Jack Ross asked his Hibs squad at the start of the season if they thought they could win the league title.
Even die-hard Hibee Darren McGregor said no, so the Easter Road boss posed another and the squad answer din the affirmative.
And they could be about to prove themselves right after completing one of the objectives in midweek.
A 1-0 win over Aberdeen secured third place in the Scottish Premiership.
Now it’s all about Hampden on 22 May and the Scottish Cup final against St Johnstone.
If they can win that, then their start of season ambitions will have been realised, nine months after Ross asked what their expectations were
“I remember the gaffer asking the question,” McGregor recalled.
“He actually asked if we could win the league, and I actually said I thought that was unrealistic, I didn’t want to put the dampeners on things too much!
“Then he asked a different question, he asked did we think we could finish in a European place and win a cup?
“And that changed the dynamic, everyone said yes, we could.
“We’re in a great position to do that and the character of the guys over the course of the season has been phenomenal.
“It’s one last push to get another Scottish Cup. I try to tell the guys, they’re probably bored of hearing it, about what it means to the club.
“So to cap that off with third place and the cup would be beyond anybody’s wildest dreams, to be honest.
McGregor stepped in for the injured Ryan Porteous at Pittodrie on Wednesday night and could keep his place for the visit of Celtic on Saturday.
But even though he would love to lift the famous old trophy with his boyhood club one more time, McGregor insists his young protege deserves his spot and to experience what he himself got to five years ago.
He explained: “I am honest, and I have said this to Ryan...I think he deserves to play the cup final. If he’s fit he deserves to play.
“He’s a Hibs fan like myself, he has worked ever so hard this season and he has improved tremendously in terms of his mentality and his physicality.
“He’s destined for the top so I wouldn’t take that opportunity away from him. I think it was more of a precaution he didn’t play against Aberdeen.
“As I say, I am always proud and humbled to play for this club and every time I get the opportunity I am going to take it with both hands.
“It’s difficult the older you get when you don’t have that consistency of playing week in, week out.
“But for me the big thing is the gaffer knows he can trust me and rely on me so when things like that do happen I am ready to go in.”
