Hibs parade won't see sunshine on Leith By JENNY FYALL Published on Sunday 13 May 2012 00:00 Sorrow. The hearts of thousands of Hibs fans have been broken by a decision not to send a victory parade through the club's spiritual heartland if it wins the Scottish Cup on Saturday. The disgruntled fans say it is "nonsensical" that the open-top bus carrying the triumphant players and their silverware - should they triumph over city rivals Hearts - will miss out Leith and instead travel straight from Edinburgh city centre to their Easter Road ground. Leithers are traditionally the most staunch Hibs supporters and the club's unofficial anthem is Sunshine On Leith by the Proclaimers, whose lyrics are sung at every home game. However, the planned victory parade on Sunday will start on the Royal Mile before heading across North Bridge and past the St James Centre. But instead of heading down Leith Walk it will then head along London Road and Easter Road to the ground. Kevin Williamson, a Leither, poet and Hibs fan, said he thought the decision not to go through Leith was "a really big mistake" and that the parade should take the same route as in 2007, when Hibs won the Scottish League Cup. On that occasion it went down Leith Walk, along Duke Street and back up Easter Road. It was brilliant. Everyone came out on the streets of Leith," he said. "Now some numpty has decided to send it across London Road and miss out Leith," he said. I think it's a really big mistake. Everybody feels exactly the same. I think they are trying to dampen our enthusiasm. I think Hibs fans should cordon off London Road and force them to come down Leith Walk. Williamson thinks that the decision has been made to try to force fans from Leith up to London Road to keep them out of trouble. It's totally nonsensical. They are dragging everybody up to London Road and out of the pubs in the hope they will go home afterwards. What they don't realise is that when Hibs and Hearts go to the final it will be a big, happy family atmosphere. There will be no trouble, but the authorities want to do everything they can to treat fans like animals. In contrast, he thinks the route of the Hearts victory march goes exactly where fans would want it. Frank Dougan, a staunch fan and ex-treasurer of the Hibs Supporters Association, agreed it was the wrong decision. I think it's very important they go through Leith, and the fans will be really disappointed if it doesn't. That's where most people will be, so that's where they will want to see the victory parade. However, Mike Riley, chairman of the Hibs Supporters Association, said the route of the victory march was of "secondary importance." He said the issue had been discussed at the club, but for him winning was key: "I don't really care where it goes, because if it's happening at all it means we've won the cup. That would do me. Where it actually parades is a minor detail if we've won. But he did have some sympathy with the views of Leithers. Folk are traditionalists. I don't entirely disagree with what they are saying. I can sympathise that a lot of folk take it to their hearts and Leith is Leith and they are proud of it. But to me it's secondary to winning the cup. They can parade through Gorgie as far as I'm concerned. The twin routes were announced on Friday after each club submitted its preferred option for the victory parade and Edinburgh City Council approved the plans. A spokesman from Hibs declined to comment yesterday. Chief Superintendent Gill Imery, divisional commander for Edinburgh at Lothian and Borders Police, has said the police and council worked "closely" with Hibs on the route of the parade, to make sure it will "provide fans with an optimal view." Extra police patrols will be deployed to safeguard the huge crowds expected to line the streets to cheer an open-top bus on its way to a celebration inside the winning stadium. Hibs have won the Scottish Cup twice, in 1887 and 1902, but have lost nine Scottish Cup finals since, most recently in 2001. Hearts have won the Scottish Cup seven times, most recently in 2006.