Hibs captain David Gray has no intention of winding down his career after signing a four year deal that will likely take him to retirement – he wants to win something again before he stops playing.
The full back essentially secured his long term future at Easter Road by heading the stoppage time winner against Rangers in the 2016 Scottish Cup final and ending 114 years of failure in the competition for Hibs .
That’s now three years ago, and the 30-year-old this week penned a new four year contract with the long term plan being he’ll take on more off the field responsibility as time goes on.
However, Gray is adamant he wants to play as long as he can, but knowing there’s a role for him once he no longer can is the type of security not many have these days.
“The gaffer has told me he wishes he had the opportunity to do what I have towards the end of his career, and I am grateful for the opportunity,” he said.
“But it’s not as if I am just going to take my foot off the gas and think I’m alright now for the next four years. I want to be playing week in, week out because I know it’s a very short career.
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“I want to achieve as much as I possibly can here. I want to win something else.
“It was a great feeling in 2016 winning something and I want to go on and do that again.
“I think we have shown in one-off games that we’re capable of beating anyone.
“The league is going to be very difficult, Celtic have obviously been far superior for many years now.
“But at the start of every season there are two cup competitions and there’s no reason why we can’t win one.
“We showed in 2016 we can, and that has to be the objective every season.
How long does “Sir David” realistically think he can keep going for? “I don’t know, as long as I possibly can. Four years? Why not?
“I know it’s easy to say that because that’s what I have in front of me, but until the manager tells me I am no longer required I’ll be doing all I possibly can to remain in his first team, that’s for sure.”
Shorter term, there’s the small matter of an Edinburgh derby to focus on when Hearts head across the city in Sunday.
Hibs won at Tynecastle for the first time in six years just three weeks ago, although Gray found himself pretty groggy during it after taking knocks to the head and neck in each half.
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He put his head where it hurt against Celtic as well to block a shot last weekend, but is fine and ready to go again despite having to come off in the last capital clash - thanks to his own goalkeeper.
“How’s my head? There’s nothing in there anyway, so I’m all right!” He joked. “I took another one on Sunday, aye, blocked a wee shot.
“I never felt much, to be honest, but I was eating grass after it. It was a good shot, I’ll give him that.
“When it starts to affect the team, that’s when it becomes a problem. As long as I feel I can play on and contribute to the team, I’m going to stay on and try my best.
"The medical staff help, as well. We’ve got an excellent medical team who were able to identify it pretty quickly.
"They could say: “Right, that’s it. I’ve seen enough now.” Whatever they’d seen was enough.
"It was Ofir – my own goalie! I don’t mind that, to be honest with you.
"It was a corner just before half-time. I say to him all the time that, if he needs to come for a cross, he’s just to clean me out – that’s fine as long as he gets the ball.
"I want him to come and clean me out every week, as long as he keeps getting the ball. I’ve no problem with that."
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