Every word from David Gray's pre-match Hibs press conference

What do you make of the challenge facing Hibs on Sunday?

"It's one I'm looking forward to. I think the break for us, for different reasons, was good. Obviously the positive result against St Johnstone gives us a lot of confidence going into training and a feel-good factor around the place.

"But [the break] gave us time with players of different levels of fitness and an opportunity for a couple of players who maybe were carrying a few knocks to rest up a little bit and then fully focus and plan on this game. We've had two weeks to do that so from that side it's been positive, and it's a test we're really looking forward to."

The atmosphere must have been better after the first win of the campaign?

"Yeah, it definitely helps. The bonus of getting the three points for all the efforts you put in, especially with the way the two previous games went. Losing late goals and being pegged back meant they almost felt like defeats, but the key message is to keep that belief and be quite measured throughout the whole process.

"I think you could see the weight off the players' shoulders, especially when the first goal went in against St Johnstone, and we really finished the game the way I know we can play. Hopefully we can build on that now."

What are you expecting from Rangers?

"It'll be a real tough test. It always is going there. You have to deal with the atmosphere. They had a positive result last week back at Ibrox as well, so we know we have to deal with that. The players will be aware of that. It's never an easy place to go but it's a real enjoyable place to play. It's a great test for the players to go and test yourself against the best players in the league."

What does it feel like as a player to go there and get a result?

"It takes a lot of hard work. We will definitely have to be at the top of our game. But in terms of having experienced it, it's a great place to go and play. It's a brilliant atmosphe. It's a great stadium, a real traditional stadium, brilliant playing surface.

"It's a great opportunity to test yourself against a real good side. But if you can go and get a positive result, it's brilliant for everyone involved."

Will Joe Newell be involved?

"He's getting there slowly; him and Martin Boyle. Those two were carrying injuries or have been playing with injuries. Boyley with his hand, Joe with his stomach / groin issue. They're developing nicely but we'll just see how they go.

Is Dwight Gayle ready to play?

"He missed out on the last squad because he only signed the day before and had only done one training session with us. But seeing how he's trained in the last two weeks, how well he's looked after his body, how professional he is... he'd been working extremely hard, training away before he joined us and had some games behind closed doors, so he's in a good place at the moment. He really adds quality and experience to the group.

Any other injuries or team news? Is Jake Doyle-Hayes any closer?

"Jake's still as he was. He played in a bounce game last week and came through that. He's continuing to work hard to try and get himself back to the level. But as far as the squad is going, it'll be pretty similar to what it has been."

Élie Youan seemed a bit off the pace against St Johnstone…

“I think you're right in what you say. That was his first game for a while. He wasn't probably at the level that he thinks he can be – or what we know he can be. And then we took him off at half-time. It's been a long time out for him.

“He’s been good in training. He's someone who works hard. He's very driven to be the best he can be. You can see how good he is athletically and I think In training ever since then he's been trying his best to try and put himself in a place to get on the team. He's been out for a long period of time.

“We played a bounce game during that break, which meant we could get more minutes for him, alongside a lot of other players. So he got some more minutes into the legs - and hopefully, he'll be in a better place to be available for this weekend.”

When you've got creative players, do you just need to play them to get the sharpness back?

“Sometimes; it's a bit of both. I think confidence is one thing. When you've been out for a while you tend to be a little bit rusty as well, but if the first thing he did in the game was really positive then he's probably one of those players who goes and pushes on a little bit. 

“It is very individualised in terms of how they're feeling at the time. He's been out for a while, as have a few other players. I think it's hard to get match-fit without playing games. You can try and replicate it in training as much as you can, but there's no other feeling or experience you can get to match going and playing the game.

“So the positive side for him is he's been back on the grass. He's played 45 minutes competitively, plus the bounce game. And now he's had an extra two weeks of training fully with the group. The break did come at a good time.”

How important is it to have a band of away fans when you go to a place like Ibrox?

“I think it's great that you can support your team. These fans pay a lot of money every single week to follow us home and away

“We’ve already touched on the experiences I've had as a player, being fortunate enough to win there, experiencing that in front of your fans, being there celebrating with your fans – and the opportunity to reward your fans for making the effort to come.

“I think it's only right that they should get the opportunity to go to games, always.

It was a bit unfair that Hibs were left in the lurch over tickets… 

“In an ideal world, you'd like to know as much information as early as possible.

“As a supporter, you need to know if you're able to go so that you can make arrangements. It's not as if you're just walking along the road. I know there are a lot of factors that go into it. It costs a lot of money as well to support a football team. So they're the challenges that they'll always face.

“But the club worked extremely hard to do everything they could as early as they could to get a solution quickly – to try to let the fans be at the game, because that's what we want, ultimately.”

How strong are your memories of winning there? 

“I was reminded that Sunday's game is ten years to the day when I scored my first goal which seems longer now. But it's memories that will live with me forever. It was my first competitive goal and even just going there and playing in the games, these are the games you want to play in, I've mentioned it several times now, playing for a club like Hibs. In this league you get opportunities to play in big stadiums and big atmospheres. And the fans are a big part of that. They really drive it.

“The intensity at Ibrox Is something that some of the players going there for the first time need to be ready for because it's similar when you go to Celtic Park and Tynecastle and these games when there is a rivalry and expectation from the Hibs supporters. You need to go there and put on a performance. But you need to deal with 50,000 Rangers supporters as well.

“So you need to be able to deal with that. But it's a great occasion if you can really stand up to it and give a good account of yourself.”

 What sort of message did Alan Stubbs And Neil Lennon give to you guys when you were about to go out to Ibrox? 

“Now you're testing me - that was ten years ago! I think the biggest message going into any game is you need to give the players enough belief to know they can go and do it. Rangers will be favourites going into the game. They know how tough a test it can be.

“But you need to give the players belief. They need to believe as a group that you can go there and win; that you can go there and get a positive result. Because if you don't believe right from the start, then you're already 1-0 down before the game starts. 

“I think that's the biggest thing I'll always remember with a lot of the managers I've worked for going into these games, especially when you might be underdogs, is that you actually do genuinely believe you can get something from it and you trust in the process, you trust in your game plan and you give absolutely everything you can towards it.”

What have you made of this Rangers side so far?

“Yeah, they've obviously signed a lot of players. Very different, a few changes all the time. They're going through a bit of different blends with different personnel. So that takes a bit of time.

“They've obviously got very good players. They won again at the weekend there. They're a very good side. Whatever they manage to put out, whether it's a game in Europe on Thursday or a game against us it'll be a really strong Rangers side.”

 Would you say they're not to be feared though?

“I don't think you can be. There's a difference between fearing and respecting.  You have to go there with respect, 100 per cent. They're a top team. But you shouldn't be scared to go and express yourself.

“You need to stand up to it and test yourself against the best players. And I think that's what should bring the best out in players as well.  So it's a challenge that everyone should look forward to."