FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | FACEBOOK
Hibs midfielder Marvin Bartley insists he has had the last laugh after being told that a switch to Scotland was a ‘dead-end’ move.
The Reading-born player is loving life with the Easter Road side after becoming a Scottish Cup and Championship winner since signing from Leyton Orient in summer 2015.
The 30-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of this term, is now keen to extend his stay with the Leith club.
Ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, Bartley will always remember how managers south of the border mocked him for making the move north of the border.
He said: “Signing from Leyton Orient to Hibs, it was a weird one. Alan Stubbs gave me the call to come up, I think I avoided his calls a few times and then I came up and saw the potential of the club, the training ground and the size of the stadium. I knew I had to come.
“There were not only people down there, but managers as well when I gave them a call to say I was going to go up and sign for Hibernian, they said: “What are you going there for, it’s almost like a dead end move?”.
“That’s what one manager actually said to me and he ended up getting sacked not too long after that.
“It’s been excellent and being on the Scottish Cup parade with that many people was something I’ll never forget.
“It won’t happen to many people and for me to experience that was unbelievable, a unbelievable moment in my life.”
Former Bournemouth and Burnley defensive midfielder Bartley now plans to be part of Neil Lennon’s squad as they make their return to the Premiership.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “I’m keen to stay, it’s been very good to me for the previous two seasons – having the success of the Sottish Cup last season and winning the league this season. It’s been brilliant.”
