Hibs’ long serving full-back Lewis Stevenson believes that Hearts could easily compete in the Premiership and thinks that Robbie Neilson’s squad are stronger than the one relegated last season.

Stevenson picked up an ankle injury at Rugby Park last weekend and is a major doubt for tonight’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden but he is hoping that Hibs earlier start to the season and the standard of opposition will give Jack Ross’s men the edge.

He said: “I feel they could easily compete in the top-flight. Their wage budget is up there with the biggest in Scotland. In my view their squad is stronger this season in the Championship than it was last season in the Premiership.

“Hopefully the fact that we have been back playing competitively for longer than Hearts and against a higher level of opposition will give us the edge.”

Supporters have been looking forward to the game since the draw was made in March but Stevenson has revealed that he and his team mates were not convinced that the game would actually take place due to the coronavirus.

He added: “There is no getting away from the fact that this season is unique in football and there were times when we thought this game might not happen. For a period we thought that the competition might end up being scrapped altogether because of the issues the game faced.

“Then we were not sure whether the new boys would be able to play or of they would be cup ties but thankfully those hurdles have been overcome and we are all raring to go.

“I’m sure it will be a great spectacle even if a big part of the experience, the fans, are missing.”

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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.