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Manager Paul Hartley looks forward to this week’s Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Hibernian in an exclusive question and answer session for the club website.

Paul played for the Edinburgh club between 1998-2000.

Are you looking forward to returning to Easter Road?

Very much so, because this is a game that is good for the profile of our club.

It’s even better because the supporters have been allowed back in to see it.

It’s live on television as well, so that’s great for the club financially.

How challenging will it be to play against a Premiership side at their home ground?

It will be tough because we are up against a very good Hibs side.

They have changed their squad since the transfer window reopened at the start of the month and brought four new players in very quickly.

That had to be expected because they had appointed a new management team in Shaun Maloney and Gary Caldwell.

I know Shaun and Gary very well, they were former team-mates at Celtic and when I played for Scotland.

I have no doubts they will do very well at Hibs and you can be sure that they would love to get their hands on some silverware in their first season.

They’ve made a good start as a management team and will be eager to keep that going, which will make our task even harder.

Despite all of that, we will be going there to have a go at them.

We have done well in our own league this season, so go there with a lot of confidence.

It’s an opportunity for some of our guys to test themselves at Easter Road for the first time.

For others, it will be another opportunity to compete against some of the best players in the country.

It’s the sort of occasion I used to relish as a player and it’s the same for the lads we will have out there on Thursday.

Will it help that we also faced Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last season?

The experience of that can only help.

I mean no disrespect to League One when I say you find the better the opponents the better the performances that inspires.

The players know they will get punished if they don’t give their very best when they are up against the very top sides in the country.

We have also played Hearts, Hibs and Dundee in the League Cup in recent seasons.

Facing sides from the Premiership is something we have become used to and the players enjoy testing themselves in those sort of games.

What can we expect tactically from us in the tie?

We will go there with a game plan aimed at getting the best result possible – which would be a victory.

It’s how we approach every game, we won’t change because it’s Hibs we face next.

We will aim to be positive, there won’t be any negative thoughts about maybe keeping things tight and stealing things late on.

We are aware of the quality Hibs have, so there could be times when we don’t have the ball and have to work even harder.

That’s something we aren’t used to when we play in the league, when we often have the bulk of the possession.

But our players are good enough to adapt and ensure we are able to compete.

Even though we are massive underdogs, we will be looking to win the tie.

It’s cup football after all, the competition has a long history of throwing up unexpected results.

We will do our utmost to give a good account of ourselves and hope it will be enough to see us through to the next round.

If it isn’t then we will move on and return to focusing on what we need to do to continue our good form in our own league.

We have always said doing well in the league is the priority for us, anything we achieve in the cups is a bonus.

You are a two time Scottish Cup winner (with Hearts in 2006 and Celtic in 2007) but how different is it managing a team in the competition?

The expectations are dependant on the level you are at.

When I played for Celtic in particular you were expected to win the Scottish Cup every time and it’s the same for most of the sides at the top end of the Premiership.

But when you are managing at the level Cove Rangers are currently at it’s more about staying in the competition for as long as you can in the hope of eventually getting a big tie because you know it could mean a lot financially.

Once you get that big tie your focus then goes on seeing if you can pull off a shock result.

Supporter Information

Cove Rangers fans going to Easter Road tomorrow will need to provide either a valid Covid Passport [or Exemption Certificate] in electronic or paper format or be able to evidence the electronic confirmation of a negative Lateral Flow Test taken within the previous 24 hours to pass the outer security perimeter. 

Please note that the actual Lateral Flow Device itself is NOT acceptable and only the electronic confirmation from the NHS in the form of a text or email is acceptable.

Fans should also note that no bags are permitted into the stadium unless they are for child welfare or medical reasons and where exceptions are made the bags should be no bigger than 30cm x 30cm, preferably see-through.

Supporters’ buses can park at the rear of the South Stand in area 7 and Cove fans will enter the stadium using turnstiles 11 and 12, at the West Stand. 

Fans are also advised all purchases within the Stadium will be cashless. 

Fans should also note there are roadworks on almost every road around the Stadium at the moment,  which will create hold ups. 

They are advised to avoid using North Bridge and Leith Walk and to approach Easter Road Stadium via London Road/York Place.

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