‘We’ll play our football amid derby mayhem’ - Hibs exclusive

Hibs won’t abandon their footballing principles amid the heat of derby day in Gorgie, with new head coach Nick Montgomery insisting that it would be “dangerous” to get sucked into the raw emotion of the rivalry. Undefeated in his first four games as boss, Montgomery knows Hearts will do everything in their power to disrupt his game plan.

But the Englishman, asked about the key to victory in a match that always produces explosive moments, declared: “I think maybe handling the emotion of the game – and ultimately playing your game.

“I think if you lose that, if you lose everything about you as a team because it’s a derby, that’s a dangerous thing. If you can compete, number one, and refrain from getting caught up in the emotion on the pitch, that’s key to coming out on top.

“You also have to avoid mistakes, not give them and their fans a lift. Once the players cross the white line, they need to keep their emotions in check.

“I’ve watched plenty of Edinburgh derbies before and I’ve been immersing myself in the history of the club. I don’t need anyone to tell me about it. I’ve already had fans stopping me in the streets about it.

“They’ve all been really welcoming over the last couple of weeks. But most of them make sure they have a little mention of the derby: ‘Make sure you beat Hearts.’ I know what it means to the fans. And, as a coach, you want to make the fans proud.

“Away from home, they’ll do everything they can to make us feel uncomfortable. But you have to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Control that emotion and don’t get carried away.”