsequently doesn't call or instruct anyone else in his club to call Rangers to inquire of the well-being of our players. Difiance and indifference in such circumstances from someone in authority at both Hibs and the SFA paints a very clear picture of the problem that confronts our club and support. When the people who should be actively looking to solve problems are very much part of them they should resign.

Journalists having a go isn't surprising, it's a reflex to protect their profession because they don't like being accused of spinning agendas. However, it goes on a great deal. The fourth estate are a poor lot these days.

The board seem to be looking to sieze the bull by the horns and take the opportunity to drive the debate into a direction that reflects what actually happened and hopefully later delve into the underlying problems that make this an ongoing sore and not a one off.

Got it wrong Tears and One Trophy (which he defiantly presents to the media in link below)

We are only individual fans and we will see what the next few days bring in terms of further or secondary reactions from the club/fans groups and an indication of how they are looking to play this. If you want to start to change something that is entrenched then you don't repeat the standard reaction that will be expected and get us nowhere. At the sametime if it was to become clear that a real alternative isn't coming from the club then you have to be clear to the authorities/other clubs that there will be consequences for a lack of reason/proportionality in their reaction. That said, the SFA will almost certainly try and push this into the long grass with an enquiry of sorts. The Police should be making a lot of arrests this week. Successful and powerful pressure groups heavily influence what is to be debated and denounced in the public/media and we suffer from being in opposition to a side that has them both directly and indirectly, whilst we don't really have any.........Hence when an opportunity arises through undeniable events, we should look to take it.

I just think that yesterday highlights the underlying issues (see articles by Frankie, D'art, Johnny McFarlane) and that there is currently an opportunity to publicly highlight them and have them seriously debated beyond our own messageboards. I'm not saying it will sort everything out, it won't but until some of what is and has been going on is publicy highlighted and exposed, it will fester, grow and end up in further consequences.

When Frankie said that 'we need to box clever' he was obviously right. You'd hope that the club and the fans could allign themselves in an attempt to get the underlying problem out into the public debate and contemplated. Ultimately individuals will decide if they want to attend away games or not and the calling for boycotts by a fans group at this stage isn't IMO boxing clever,.... if you want to even try to get to the fundamantal problem. We need to change the area of public debate around the issue.

Has there been any reaction from fans groups ?.....or is it that the transition process/ new group isn't yet in a position to be able to do so ?

He is under contract, has been generally excellent and can work on his defensive game. We aren't going into the EPL regards quality of opposition or funds available, it's the Scottish top tier.

We did well to hang-on in the first-half and then Haliday scored a cracker to put us ahead. Somehow we'd put ourselves into a winning position and both teams started to look like knackered boxers struggling to land a punch. A well taken corner exposed a sleeping defence and Hibs were buoyed and always the team most likely to win it in 90 minutes. When they got that corner in injury time, all it needed was a good delivery for it to be the equivalent to a penalty.

If other posters interpret X or Y differently to yourself, it doesn't always mean as you seem to frequently and categorically point out,... that they are wrong.

Wallace has been an excellent captain this season and sets an example in the way he plays and how he conducts himself. I'd note that there was talk of him pulling out of the Scotland squad prior to yesterdays game and wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't 100% fit in the Final.

Prior to yesterday it was one goal conceded from a set-piece in 450 minutes (corner in Hibs 2-1 Rangers game). Last 10 minutes yesterday saw 2 and if there had been another well delivered corner it would have probably been 3 because we'd switched off.

Agreed ! Approaching the semi-final I feared that we were running on empty with few options and may pay for it but we managed to turn-up and perform brilliantly. However that day is when our season ended with the gap between our last league fixture and the Final making it doubly difficult for the one game that mattered.

MW in his interview leading up to the games was what I thought and mentioned in the SCFinal thread, more candid than usual in his observation that we'd only find out on the day if our preperation had been adequate. I get the feeling that MW was half expecting that an undercooked Rangers would produce a less than brilliant performance. Not that the mgmt team didn't put in place what they thought was the best possible plan, more what he saw in front of him during the lead-up to yesterday connected to the lack of 100% fit options didn't install confidence.

We go up into the top tier and we as a support will be goaded and some. The fall-out will always involve us as the common denominator and guess how that would or will be reported. Our club need to use this opportunity to publicly make clear the real and dangerous situation that the 'general narrative' that Frankie aludes to has helped fuel. That general narrative can't and won't be 'turned off' but it can be challenged and in some cases, eg. public broadcaster perhaps diluted........IF the right pressure is exerted.

The SFA are partly to blame and will naturally attempt to make this easier for themselves and prefer the media finger to be pointed at both clubs. In doing so some will hope for the Rangers board to not aggressively follow up on their swift and to the point statement after the game. ie. Manage the media as best they can, provoke particular reactions and kick it into long grass. Standard political reaction is to instigate an investigation/enquiry and try to control or manage it as best as they can. Rod Petrie's first reaction at the press conference may along with the HIbs CEO's interview with BBC Scotland may work against them because you had senior figures in the SFA & the club not really wanting to take responsibility and in the case of Petrie, refusing outright to label the scenes as 'disgraceful'. A key factor might be if ever more clear footage emerges of our players and officials being attacked and assaulted. Apparently Sky TV have handed over relevant footage to the authorities connected with what will be criminal investigations and probable eventual charges against individuals. Regards any individual assaults, it is up to the police to take action and until people are found guilty I doubt the SFA will base any inquiry conclusion or action with them fully in mind (although clear publicly available footage also makes it impossible to ignore). If and when attacks/assaults on our players/officals result in convictions there should be real pressure for the SFA to take appropriate action. ----------- The most important thing and biggest challenge for me is the underlying issue that Frankie described in his excellent article and pushing it into a public domain that doesn't really want to hear about it or contemplate it. What happened yesterday presents an opportunity to do so but only if we as a support and the club together have the determination, the will and the savvy to do so.

Frankie's article has a chance of resonating and being heard beyond our messageboards because it is accurate, balanced and well reasoned. It's not so much "tolerant", more reasonably angry, seeking to educate and pushing for something to be done about an underlying problem.

Johnny McFarlane makes some good and salient points.

- Lots of video will ensure a fair few individuals getting charged - Hibs will get a heavy fine / outside bet of possibe SC ban next season - We will be fined - Those in charge of security should get sacked

Peter Smith has some videos up on his twitter feed Also some stills of Wallace being punched which I think come from videos that don't seem to be up yet. https://twitter.com/PeterAdamSmith