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Ryan Porteous sets sights on silverware with Hibernian

Ryan Porteous sets sights on silverware with Hibernian
© Reuters
Hibs host Motherwell in the quarter-finals on Saturday and Ryan Porteous is determined to progress.

Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous has quickly moved on from the achievement of securing European football and is targeting silverware.

Head coach Jack Ross noted how little was made of Hibs sealing a top-four Scottish Premiership spot with Wednesday's win over Livingston, with his team pushing strongly for third and the Scottish Cup.

Hibs host Motherwell in the quarter-finals on Saturday and Porteous is determined to progress as they look to atone for recent semi-final defeats by Hearts and St Johnstone.

"We guaranteed European football on Wednesday and now it's about the cup," Porteous said. "We want to go and win it and Saturday is the next step towards that.

"At the start of the year my personal goals were to play every game, to get beyond the 30-game mark. I am around 36/37 games and over the course of the season I feel as if I have performed relatively consistently. The boys have done really well in helping me get there.

"We have put ourselves in a fantastic position and there is a big five or six weeks left now. We want success.

"We are very close to securing third place, we want to get that done, and we have a massive opportunity to get back to Hampden, right our wrongs. We want silverware and we want success and Saturday is the next step.

"Winning a cup with Hibs was my ultimate dream growing up and now I am in the position, we can try and get closer."

Porteous has been one of many success stories at Easter Road this season.

The 22-year-old earned a call-up to the Scotland squad and has firmly established himself at the heart of the Hibs central defence barring some Betfred Cup ties when he was on international duty, and a five-game spell after a failed bid by Millwall.

"I was taken out through certain circumstances but in a full season you are going to need your whole squad," the Scotland Under-21 international said.

"The manager says that it might be 11 going out on the pitch but you can use subs and everyone is important.

"Daz (Darren McGregor) came in and did fantastic. He was back to his best and helped the team massively – big wins against Aberdeen and Dundee United.

"Getting taken out gave me a chance to let my body recover and look from the outside in. It benefited me and made me more hungry to get back in the team and help the boys."

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A general shot of a Premier League football ahead of the Premier League clash between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on October 30, 2016
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1110103132831
2Aberdeen11101024101431
3RangersRangers11713168822
4Dundee UnitedDundee Utd125431813519
5Motherwell116141514119
6St Mirren134361722-515
7Dundee123361824-612
8Kilmarnock123361525-1012
9Ross County132651021-1112
10St Johnstone133191627-1110
11Hearts132381420-69
12Hibernian121561118-78


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