Departing Hibs hero Martin Boyle opens up on Easter Road farewell, final ambition and squad surprise
Ibrox banter celebration explained as striker drops ‘not a clue’ claim about future
It’s only natural, of course, that Martin Boyle’s final day at East Mains should end in uproarious laughter. That he hopes to bow out with more smiles at Easter Road tomorrow should feel equally obvious.
After 11 years, bar one brief interruption, the veteran forward will call time on his Hibs career at the end of the home game against Motherwell. Fully focused on helping his team overtake the Steelmen to secure back-to-back European qualification for the first time in 50 years, absolutely insists that he has no clue about his next professional port of call, Boyle has every chance of bowing out on a high.
He scored as recently as Wednesday night, after all. And even pulled out a tongue-in-cheek goal celebration in front of the Rangers fans at Ibrox, just for giggles; he sought to explain more about that earlier today.
Revealing some of the details behind a squad send-off that included an emotional video video tribute from friends, family and former team-mates – John McGinn among them – out at HTC just after training, the ever-jocular Boyle explained: “I was surprised, yeah. The gaffer pulled me in. I was like: ‘Oh no, I'm getting dropped tomorrow!’
“He was asking when I was flying to the World Cup. He was asking if I wanted to go for a round of golf and a pint.
“I was like: ‘Ah, that's a bit weird.’ It was just a distraction, although I might text him after and see if that's still a possibility.
“Then I came through and they all had masks with my face on. I was looking like a ghoul, which is a shame. They all turned around at once and I was shocked.
“They also played a 14-minute video. There were some familiar faces that I knew. It was a lovely gesture.
“I managed to stay strong, I'll say, until tomorrow. It was quite funny as well. It was nice.”
Family theme to post-match farewell
Should things go well for Hibs tomorrow, Boyle makes no guarantees about being able to hold it all together come the traditional lap of honour afforded home heroes at Easter Road. Especially if results go well enough to merit a certain sing-along in Leith.
“Yeah, it's a little bit surreal today,” said the 33-year-old. “The boys gave me a good send-off after training which was nice.
“But obviously I just trained as properly as I could and fully focused on the game. I think my kids are walking out with me tomorrow so hopefully I can enjoy it with them and put in a solid performance for the club and hopefully secure a European spot.
“I could go on all day. It's been a crazy rollercoaster. I think everyone knows how much this club means to me and how much passion I've shown and appreciation that everyone's gave me through the good times and the bad.
“I can't really say a bad thing about the club. I've loved it and hopefully everyone's seen that. I hope everyone's seen that I've given everything for the cause and everything for the club. Hopefully I can go out with one more memorable moment.
“There have been some great memories for the kids and the family. My wife being the captain of the women's team. They won the league last year so it's been great times and great memories for us that we can look back on.
“I knew for some time now that this would be my last season. Hopefully we can go out on a high.”
Recalling that loan move to Easter Road in January of 2015, Boyle said: “I remember we got beat 6-2 in the derby. I played in the Dundee derby.
“Then a couple of days later I was at Tynecastle. I think we drew 1-1 that game. I think Jason Cummings scored. It was pretty crazy back then. Two derbies in three days, which was quite madness.
“I still remember the conversations about coming here with Kevin Thomson and James McPake. It was probably the best conversation I had and the advice that I took.
“I haven't looked back I know I left and came back, but it's just been great. It's great memories.
“Hopefully, I've made it special for people that have came to watch me through the years. I've seen a lot of people as kids and now they're all grown-ups now. Some have kids. It's been crazy.
“Probably the most memories I have is when I'm out on a Saturday night and I'm drinking pints with them! I had a laugh here as well. The banter as well. It's been great.
“I can be proud and my family are very proud. That's the main thing.
“Hopefully I've made fans proud over the years and everyone that kept faith in me and gave me the opportunity to pull on the shirt. Hopefully I never let them down
“I've never changed and I don't intend that I will. I've always been the same as I always will be. I've left it all out in the field. Hopefully people can look back and have good memories of what I achieved here.”
Cheek has always been a part of Boyle’s appeal. The willingness to stick two fingers up to authority or wind up rivals is just in his DNA.
Invited to explain his mildly mocking impersonation of Rangers captain James Tavernier’s goal celebration in the midweek win in Govan, he said: “Heat of the moment. I'd actually seen the match programme and I was like: ‘That looks like a good celly.
“Obviously there's been a lot of speculation on social media saying that I was taking the mick and stuff like that. It was nothing like that.
“It was just a spur of the moment. I've seen it on the back of the match programme. Obviously if people take it the wrong way, it wasn’t intended to be like that.
“I've nothing but admiration for Tav and what he achieved at the club. I don't want that to get taken out of context. He's had a magnificent career there.
“You can see how much he meant to the fans. Obviously he wanted to go out on a high. If he couldn't do the celly, then it was obviously nice for me to do it. You don't score at Ibrox every week, so it was a nice feeling to score and contribute.”
Pressed on his future as a free agent, Boyle admitted: “Not a clue. Not even thought about it. Not even put myself in the shop window if I'm honest with you.
“My full focus is on ending on a high and going to the World Cup. I've still got a lot of work to do before the squad gets announced on the first of June.
“I’m open-minded. We'll see what happens. I'm also open to all interests at the moment. But full focus on the World Cup and what happens, happens.”