IT is five years now since John McGinn departed Hibernian for Aston Villa and a great deal has happened during that time.
McGinn has helped the Birmingham club win promotion to the Premier League and consolidate their position in the English top flight. He has, too, firmly established himself as a Scotland supporters’ favourite by scoring no fewer than 16 goals at international level.
The burly attacking midfielder, though, has never forgotten what Hibs, where he spent three years plying his trade, did for his career or the backing their followers gave him when he was at Easter Road.
So he is pleased he will get the opportunity to return to Leith once again for the first leg of the UEFA Conference League play-off tomorrow night and pay tribute to the club and fans who helped set him on the road to fame and fortune.
“I never got the chance when I left to show my appreciation to anyone there,” he said. “Neil Lennon (the then Hibs manager) and I had a feeling the game against Motherwell would be my last.
“I remember coming off. But you don't want to be that guy that does a lap of honour so I just jogged off as normal. It will be nice to see the supporters and thank them for what was an amazing three years.”
Once the game gets underway, however, McGinn will be doing his utmost to help Unai Emery’s side record a victory over Lee Johnson’s team and take a significant step closer to a place in the group stages.
And he fully expects the home crowd, who will pack out the stadium in the hope of seeing their heroes pull off an upset against their celebrated opponents, to give him absolute pelters as he does so.
“When the whistle goes I’m sure they'll be cursing and swearing at me and treating me like a normal opponent,” he said.
“We're desperate to get to the group stages and Hibs will be as well. I've a lot of friends in the team and we'll have a chat before the game and after the game. But when the whistle goes we all want to achieve the same thing.
“I don't think it'll have a testimonial feel. There might be a wee appreciation when my name's read out, but once that's over with I'm sure they'll be focussed on Hibs winning.
“There have been some special nights at Easter Road over the years and I don't think this will be any different. When we get started I'll be doing my best to get a victory for us to take a good result back to Villa Park.”
McGinn netted the opener in Villa’s emphatic 4-0 triumph over Everton at Villa Park on Sunday and it will be no huge surprise if he gets his name on the scoresheet in the “Battle of Britain” encounter with Hibs. He confessed, however, that he will not go overboard if he does so.
"Out of respect, I'd curb any celebrations,” he said. “That's not to say I won't be doing everything I can to get a goal and do my best for my current employers.
“But I've got a lot of respect for the way I was treated at Hibs and I certainly think that would take precedence over doing a knee-slide or anything disrespectful.
“Hibs was a massive part of my life. The way they treated me through the three years was amazing. When I was there, it was a special place to play with so many great people. We were fortunate to be relatively successful. Having said that, I still feel we underachieved in that spell, which hurts a little bit.
“It's been strange to watch the club develop. It's a completely different place now, there’s been a lot of changes boardroom-wise. They've evolved over the past few years and I don't think they've found the right formula yet. But I'm sure this occasion will be one they'll be hoping for more of in the future.”
Despite all of the changes which there have been on and off the park at Hibs since 2018, McGinn will still come across a few familiar faces when he turns up at Easter Road tomorrow afternoon.
He played alongside first team coach David Gray – the scorer, of course, of the winner in their historic 2016 Scottish Cup final triumph over Rangers – as well as with forward Martin Boyle, centre half and skipper Paul Hanlon and full-back Lewis Stevenson.
“I’ve had a few texts here and there from Lewis, big Paul and Boyley and Dave is obviously on the coaching staff now,” he said. “They’re good friends of mine, brilliant team mates and it will be great to see them again.
“I fully respect how good they are. A few regimes now have probably tried to get a couple of those players I’ve mentioned out, but the biggest credit to them is they’re still the first names on the team sheet.
“They’ve been through so many good times and tough times. They are men of resilience that is absolutely second to none. I’m looking forward to playing against them - maybe not when Lewis smashes into the back of me right enough!”
McGinn was tickled when he saw Australian internationalist Boyle jokingly booking Luzern players after finding one of the referee’s yellow cards on the pitch in the first leg of the third qualifying round.
"He's lucky there wasn't another ref to book him back!” he said. “But that's what he's like, he's a great guy to have in the dressing room, full of life all the time.
"It's great to see him back at his best after the hell he's been through injury-wise. I know he loves his football and he'll be looking forward to these two matches. But I hope he doesn't enjoy them too much."
McGinn also knows goalkeeper David Marshall well from their Scotland days. He confessed he will find squaring up to the man whose penalty save against Serbia in Belgrade secured qualification for the Euro 2020 finals an unusual experience.
“It’ll be strange seeing big Marsh again,” he said. “I’ve not seen him since he retired from Scotland. I don’t think I’ve played against him.
“He’s got loads of experience and is a great guy. He was different class over the two Luzern games. But hopefully he’ll be booting the ball back to centre spot after we score.”
