It is a prize thousands of Hibs footballers have striven to win in vain but it has taken Niklas Gunnarsson little more than a matter of weeks to become one of the men who ended the club’s quest of a century and more.

Described as a pursuit of a Holy Grail their collected efforts have more often resembled those of Monty Python rather than Indiana Jones, but the Norwegian identified serious potential in his new clubmates before agreeing to join them in mid-season.

“This is why I came here,” he said following their Scottish Cup triumph.

“They told me when I signed that they were in the semi-finals of the League Cup and the latter stages of the Scottish Cup, sitting second in the league, so I knew something great would happen. To end the season this way is brilliant.

“I’ve been here five months and won this, so I feel very lucky. That happens in football. Hibs haven’t been too lucky in the Scottish Cup, but today everybody can be proud.”

On a personal level the defender who replaced Paul Hanlon for the closing 10 minutes of the match, jokingly observed that he had now justified his decision to stick with football as a youngster.

“It was definitely the right decision to give up karate when I was a kid. It’s absolutely fantastic, the feeling I have now.

“It was really special to go out there and experience that atmosphere. I’m so proud to have done something that the club have been waiting to do for 114 years, that I’m going to be in this great club’s history. It’s unbelievable.”

Gunnarsson has been on loan at Hibs since January and said that while he was aware that the team was in the running for three trophies when he joined the full importance of this particular competition was only brought home to him later that month.

“I learned about the Scottish Cup and how important it was to this club after the semi-final in the League Cup,” he said.

“The lads all told me it was big to come to a League Cup final, but it was nothing compared to being in the Scottish Cup final.

“I don’t know how long it will take to sink in. When we get back to pre-season, it’s all forgotten, you have to concentrate on the new season, but this is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. Obviously it’s the same for the rest of the lads.”

Given the opportunities that lay in front of Hibs when he joined them Saturday’s match was all the more vital in terms of how they viewed their efforts after losing in the League Cup final then missing out in the Premiership play-offs for the third successive season, but Gunnarsson said he had been consistent in expressing his ambition to extend his stay.

“I’ve said many times that I want to come back here,” he said.

“I’m enjoying my football, every day of my spell here has felt like a privilege. We will see what happens.”