“Henderson to deliver.”
Words that will live long in the memory of Hibs fans who were alive on May 21, 2016.
Current boss David Gray was the true hero that day, rising to head home the winning goal that brought the Scottish Cup back to Leith for the first time in a long, long 114 years.
But Liam Henderson wasn’t far behind as the man to deliver the corner from which he scored, a fact which will be immortalised thanks to the match commentary.
The midfielder was only with the Easter Road club for a season-long loan but will forever be a hero.
Henderson available on a pre-contract from Empoli
Henderson’s contract expires in the summer of 2025 (transfermarkt).
Now 28, he has vast experience playing in the top two leagues in Italy on top of his spells in Scotland and Norway and would no doubt be an attractive proposition.
It remains unclear if he will be offered a new deal by the Serie A side but has made it clear what he would like to happen.
He told Empoli Channel: “My goal is to stay at Empoli, I came back here to give and do my best for this club. I feel at home.
“The feeling with the coach was created right from the start. I was coming off a complicated year (Palermo, ed.) and he was very good with me from day one.
“I found the coach at the right time, I have matured compared to the last few years, I am happy to have remained in Serie A.
“Here I found a group of brothers, they are all good guys. From the captain Grassi to the coach, who has created an environment of ‘all of us against the others’.
“We have an aggressive mentality, made up of a lot of intensity, Atalanta is a master team in this. We can improve in dribbling, every day in training we focus on this aspect too.
“We have a big heart and the mentality to work every day, the Scottish market is perfect for Italian teams.”
Henderson’s post Hibs Serie A exploits
Liam Henderson has now been in Italy for six years, playing for various clubs in both Serie A and B.
He first joined Bari a year on from his Scottish Cup success with Hibs and impressed enough for Serie B rials Hellas Verona to snap him up on a four-year deal after just one season.
After helping them to promotion, game time became more limited in the top flight and that’s when his first spell at Empoli came about, a season-long loan.
It was Lecce who then took Henderson on permanently but he would only be there for a year before ending up back at the Tuscany side, this time on a permanent deal.
He has been contracted to Empoli for over three years, playing fairly regularly in Serie A for two of those seasons before a loan at Palermo.
But Henderson is back at his parent club this year and is getting games again as they sit mid-table in the top flight.
The 28-year-old has racked up 225 appearances in the top two divisions in Italy, scoring 13 goals in the process.