Former Hibs’ midfielder Vykintas Slivka has signed for Greece Super League club Apollon Smyrnis.
The Lithuanian international started his professional career with Italian giants Juventus in 2014 and over the next three seasons he was loaned to Modena, Gorica, Den Bosch and Ascoli.
Signed by Neil Lennon, Slivka made his Hibs’ debut in a 3-0 away victory over Alloa Athletic, coming on as a substitute for Dylan McGeough in the 65th minute.
During his three seasons at the club he started 52 games and came on as a substitute in another 32.
He scored four times but remarkably the first three were against Rangers and Celtic.
In only his fourth game, he scored a superb volley to help secure a memorable 3-2 win over Rangers at Ibrox. His second goal for the club came in a 2-1 win over Celtic near the end of his first season.
The following season he scored against the Hoops once more in a 2-0 win at Easter Road.
His contract expired in the summer and he left the club. At that time Graham Mathie said: Vykintas is someone who came to Easter Road as a young player, looking to establish himself as a first-team player after spending his formative years in the Juventus youth system.
“We’re delighted that, over the course of time, he’s become a Lithuanian international and enjoyed some great moments in a Hibs shirt.”
Slivka told the Apollon Smyrnis website: “It was an unusually long summer, so I enjoyed it. I focused on the family, trying to stay in good physical shape, and trying to keep all extraneous things like the coronavirus aside. Really, I didn’t think about it completely.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
