JOHN McGinn believes the success of Ladbrokes Championship clubs Hibs and Rangers this season has strengthened the argument for making the Premiership a 16-team league in the future.
McGinn and his Hibs team-mates will take on Rangers in the final of the William Hill Scottish Cup at Hampden on May 21 – the first time in the 143-year history of the competition two teams from outside the top flight have competed in it.
The Easter Road club have already contested the final of the League Cup against Ross County at the National Stadium in March - they lost 2-1 when Alex Shalk scored a last minute winner.
McGinn is keen for the outfit he joined last summer to win promotion via the end-of-season play-offs and be taking on the likes of Celtic, Hearts and Rangers in the Premiership in the 2016/17 campaign.
Yet, the 21-year-old feels those who have called for a bigger elite division for years – something which would bring an end to clubs playing each other four times – have been shown to have a sound case in recent months.
“Rangers, Falkirk and ourselves have proved the gap probably isn't as big from the Championship to Premiership as people think,” he said.
“As for a bigger league? That's for everyone else to decide. If it helps us avoid the play-offs, I'm all for it! Seriously, though, I think our team would be comfortable in the Premiership - and it's the same with a lot of the teams.
“Sides like Queen of the South and Raith Rovers would also hold their own. It's not easy to go there and get points. If a few clubs like that got the same sponsorship and TV money as Premiership clubs, they could really flourish.”
McGinn, who was on the field for the full 90 minutes on his Scotland debut in a friendly against Denmark next month, played for St Mirren in the Premiership for three seasons before leaving the Paisley club.
He believes that competing in the top division will be vital for his continued progress as a player and to ensure he is involved with the national team, who get their Russia 2018 qualifying campaign under way in September.
“When we joined the real aim was promotion,” he said. “All of the boys feel the same. We all want to be playing top flight football. To keep developing at the age I am, it's really important that we go up. All the boys are determined to get there.”
Hibs - who are level on points with second-placed Falkirk in the Championship table, but have an inferior goal difference - take on Queen of the South in their final league game of the season this afternoon.
Alan Stubbs’ side need Peter Houston’s team to slip up at home to Morton or to win by a significant margin against Queens themselves to leapfrog them in the table and avoid the two-legged play-off quarter-finals against Raith Rovers. McGinn is looking forward to the experience.
“It's strange,” he said. “I've never really been involved in a last-day drama. The gaffer has told us we need to be more patient and the goals will come. But the pressure is on Falkirk. If they do the business, they deserve to finish second.”
McGinn is confident his room mate Jason Cummings, who was heavily criticised when he missed a Panenka-style penalty in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United, can provide the goals which secure promotion and silverware for Hibs in the coming weeks.
“He's always focusing on the next game,” he said. “When he had his wee goal drought, he was still just thinking about the next goal. He'd scored plenty of goals previously so he knew it would turn around for him – and it has in the last few weeks.”
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