Stubbs: Trouble will not overshadow Hibernian´s cup win

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs says he dreamed of winning the Scottish Cup and claimed the pitch invasion at the end of their dramatic 3-2 victory against Rangers will not overshadow his team’s success.

The police have confirmed they will investigate how thousands of people got on to the Hampden Park pitch, with both sets of goalposts broken in ugly scenes after the final whistle.

But Stubbs preferred to focus on his team’s stunning comeback, with David Gray’s late header following Anthony Stokes’ second goal of the game securing Hibernian’s first Scottish Cup title in over a century, ending their run of 10 successive final defeats.

“I wish all the fans had left the pitch so we could celebrate it properly,” Stubbs told Sky Sports.

“We don’t condone what has just happened, but that is 114 years of hurt. Everyone’s safety is the most important thing. I can understand the euphoria that surrounded it. I don’t condone it, but I understand it.

“It certainly won’t [take the gloss off the result]. Whatever comes our way we will take it on the chin, but it will not take away the pleasure and pride of what we have just achieved.”

Stubbs added he dreamed Hibs would win the cup final 3-1 and insisted his “magnificent” team deserved to win the match.

“We stuck to the game plan,” Stubbs said. “We knew exactly what we needed to do. 

“If we did that, then we would limit Rangers to not many chances and we did that. I thought the players were magnificent.

“They have had a lot of knocks recently, a lot of bad luck, and in football it doesn’t matter how well you play, if luck is not on your side, it is not going to happen.

“When we came through the play-off games, we felt a bit like that, like it wasn’t meant to be, but today was meant to be.

“I have felt we were going to win this for the last six weeks. I have dreamt of winning it, I thought we were going to win 3-1 and I wasn’t far away.

“I am pleased for everybody – the club, supporters and the board that have backed me 100 per cent. This is now a reward for what they have done.”