GORDON STRACHAN claims he hasn’t been a Hibernian supporter since he was 15-years-old but some things never leave you.

It was back in 1962 when his dad Jim, a lifelong regular at Easter Road, took his five-year-old son to his first match, a home game with Aberdeen. Their last game together was an Edinburgh derby in 2011 before Strachan senior passed away.

What has been forgotten by some is that Saturday produced one of the greatest ever Scottish Cup Finals and that poor club which could never win the trophy actually got to take it home at last. History, joy and emotion. It’s why football is such a lovely thing.

Strachan was at Hampden as a pundit, not a punter, but while the Scotland manager insists on being impartial, which is part of the job, it was hard for him to forget his first love.

“It was quite emotional, really,” he admitted. “I stopped supporting Hibs, as such, when I was 15 and went into professional football. That’s when you stop supporting a team, because you are a professional.

"But my dad took me to my first game at Hibs – and I took him to his last game there. So it was quite emotional. People say to me: 'You’re a Hibs supporter.' No, but I’m a supporter of my community, I’m a supporter of Leith.

“I still go back there, I work with Spartans, all my relatives are in that area. So it’s Leith that I support.”

Strachan has never been one for looking back at what has been. Misty eyed reminiscing is usually not the man’s style.

But even he was moved as he watched the Hibs team's open top bus being driven down Leith Walk past bits of the world which still mean a great deal to him.

“Sunday was great,” said Strachan. “They went to Leith Links, where I used to play my football. My dad used to go to the school there. So I know all those places.

"It does mean a lot to the community. You saw the same last year when Inverness won it, how much it means. It’s fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. "Sunshine on Leith, as well, will always bring a tear to your eye (he impersonates crying at this point).

“I wasn’t among those who thought it would never happen. Because of how close Rangers and Hibs had been in their games this year, I thought it would be really close. It was really good to watch, plenty for Alex McLeish and myself to talk about on TV. As a matter of fact, there’s a lot of things we couldn’t squeeze in because the game was so great.

"Usually, when you’re struggling, you can pack all sorts of rubbish in. Was it a penalty, was it a handball? This game had so much that we didn’t need to do that.”

Strachan was in England on Sunday and not back on his old patch where you could guarantee he would have been welcomed with open arms by his ain folk.

“I didn’t think of joining the parade,” said Strachan. “I had to go back to see the grandchildren. I drove back on Saturday night and then came back up here today for this and to meet up with the squad tomorrow.

“I don’t think it would look good for me as a Scotland manager to be standing in Leith cheering Hibs on, hanging out my auntie’s windae down Leith Walk. It would have been good though, wouldn’t it!

“Last time I did anything like that was the Save Hibs campaign. Remember that? I did that. I went on the bus then. But it brought back a lot of memories.”

While Strachan was open about his delight at Hibs winning the cup, he was less keen to discuss the other matters of the day.

All he would say on the afters at Hampden on Saturday was that players “should always be protected” and, of course Strachan has experience of being assaulted on the pitch – both times by Celtic fans – once at Pittodrie when someone ran towards him after he scored a penalty for Aberdeen, and then at Parkhead there was a far more serious incident.

“I got whacked once, during a game; during an actual game,” he recalled. “It didn’t affect me. I’m still sitting here. I don’t remember much but there are pictures of it if you want to go on the internet.”

And to the man who now sits in his old office, Brendan Rodgers, Strachan reiterated his belief that Celtic have got the right man.

“I think it’s a great appointment,” he said. “And really, that’s all I need to say about that.

“I think I’ve been into it a few times, the difference between managing in England and managing Celtic. But I’ll stick to the party line. I’m really pleased with the appointment. Really pleased."

Strachan was speaking at the draw for the Homeless World Cup which takes place in Glasgow from July 10-126.

George Square will be converted into an outdoor street football venue for the event, with three purpose built pitches with seating