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Paul Hanlon delighted to finally earn first Scotland cap

The 30-year-old featured in the Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.

Hibernian defender Paul Hanlon was delighted to realise a long-held ambition to play for Scotland but is hungry for more caps.

Hanlon played 10 times for Scotland Under-19s and won 23 caps for the Under-21s but had to wait until the age of 30 to make his full international debut in Wednesday's Nations League victory over the Czech Republic.

Hanlon, who came off the bench in an unfamiliar wing-back role, said: "I'm absolutely over the moon to get the cap. I have worked hard for a long time hoping that would happen.

"Especially when I was younger I played a lot of games for the 19s and 21s and had been in the squad for the first team before and not managed to get that cap. So to finally get one was great and something I will always be proud of.

"I didn't expect it to be in a wing-back role but I was delighted to get on the pitch all the same.

"It was great to be involved and get the call. I'm happy to have played a part in the success we had over the camp.

"Obviously I missed a lot of preparations and by the time I joined the squad it was a lot of recovery-based stuff so I never got a lot of time on the pitch with the players.

"But I was happy to be there, happy to be called upon and happy to contribute to a great win."

Hanlon joined fellow Hibs defenders Ryan Porteous and Paul McGinn in the squad and he knows that would not have been possible had it not been for their improved defensive record this season.

Hibs have kept four clean sheets in 10 league games ahead of Saturday's trip to face Ross County in Dingwall.

"I think that's definitely why," he said. "We have put in a good start to the season and got ourselves in a good position in the league, and that's what gets you recognised.

"For the three of us now it's about going back to the league form, trying to keep that going and hopefully we will get more recognition in the future.

"It was something we didn't do as well last season and we wanted to improve but we are under no illusions, it takes a lot of work to do it and we have to keep doing it week in, week out."

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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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