2009–10 Hibernian F.C. season

The team eventually secured a Europa League place via finishing fourth in the SPL by winning 2–0 on the final day at Tannadice.

Hibs were losing 1–0 when an electrical storm caused the floodlights to fail, prompting the referee David Somers to abandon the match after 46 minutes.

[8][9] Hibs began the 2009–10 league season with a 2–1 win against St Mirren, who had Steven Thomson sent off early in the match.

[19] Hibs suffered heavy defeats by Rangers and St Johnstone soon afterwards, however, with Hughes admitting that he had picked the wrong team for the latter game.

[20] A defeat at Motherwell and draw with St Johnstone extended a winless run to five games, with Hibs showing "defensive frailties".

[21] A narrow win against Kilmarnock was followed by an Edinburgh derby defeat, which led Graham Stack to comment that Hibs had perhaps been "found out".

[23] Defeats by Celtic, Rangers and Hearts meant that Hibs lost six straight matches, their worst sequence of results in 13 years.

[24] Despite this poor run, a win on the final day against Dundee United meant that Hibs finished in fourth place and qualified for the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League.

[25] Hibs entered the Scottish Cup in the fourth round, and were drawn to play junior club Irvine Meadow at home.

[35] Hibs went into the replay in poor form; manager John Hughes challenged his players to handle the pressure of the situation.

[40] Hibs beat St Johnstone 3–1 after extra time in the semi-final en route to their previous competition win in 2007.

[42] Paatelainen had already begun making changes to the squad for the new season before he left, by releasing Fabián Yantorno, Damon Gray and Andrew McNeil.

[54] John Hughes stated that it "looks as if" the deal to sign Brown would complete Hibs' transfer activity for the season, with the club now having a "goalkeeping school" in place.

[55] Nonetheless, late on transfer deadline day, Hibs brought in Alan Gow on loan from Plymouth.