Lewis Stevenson: I hope I’m heading back west for the final

Banned Lewis Stevenson praying his Hibs team-mates can ease pain of being sidelined today by booking Hampden return next month

LEWIS STEVENSON knows sitting in the stand watching his team-mates take to the pitch for their Scottish Cup semi-final clash with Aberdeen at Hampden today will be torture.

But he’ll still be roaring them on from the sidelines in the hope that they can record a victory over the Dons and fire him into contention for a spot in the final instead.

The Hibs midfielder missed out on a place in Pat Fenlon’s squad to face the Dons this afternoon because of a booking that he picked up for unsporting behaviour in the last round against Ayr United and, instead of playing, he will be forced to take his seat among the rest of the Hibs supporters.

The 24-year-old had previously been cautioned in the fourth-round win over Cowdenbeath back in January, leading to a one-match suspension, and admitted that it has been difficult to be involved in the build-up to the match this week knowing that he has no chance of playing. “It’s really disappointing for me to miss out,” he said. “It’s games like this you want to be involved in, I think every player would be the same.

“There’s been a real buzz about the place and, even though I know I won’t be playing, it has been nice to be part of it.

“I travelled through with the squad on the bus and stayed with the team at the hotel so I have still been included. I’ll be up in the stand with the rest of the fans and a lot of my friends and family are going along too.

“It will probably be difficult for me when I have to go and sit in the stand and the team are coming out of the tunnel, but hopefully we will get a good result and I will still be able to enjoy the occasion.

“It’s going to be a great day for everyone at the club if we do manage to get through and obviously I would enjoy my football even more if I knew that I had a cup final to look forward to at the end of the season.”

Stevenson has been a regular in Fenlon’s side this season, having featured in all 21 of the cup and league games that the Irishman has been in charge of since his arrival in Edinburgh back in November.

But the Hibs midfielder is not taking his place in the starting line-up for granted and reckons he will have to fight tooth and nail to get back into the squad for the SPL game against Kilmarnock next Sunday. He knows that missing out today will give someone else a chance to stake their claim for a regular place – and potentially keep him out of the side as a result.