Hibs captain Joe Newell isn’t the most popular skipper in the Scottish Premiership at the moment.
The central midfielder has copped plenty of criticism over the last few months with Hibs rock bottom of the league after 14 games.
Hibs fans were particularly seething with Newell after watching his post-match Dundee interview last weekend as the Leith men were thumped 4-1 at Dens Park.
Fans blasted that Newell is ‘never a captain’ with others feeling the 31-year-old has been a big part of the club’s problems on the pitch in recent seasons.
Newell responded to his critics with a goal against Aberdeen on Tuesday which helped Hibs earn a dramatic point – but it’s likely not done too much to change supporters’ perspective of him.
Jack Iredale backs Hibs captain Newell
But Hibs left-back Jack Iredale has given him a glowing appraisal. Iredale understands Newell will have been going through a difficult time as captain of a severely underperforming team.
However, he labelled Newell has been ‘exceptional’ and says he is keeping the group together.
Iredale told the press ahead of Saturday’s game against Motherwell: “I think Joey, especially as captain, has been exceptional for us this week, especially with the messages that he’s given us and the way that he’s led.
“I think his performance on Tuesday night showed that. And if we’re following Joey into battle, then everyone’s right behind him and the manager as well.
“Joey’s a really upbeat character. He’s a really positive guy and I think that’s super important.
“You don’t want to be walking around feeling like there’s a dark cloud above you. And I can imagine that he’s been going through a tough time as well as captain of this club.
“But just the way that he’s kept us together as a group, I think, is massive.”
Iredale would ‘go to war’ with Hibs teammates
Iredale also defended the Hibs dressing room as a whole and says his teammates do have the fight and bottle to amend their current predicament, despite accusations of the contrary.
Iredale said: “I can understand when you look at periods of the game where we’ve conceded goals but at the same time, I’ve got no questions about the character in that team.
“That’s a changing room of boys that I would want to go to war with and we are just really getting punished for things.
“When you’re not getting that bounce of the ball, it just feels like everything’s on top of you. But in terms of character in that team, we’ve got leaders in there.
“I’m trying to be one myself, but we’ve got multiple leaders in there that we are relying on.”