On a Saturday night in late November, as the rain teemed down at Dens Park, Hibernian players trooped off the pitch reeling from a 4-1 annihilation that kept them anchored to the foot of the Scottish Premiership.
They had taken an early lead, then capitulated. Jordan Obita was sent off. Elie Youan, infamously, performed keepy-ups on his own while David Gray reorganised his depleted team. Goalkeeper Josef Bursik dallied in possession and had his pocket picked for a calamitous goal.
Hibs hadn't just hit rock bottom, they'd gone practically subterranean.
Back then, in a time of slapstick defending, frequent red cards and constant late concessions, it already felt like Gray's job dangled by a thread.
The rookie head coach had won one of his first 13 league games at the helm. Had Hibs not rattled through managers so prolifically of late, and had Gray not been a cup-winning club totem, the owners might have pulled the trigger.
Wind the clock on five months and the striking contrast would have quantum physicists scratching their heads.
On Sunday afternoon, Hibs obliterated Dundee 4-0, equalling a club record unbeaten run that has stood for nearly 80 years and strengthening their grip on third place.
Relegation fears, thoughts of sackings and proclamations of doom have given way to euphoria, feelgood and passport hunting in anticipation of a European adventure.
With Hibs, it's seldom dull. But seldom quite this bonkers.
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On the brink of history - again
The Hibs team that set the record 17-game unbeaten benchmark in 1948 were crowned league champions. They lost the Scottish Cup final 1-0 to Rangers before a crowd of close to 150,000 at Hampden.
This was Hibs' 'Famous Five' forward line in its embryonic years, the men enshrined in club history, who delivered European giant-slayings, silverware and lore, and after whom one of the four Easter Road stands has been named.
Alongside these legends, Gray's squad are the unlikeliest of heroes. It's almost laughable to compare them.
Yet, avoid defeat in their first post-split fixture, and this group will have eclipsed the feats of the Five - and from the gravest of beginnings.
Bowie's brilliance and the ballad of Bushiri
There were two particularly compelling elements to Sunday's Dundee demolition.
The resurgence of Rocky Bushiri is Hibs' turnaround in microcosm. The hulking defender was seldom used and seemingly unfancied at the start of the season. He was widely reckoned error-prone and plenty supporters would have gladly seen him moved on.
Once again, though, Bushiri's name pealed around Easter Road as the DR Congo international cutely volleyed home the opener from a Martin Boyle corner.
Since Hibs changed shape, Bushiri has matured into his role as the central pivot of a defensive back-three. Quick, strong and increasingly assured in possession, he has now contributed four goals, including late levellers against Aberdeen and Rangers, and a Scottish Cup winner at Ayr United while defending resolutely against the best teams in the division.
He has earned cult hero status in Leith and performed so impressively that the team who hardly picked him six months ago might now struggle to retain him when his contract expires in the ...
