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NEIL LENNON has urged his Hibs side to ‘live for the moment’ as they seek the victory that could finally land them the Championship.
The Easter Road men know a win over Queen of the South, coupled with anything less than a win for Falkirk against form team St Mirren, will clinch promotion back to the top-flight.
It would bring to an end an agonising three-year quest to return to the Premiership they slipped out of after a heartbreaking play-off penalty shoot-out with Hamilton Accies in 2014.
But Lennon has warned his players, who have struggled to get themselves over the line, against looking too far ahead as a roller-coaster campaign reaches its climax.
He said: “We know what we have to do, and we have done for a considerable period of time.
“It would be nice to do it in front of our home fans and do it with a bit of style as well.
“The players are aware what is at stake and hopefully results go our way.
“We are almost there but not quite and we need to get it over the line.
“Some players are getting a bit anxious and are maybe trying too hard and not letting it flow.
ENJOY
“You try to tell them not to look too far ahead – stay in the moment and enjoy the games.
“This is a good period in your career.
“The players have a Championship to win and a Scottish Cup semi-final to look forward to.
“Don’t think about what will happen at the end of it all because the reality might not work out that way and the feeling might not be that way.
“I would tell the players to just let it happen.”
Although he would love to lead Hibs into the Scottish Cup final next month, Lennon has ever since his arrival made promotion his number one priority.
And, a veteran of five Premiership wins as a Celtic player and three as the Hoops boss, the Northern Irishman hopes to revel in the success himself if it does happen today.
ACHIEVEMENT
He added: “It will be very satisfying for me, personally, and it will be a great sense of achievement for the players.
“We all feel that Hibs should not be in this division, but we are and you have to earn the right to get out of it.
“They have nearly done that and there will be a sense of achievement for them.
“It’ll just be joy – hopefully a feeling of unbridled joy for a lot of people. It has been a long time in waiting.
“I know the worry that a lot of people behind the scenes have gone through. I see it every week in their faces.
“It doesn’t help me! I’m trying to keep calm and take it game by game.
“But we are nearly there now, so they can enjoy it as much as anyone.”
