Lee Johnson reveals major Hibs error he regrets as he looks to make amends by clinching European football

Lee Johnson has held his hands up for his part in Hibs' League Cup flop that started the season - but reckons clinching European football can end the campaign on a high.

Johnson is targeting continental group stage football in the next year. However, he says being dumped out the two domestic cup competitions at the first hurdle was the biggest regret of his first 12 months in Leith. The Easter Road boss celebrated a year in the job yesterday and hopes to mark it with a statement victory over Rangers in Leith on Sunday. That would boost their hopes of securing a Euro spot next season.

Asked where he sees the club being a year from now he said: “I’d really like to get into the European group stages and have an impact on that next season. Looking back now, I think maybe the club knew they wanted me a little bit earlier than they gave me the job. Dave (Gray) oversaw the last few games and it might have been ideal to get that new manager in tenure that little bit before.

“Then you could have a bit of an earlier look and summer prep. Maybe I could have been in the door a couple of weeks earlier and maybe that could have set us up better. However I feel like this is a good, historic club that should be competing on European nights more often than they have been over the last 10 years.

“Group stages are important because of the finances that brings. We know the club is investing. We have a fantastic family investing with the club’s best interests at heart. They want to do it in the right way as well, which I like and I have bought into that. So there’s a carrot there to go and be successful.

“The cups were disappointing this season. You always feel for Hibs you have a chance in the cups, you win a couple of games and you are in