Joe Newell feels his decision to move to Scotland has been vindicated by the fact Hibernian have reached six consecutive semi-finals since he joined the club in the summer of 2019.
Big days out were few and far between for the 29-year-old midfielder at previous clubs Peterborough and Rotherham, but he is revelling in being part of a team that has become accustomed to playing huge matches at Hampden on a regular basis.
Newell has now made it to the last four of both the League Cup and the Scottish Cup in each of the past three seasons and will be aiming to reach a third consecutive final when Hibs face Hearts in a mouth-watering Scottish Cup semi-final next month after the draw earlier this week pitted the two Edinburgh teams together.
“I’ve been lucky since I’ve been here because every cup we’ve been in we’ve got to Hampden,” he said. “Other than a win in a final, I can’t really ask for more.
“Getting to play in big games was a big reason for me signing my new contract last year. You don’t get to play in those big games as much down south.
“Unless you’re at a big club in the Premier League – and I’m obviously not going to play for one of those – you just don’t get to semi-finals down in England.
“It’s a big pull of playing up here in Scotland that you get the chance to play in these massive occasions and make unbelievable memories. I’ve had some really good games and good times up here. Hopefully we can go all the way this time.”
Before the semi-final, Hibs face three important league games, away to Aberdeen on Saturday, at home to Dundee United and away to Hearts, as they bid to secure a place in the top six before the cinch Premiership splits.
The Easter Road side are currently in fourth place but are one of six sides separated by just one point in a congested mid-section of the table.
Newell admits it will be a dire scenario for Hibs if they slip out of the top six over the coming weeks and miss out on the chance to secure a place in Europe for next term.
“Every game is big, but three games before the split are really big because we set out at the start of the season to get to Europe,” he said.
“If we don’t get the top six it’s a failure, really, in terms of where we want to be as a club and where we should be with the team we’ve got. They’re three massive games and we know what we’ve got to do.”
