European Nights, Local Pride: The Hibs Supporters Club

The Hibs Supporters Club entrance

While Hibernian's exploits throughout Europe may be garnering them plaudits and respect throughout Scotland, my trip to the Hibernian Supporters Club showed me that a focus on local pride, history and community is just as important.

Based just minutes away from Easter Road, the Hibs Supporters Club seems to offer a matchday experience and community that's as strong as the walls that contain it. While waiting outside to meet Club Treasurer, Kerr McLernon, I watched as countless Hibees entered the building, each one greeting those enjoying the sun outside with jokes, handshakes and hugs. It was immediately clear to me that it wasn't only the cheap Tennants (only £4 a pint for Members, and £4.50 for Non-Members) that had supporters pouring in in droves. This was a place where the punters were as tight as David Gray's backline.

As Kerr joined me outside, I wanted to get a bit more of an understanding about what the Club meant to him and the Hibernian support as a whole. Built upon the original grounds of 'Hibernian Park', Hib's first established ground, the Supporters club is steeped in history before you even walk through the door.

In the early 90s, as Hibs' financial woes worsened, the then-Hearts Chairman, Wallace Mercer, proposed the merging of the two Edinburgh teams. Both sets of fans went into uproar, and the Hibernian fanbase began a campaign titled 'Hands Off Hibs' to help fundraise and ultimately, save the club.

"This was Ground Zero for the 'Hands Off Hibs Campaign', this is literally where hundreds met when the news came through the radio and thought 'Ok, we need to do something about this'"

According to Kerr, it was this moment that captured the interest of many Hibs fans. "I think they saw a great example of fan community, and from that moment, they just kept coming back. For a lot of members, that was the very first time they got involved with the group."

With the Supporters Club being right at the heart of one of the club's darkest eras, it is clear as to why it is held so closely to people's hearts. In Kerr's case, even more so. His mother was the Club Treasurer in the past, and while assuring me the position isn't hereditary, he does admit that his parents actually met here, getting to know each other through matchday drinks and away-day buses.

With 2026 being the Club's 80th birthday, it is easy to get lost in thinking about how many friendships and relationships have blossomed here. Weddings, birthday parties and even funerals are often held within one of the multiple function halls, and Kerr is quick to establish that it exists as more than just a football bar.

While matchdays may be members only, the venue is open to outsiders throughout the week. Sports tournaments, live music and dance shows are available weekly, and the halls often host quiz nights, charity fundraisers, and local club events.

Poster promoting the Ghana Independence Day Celebration

"We want it to be open and as inclusive as possible. A few months ago, we held a celebration for Ghana's Independence Day. Obviously, that's nothing to do with Hibs, but it is to do with the community, and that is also part of it."

As the Club continues to fill with supporters (Hib's first leg against Legia Warszawa was just hours away), Kerr takes me inside and offers a quick tour. He points out the hallway walls adorned with boards commemorating the club's history, each different panel representing a different decade. Opposite, small poster boards for each different club branch, 'St Giles', 'St Pats', 'The 2016 Branch'. Each branch, says Kerr, is different in size and personality but contributes in different ways to help support the Club.

"In that way, we are really a big cooperative, but we are also a big family as well. It is a very diverse and different group, but we are all united by football."

That hadn't been the only time Kerr had stressed the club's wish to be diverse. While the average member may be of a slightly older generation, the Club stresses it is for one and all.

"We want to be as inclusive as possible. No matter your race, gender, sexuality, religion, anything, if you are part of the local community or share a love for Hibs, you've got a place here!"

Walking through the Club, I couldn’t imagine it struggling to maintain its nearly 2,000 individual members. In the 'Famous Five Function Room', groups and families sat side by side across multiple generations. Grandparents handed coins to children to grab a burger or some chips before the game, while parents returned to the bar, chatting and laughing with friends. Pints, burgers and pre-match snacks seemed almost like a ritual. The scene perfectly captured the Club’s unique atmosphere — a place where football, family, and community come together seamlessly.

The Supporter Club often runs fundraisers and toy drives. Here, Pat Stanton was on hand to help make a donation to the Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity

The 'Pat Stanton Bar', located up the stairs, was being set for a Fringe performance. Clearly, the tendrils of the comedy festival have made their way down Leith Walk. Yet, this gave a perfect example to me about how the Club exists not just as a match-day venue, but as a hub for the community and city.

While it can be easy to feel that modern day football is becoming too global and expensive, leaving behind its working class roots, the Hibs Supporters Club reminds you that the heart of the game is still very much local. Here, the simple joys of a £4 pint, a burger for the kids, a laugh with a friend, are enjoyed and celebrated like they should be. I may have been there on a European night, but it was the local spirit and sense of community that truly stood out.

After thanking Kerr for his time and tour, I left with a renewed appreciation for what the Hibs Supporters Club and other clubs like it, represent. It is so much more than a place to grab (admittingly very cheap) pints before the match; it is a living testament to decades of history, a hub and meeting place for friends and family, and a vibrant and dedicated place within the Leith community. The club proves that football isn't just about the game, but finding a place of connection, pride and belonging.

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If you would like to know more about the Hibernian Supporters Club, you can find a link to its website below.

Hibernian Supporters Club