Joe Newell reckons Edinburgh derby day offers a chance to hit the top of the world no matter how bad form is outside the 90 minutes of capital chaos.
The only problem for the Hibs midfielder is that recent instalments of the biggest fixture on Auld Reekie’s football calendar has been akin to scaling Everest for those of a Leith persuasion. Newell has only tasted Edinburgh euphoria once in eight clashes with Hearts. And that was in his derby debut at Tynecastle more than three years ago. It’s been body blow after body blow for Newell since that Boxing Day 2019 victory in Gorgie and the fact he’s still to see Easter Road erupt in triumph at the final whistle only adds to the frustration.
In total Hibs are nine games without a win in the fixture. Yet the 30-year-old is adamant this weekend’s clash in Leith - billed as a disaster derby due to both side’s rotten form - comes at the PERFECT time as they look to save their top six skins. That’s despite a run of four defeats on the spin culminating in Saturday’s 2-1 loss at rock bottom Dundee United leaving Lee Johnson’s side four points adrift of the Euro spots in sixth place.
