Jonny Fairbairn: ‘It’s the biggest game of some of our careers’
Centre-back Jonny Fairbairn has said Berwick’s current league form will have no bearing as the team look to cause an upset in this Sunday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final against Hibs.
The ‘Gers have won just once in their last seven league matches and have dropped to ninth place in Scottish League Two in the process, but Fairbairn insists the team’s current woes will have no impact on tie, which is televised on Sky Sports at 12.45pm.
Speaking after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat against Albion Rovers, the 25-year-old said: “Sunday is a totally different kettle of fish altogether. For a cup game you can throw league form or anything that’s went on before out the window.
“It’s the biggest game of the year, it’s the biggest game of some of our careers so it’s a positive that we can forget about what’s been happening in the league and go out there with nothing to lose.”
Should Fairbairn be selected in the starting team on Sunday, it would signal something of a meteoric rise for a player who only made his first team debut 14 months ago on January 2, 2014, in Ian Little’s penultimate game in charge.
A reserve team regular until then, Fairbairn has become a mainstay under Colin Cameron, playing more than 40 times for the ‘Gers in all competitions, and the former Berwick High School pupil is desperate to become part of a successful side, starting in the quarter-final at Easter Road.
He said: “It’s a mark of success really. When I joined the club, the first thing I wanted to do was get myself into the first team. I’ve done that and now the next thing is to be part of a successful team.
“It’s been a great cup run so far and it’s not over yet. We’re not going up there to roll over. We’ll work hard in training this week, prepare for the game in the best way possible and try and get through to the next round.”
And casting an eye over Sunday’s Championship opposition, Fairbairn says that the ‘Gers can take some positives having played the Easter Road outfit in pre-season, despite losing the match at Shielfield Park 5-0.
He said: “Obviously they’re a couple of divisions above us but they were down here in pre-season and, until they took the lead, I thought we matched them.
“The thing is as well, they might actually stand off us a little bit more and let us play football which is how we like to play. The main thing is not conceding an early goal and if we can manage to do that, we can take it from there.”
By Martin Inglis
