My surprising hand in signing Sauzee and why Hibs need Frenchman's spirit against Hearts - Tam McManus

Now is the time for Hibs to summon up the spirit of Sauzee.

Honestly, if ever there was an omen ahead of two monumental Edinburgh derbies then it must surely have been the return of Le God to the capital this week.

What Shaun Maloney would give to have Franck in his squad at Tynecastle and Hampden in the coming fortnight.

To be frank, pardon the pun, the Frenchman was one of the best players to grace Scottish football in the last 25 years. Oh yeah... and he was never on the losing side against Hearts.

Eight times he led Hibs out in a derby and his record of four wins, including that 6-2 leathering in Leith, four draws and two goals passes the legend test.

I can only dream of being held in the same class as Franck but what I can say for sure is that I played a huge role in getting him a deal at Easter Road. No joke.

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It was 1999 and I was still on the groundstaff cleaning the boots when I saw Franck walk by with the agent Willie McKay. I said to the boys ‘That was Franck Sauzee!’ They thought I was at it.

I couldn’t actually believe it as I’d grown up watching this guy playing for Marseille and France.

But we were having a trial match and it turned out Alex McLeish had worked wonders to get Franck in