The term deja vu – first coined by French philosopher Emile Boirac in 1876 – describes the rather bizarre sensation of recalling an event or moment in the present, when logic dictates it simply can’t be possible.
According to the general consensus amongst experts, around two thirds of us will experience the phenomenon at some point in our lives.
For anyone associated with Hibernian Football Club, however, that figure probably seems a little low. After all, deja vu seems like a weekly occurrence for fans of the Easter Road club these days.
During a wide-ranging interview with Sky Sports midweek, executive director Ian Gordon admitted the he and the club had made several errors in recent years, from manager sackings to transfer disasters.
The 34-year-old certainly talked a good game, and he deserves a fair amount of credit for refusing to assign blame elsewhere and for shouldering the sizeable burden of responsibility.
Yet while his refreshing self-reflection should be commended, his promises regarding a better future had an air of familiarity about them. In other words, it’s all been said before.
Dwight Gayle this week put pen to paper on a one-year contract at Hibernian
The striker is eager to hit the ground running at the Edinburgh club
Gayle spent time at the PFA training camp over the summer in a bid to earn a deal
And that should set alarm bells ringing amongst the Hibs faithful, especially given what transpired not long after the TV crew had been sent on their way.
The signing of 34-year-old free agent Dwight Gayle on a one-year contract on Thursday was puzzling to say the least, and at odds with Gordon’s apparent plan to build long-lasting foundations for the future.
There is little doubt the former Newcastle striker arrives with some pedigree. Having found the net more than 100 times in his career to date – most of those strikes coming in the Premiership and Championship too – he knows the way to goal.
But his tally of just 11 in his last five seasons should be a significant cause for concern. And is likely why he found himself involved in a PFA training camp for out-of-contract players over the summer having been released by Derby County.
That’s not to say he should be written off, and he may well prove to be a roaring success in Scotland, but it begs the question: Are there really no young talents coming through at Hibs worthy of an opportunity?
Last season, the club ranked 10th in the top flight for minutes given to Scottish players under the age of 21. Unsurprisingly, only the Old Firm came off worse by that metric.
Hibs director Ian Gordon has taken responsibility for the club’s recent failings
Manager David Gray is in desperate need of a first Premiership win of the season
Kieron Bowie has been ruled out for four months after getting injured on international duty
And despite the appointment of Scottish Cup-winning hero and club legend David Gray as permanent manager in June, they don’t appear to have made any progress in that regard.
Over the first four games of the Premiership campaign, Kieron Bowie is the only player to feature who meets the aforementioned criteria, and even then, none of his appearances have been from the start.
Sadly, the former Fulham youngster will be nowhere to be seen for the foreseeable future following the news that he faces four months on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury on Under-21 international duty last week
Even more worryingly, Josh Campbell, now 24, is the only player to come through their formerly much-heralded youth academy to get any in action for the first team this season.
It wasn’t too long ago that scouts from across the country would flock to Easter Road to get a first-hand look at the next generation of talent lighting up the top tier of Scottish football.
Unfortunately, those days now seem to be a thing of the past. Instead, anyone tuning in to watch today’s clash with St Johnstone will once again bear witness to a team with no connection to their fanbase, no identity, and a stark lack in quality.
What was that about deja vu?
Buddies boss hopes to get one over on bogey team
St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson has worked wonders since replacing Jim Goodwin in 2022. Back-to-back top-six finishes and European qualification for the first time since 1987 will attest to that.
And this weekend’s visit of Kilmarnock provides another opportunity for the Northern Irishman to create more history.
Stephen Robinson has failed to beat Kilmarnock in seven attempts since taking over in Paisley
Kilmarnock’s Bruce Anderson (left) and Fraser Murrary celebrates scoring against Hibernian last time out
While it may not seem all that important in the grand scheme of things given how much he has achieved in his time at the SMiSA Stadium, but it’s somewhat interesting to note that a victory over the Rugby Park side has so far eluded him.
In seven top-flight battles between the two sides since Robinson first sat in the SMiSA dugout, Kilmarnock have come away with the points on four occasion. Three draws complete the set.
With Kilmarnock have only gleaned one point – and one goal – this season in the league, now is as good a time as any for Robinson to finally get one over on his Premiership bogey team.
