THE public perception of John Hughes likely centres on two things.

Firstly, there is his reputation as something of a dressing room joker formed back in the days before "banter" became a proscribed word in football's varied lexicon. Tales abound of Hughes playing pranks on unwitting team-mates, pouring cold water over them as they sat on the toilet or trying to playfully bite them while they took a bath. His coup de grace was trotting around the Falkirk pitch naked while a news team tried gainfully to carry out an interview with team-mate Mo Johnston. Hughes, it can safely be said, has never been one to sit quietly in the corner.

Secondly, there is Hughes' focus on a strong work ethic, something that stems from a childhood spent in the shadows of Leith docks. Over his years in management he has spoken repeatedly of "putting in an honest day's work" and "rolling up the sleeves" as if not to do so is a personal slight. Jim Jefferies, Hughes' manager at both Berwick Rangers and Falkirk, reveals that if he was ever sent to the moon for whatever reason then he would want his former captain in the rocket with him. "You would survive with John," he reveals. Hughes, then, would seem to be the perfect embodiment of the "work hard, play hard" mentality, always making time for mischief-making but never at the expense of getting the job done.

That, of course, is only the view from the outside looking in. A manager could, at a push, possibly achieve what Hughes has done with Inverness Caledonian Thistle this season - a place in the William Hill Scottish Cup final and third in the SPFL Premiership -simply by creating a hard-working, well-drilled unit amid an atmosphere of fun. It seems unlikely, however. Unsurprisingly, then, there is much more to Hughes' make-up than that.

"John's not really like the public perception of him," revealed Ian Murray, the Dumbarton manager who played with, then under Hughes, at Hibernian. "One of the biggest things that shines through when you talk to him is how much he loves football as well as managing players and trying to make them better. At Hibs he did a lot one-on-one with the players, always taking the time to tell you how good you were and how much better you could still become. He always emphasised that he felt, both individually and collectively, he could improve us. And that was one of his key strengths.

"He focused largely on his own team but he wasn't stupid. He didn't just say "go out and play and you'll be fine". He would study videos of our opponents and look at their strengths and weaknesses, and he would prepare a lot before every game. A lot of thought went into that."

Jefferies also revealed an alternative side to Hughes. "I know he's spent time and money in the past making a brochure detailing his future plans for some of the clubs he's been at," said the former Hearts, Kilmarnock and Dunfermline Athletic manager. "When he got the Hibs job he gave a presentation about his vision for the club and I think that impressed a lot of people. And he got into tactics, too. But his main strength is still his ability to motivate people. He's a terrific guy to be around so you can see why the Inverness players want to play for him. He's got a presence that some managers have that when they walk in the room they instantly get respect. He does like a laugh and a joke but there's nothing wrong with that as he can help lift a player or a team up if they're down. Billy Brown and I have always had a lot of time for John."

There was an element of surprise when Hughes was appointed Inverness manager in December 2013. His previous post had been at Hartlepool United where, in difficult conditions, he lasted less than a year and oversaw the club's relegation to League Two. Inverness were buoyant at that time, second in the table and in the League Cup semi-final, and would likely have had their pick of candidates. Hughes' biggest challenge was going to be maintaining the standards set by Terry Butcher, who had earned cult hero status in the Highland capital before departing for a rather less successful spell at Hibs. In his first half-season, Hughes took Inverness to their maiden League Cup final - losing only on penalties to Aberdeen - and has built on that promise this season, delivering consistency in the league and now a William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Celtic. Few in Inverness pine for Butcher these days.

"The fans were a little disappointed when Terry left but the board have made a sterling choice in appointing John as his successor," said Jennifer Aitchison, chairwoman of the Caley Jags Supporters Trust. "We trusted the board to make the right appointment and they have certainly done that. The bar was set very high when John took over but he's managed to maintain those standards. The team is playing some fantastic football and it's great to watch on a weekly basis."

Clubs like Inverness thrive by being a key part of their community and Hughes has bought into that side of things as well. "You only had to be at Hampden on Sunday to see how much the fans love him up here," added Aitchison. "We've held various events over the past year, question and answer sessions and the like, and John has come along to them. He has a place in our hearts already but winning the cup next month would make things even better."