'I love Hibs', admits County new boy who sunk them!
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IF you cut Ivan Sproule open, you suspect the Northern Irishman would bleed the green-and-white of Hibernian. In his own words, they will always be his club.
Sproule’s son still wears the Hibees’ colours with pride and the 31-year-old’s feelings for the Edinburgh team are non-negotiable.
Hibs may have deemed him surplus to requirements in January, but Sproule’s allegiance is such he declined to celebrate Wednesday night’s winning goal.
As if it wasn’t obvious already, though, none of this will be to the detriment of Ross County.
The County Tyrone-bred winger struck a third goal in as many games for his new club to seal the defeat of his ex-employers.
The fires that burned at Easter Road now flare for County, as he asserted on Wednesday night with a man-of-the-match award tucked firmly under arm.
That he was able to hobble in for interview at all after suffering a worrying hamstring strain was good news for all concerned at Victoria Park.
Sproule – with explosive pace, clever movement and an eye for a pass and finish – has clearly added a new dimension and edge to the Dingwall team. And for the next 18 months at least, he is pledging to give Ross County every ounce of the effort he expended for his beloved Hibs.
Explaining the absence of a celebratory flourish after his 36th minute finish, Sproule stressed: “I’ve said it before. I love Hibs. My boys will always have Hibs shirts on them and, if you ask what team they support in the SPL, they will tell you it is Hibernian.
“That will never change, but I’ve got a career to focus on now and I’ll give 110 per cent for Ross County.
“Every time I pull a shirt on for County, I’ll give as much effort for them. But, as I say, Hibs will always be my club.”
Sproule is, however, a man re-energised by the move to Ross County.
A return to Easter Road from Bristol City turned sour with a lack of action under manager Pat Fenlon, but suddenly he is a man in demand – and loving every minute of it.
Sproule said: “I enjoyed the goal. It is always nice to score and especially to get three points.
“But the way I look at the goal tonight is it’s three points that lifts us up the table.
“The team here have worked amazingly hard over the period of time I’ve been in at the club.
“I’ve not known a bunch of lads and training staff to work as hard – and I’ve been at some good clubs. There’s a real hard-working philosophy up here. I’m going home and sleeping at night, anyway!
“It is maybe benefiting me and maybe giving me a rejuvenation. Hopefully, it can add a few more years onto my career.”
Tests will be carried out on the hamstring injury this week. Sproule got up off the turf initially to try and run off the 70th minute problem, but soon signalled to the technical area.
After the initial scare, there was optimism, though.
Sproule said: “The injury is hopefully not too bad. I’ve had three games in a quick succession and obviously not played much football earlier on in the season.
“So I’m hopeful at the minute that it is just a bit of fatigue that kicked in and that it will maybe only keep me out for one game.
“Unfortunately, that will be the Hearts game, right enough, but I’m maybe going to get a scan later on in the week.
“Hopefully it is just one game or a week that I’m out. Fingers crossed, my movement is good on it so it shouldn’t be too long.
“It is a bit too early to say, but obviously from knowing my hamstrings throughout my career I’ve never torn them.
“I know the way it felt and I didn’t tear it off, anyway. It was more of a cramp kind of thing. I took myself off to avoid doing any more damage.
“I knew when I felt the twinge I had to go off. Hopefully, the medical staff can work quickly and get me back as soon as possible.
“I don’t know if I gave the gaffer a scare, but I gave myself a fright. I was nearly in tears in there in the changing room because I have been really, thoroughly enjoying being back playing again.
“That’s the nature of football. You can be going well and get these wee knocks. But I know my own body and, hopefully, I’ll not be too long out.”
In all likelihood, Sproule will miss the rearranged visit of Hearts this weekend as County seek to fortify their very impressive upsurge in form. Wednesday’s win made it three wins and a draw from their last four matches.
As manager Derek Adams emphasised, the focus is now on hauling back teams above County rather than escaping those below.
Dundee sit 14 points behind County in the relegation zone with half the tally their Dingwall foes have accrued so far.
Adams, instead, goes into tomorrow’s match with thoughts of climbing the table.
The County boss said: “The Hibs result was another good win for us – and it was good to keep the momentum going.
“We’re only six points off Hibs now with two games in hand and we are four points off Aberdeen. That’s what we talked about before the game. We’re doing well.
“It has been excellent start to the new year. We have 28 points from 23 games and we’re just looking at keeping on going.
“It was another good goal from Ivan Sproule against Hibs. He’s been a good signing for us.
“He has a wee problem with his hamstring but we’ll see how he is for Saturday. I’m not ruling anything in or out just yet.
“It doesn’t look like it’s a tear, thankfully. He would be disappointed to miss Saturday against Hearts, but he was desperate to show Hibs just what they were missing. He certainly did that by scoring the winner from a good pass from Iain Vigurs.
“It wasn’t a great footballing night with the weather but all that mattered to us was gathering the full points.
“We now face another stern test in Hearts and we will see if we can attain another good result this weekend.”
