Emotional Kevin Nisbet has spoken of his pride at fulfilling his promise to his dying father that he’d get into the Scotland squad.
The Hibs striker was called up by Steve Clarke for the first time ahead of this month’s World Cup qualifiers against Austria, Israel and the Faroe Islands.
Nisbet’s dad Thomas passed away in October after a battle with cancer and the 24-year-old revealed one of the last conversations they had saw him vow to become a full international for Scotland.
Now he has got his foot in the door Nisbet is determined to stay there and book his place in the squad heading to the European Championships in the summer.
Recalling his promise to his dad, Nisbet told Hibs TV: “It was one of the last conversations we had together. He told me to go and get myself in the Scotland squad.
“I’m happy to fulfil that promise I made to him. My full family are proud and it’s a great day for me.
“I’m buzzing. It’s been a long season and I’ve been there or thereabouts a few times but just not made the cut.
“I’m delighted and think I’ve made my family very proud.”
Nisbet has been rewarded for a prolific season which has seen him net 14 times so far for Hibs including the winner in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Ross County.
The 24-year-old has come back to the fore at Easter Road club after being removed from the starting XI by Jack Ross following a transfer deadline day saga that saw Birmingham fail with repeated seven-figure bids for the hitman just over a month ago.
It’s been a meteoric rise for the hitman since his £250,000 move from Dunfermline last summer.
And he said: “I had a rocky start to my career. A few loan spells never worked and a lot of people counted me out.
“But I have come back from that and went from strength to strength. Now I’ve got a call-up and I think that’s the pinnacle of anyone’s career to get recognition from the national team.
“I’ve done that but that’s the easy part. Now it’s about staying in the squad and trying to get to the Euros.”
