DARREN McGregor has urged Hibs to secure the services of manager Alan Stubbs on a long-term contract following the Easter Road club’s historic William Hill Scottish Cup victory.

Speculation about the future of Stubbs has been rife since Hibs failed to win promotion to the Ladbrokes Premiership via the end-of-season play-offs for the second season running earlier this month.

But McGregor, who was outstanding in the dramatic 3-2 triumph over Rangers at Hampden on Saturday, believes his boss deserves a new deal after leading the Edinburgh club to their first Scottish Cup in 114 years.

"I hope he stays,” he said. “He's a great man manager and motivates the guys really well, but there is a line we can't cross with him. The guys really respect him.

“There's always speculation about his future because he's such a good manager and he could fit into any club really well.

"I just hope he does stay. He's got a year left on his contract and hopefully he fulfils that and builds for the future. We've got a great squad and a great platform to build on and achieve bigger things."

Asked if Hibs should try to tie the former Celtic contract down on a new contract, McGregor said: “Leanne (chief executive Dempster) and Rod (chairman Petrie) will be looking to do that.

“You look at the games where we've lost with the last kick of the ball - we've been unfortunate in the League Cup Final and in the semi-final of the play-offs and now we've done it in the final of the Scottish Cup. He's done well.

"I've played under a lot of managers. For me, he's a great man-manager, motivates the team and is top drawer."

Meanwhile, McGregor expressed his disappointment that Hibs’ victory, their first in the Scottish Cup since way back in 1902, had been marred by ugly clashes on the pitch after the final whistle.

Rangers players were attacked by Hibs supporters who had invaded the pitch at the final whistle as they tried to make their way off the park and were unable to collect their losers’ medals after returning to the dressing room.

The Hibs right back, who played for the Ibrox club last season when he was named Rangers Player of the Year, is hopeful the crowd trouble won’t detract from the inspired Hibs performance and victory.

"I was in the midst of it, trying to be a peacemaker,” said McGregor. “People were excited because it was the first time in 114 years, and I did witness a wee bit of a disturbance. They were passionate fans and to point the blame at anybody would be unfair.

"Rangers and Hibs both wanted to achieve the same goal and the overspill of that is a series of unfortunate events, which I think both sets of fans will regret, but it shouldn't tarnish what was a good game and a great Hibs victory.

"It all happened so quickly, the Hibs fans were on then I realised the Rangers fans were on and when you put the two of them together - the Rangers fans losing when they did and us winning when we did, tempers would be heightened.

"It's unfortunate, but it should be remembered for the spectacle it was and Hibs winning the cup for the first time in 114 years should be looked upon in a good light.

"I didn't know that Rangers players were attacked and I don't condone that. Both sets of fans need to be better than that - there are more important things in life than football. There's family, friends, so to delve into that kind of thing is unfortunate and I'm sure it was a minority of fans."

Boyhood Hibs fan and Leith native McGregor, who was released by Rangers after Mark Warburton was appointed manager last summer, admitted the triumph was the greatest day of his life after the birth of his daughter and believes the Easter Road club can build on the win.

“It's just incredible to put the hoodoo to bed,” he said. "After disappointments in the League Cup and in the league campaign, I think people were expecting a similar outcome, but to do what other clubs have done to us was great.

"David Gray deserves all the plaudits for popping up with a minute to go. It was just uncontrollable excitement to be honest. It's the best feeling apart from the birth of my daughter that I've ever experienced. It's just unbelievable. I said beforehand that if we win the Scottish Cup I can call it a day quite happily!

“We can build on this. We are now in Europe and it is a great achievement and I think there is a lot of redemption. Hibs fans have had to put up with that expression, 'Hibsing it', but we need to get into these positions to allegedly 'Hibs it'.

"In the League Cup final, we lost out through an unfortunate series of events and the same in the league, so come here and win the Scottish Cup in the manner we did, with 10 minutes to go being beaten by a really good Rangers side, shows the character the gaffer has installed. We are all really proud of this achievement."