Hibs have recalled 18-year-old Murray Johnson from his loan spell at cinch League One side Queen of the South and he slots into the Hibees squad for the cinch Premiership clash opener with St Mirren at Easter Road on Sunday (kick-off 15.00).
This follows injuries to Scottish international goalkeeper David Marshall and newcomer Jojo Wollacott in the 6-1 defeat of Inter Club d’Escaldes at Easter Road in the UEFA Europa Conference League, a victory which takes them into the third qualifying round next Thursday.
Johnson joined Queen of the South on a season-long loan this summer and has featured once for Marvin Bartley’s side, keeping a clean sheet v Elgin City in the League Cup. Bartley (pictured playing for Livingston against Hibs), incidentally, made 92 appearances for Hibs before moving to Livingston FC.
The talented teenager returns initially as emergency goalkeeper cover for seven days. However, the club can extend this on a rolling week-by-week basis, if necessary.
St Mirren had an impressive league campaign last season, finishing sixth, six points behind Hibs, and it was their first finish in the top half of the league since 1985.
However, Hibs beat The Buddies in three of the four league jousts, and manager Stephen Robinson has lost Declan Gallacher to Dundee United and Curtis Main to the Indian Super League.
Meanwhile, the Easter Road club have extended their partnership with IFX Payments, who have corporate and private clients in Britain, Europe, the Middle East and Australasia, and their logo will be displayed across the first team walk-out jackets before kick-off and at various sites around the ground.
Finally, the club’s Premiership fixture at Motherwell in August has been rearranged. It was due on Saturday, August 12 (3pm) but is not on Sunday, August 13 (3pm) and the switch is due to Hibs progressing to the third round of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
