WHEN JAMIE MCCLUSKEY STARTED WITH HIBS, LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT Hibs would have to contact the youngster's school in order for him to progress his football career at Easter Road.  But that's exactly what happened to him as the injury crisis down Leith way deepened with the news that Kevin Thomson would miss this week's game in addition to those already watching from the stands.  McCluskey, who only turned 16 in November, now looks like he could get the opportunity to sit on the bench at Rugby Park, rather than behind it following on from some sparkling displays in the Under 21s of late.

"Jamie McCluskey might scrape onto the bench, might even scrape onto the park." Williamson said at the pre-match press conference yesterday afternoon although he admitted that when he signed him for the club, he didn't envisage him making the step up so soon!  "I wouldn't have thought he would be anywhere near it . We actually had to ask permission from his school to get him out of school at the start of the season to bring him into football full-time. Thankfully his school let him do that."  One point that has been made about the youngster though is that he is, like most of the younger players, a bit on the light side although that certainly hasn't hindered him in the younger teams.

"We will find out if he is physically up for it. He has been playing Under 21s against guys a lot older than himself."  "He has a long way to go and hopefully he will develop and get stronger as times goes on."  With being younger, McCluskey has been able to slot into a few different positions as the need arises something which has kept the Hibs coaching staff guessing as to what they feel is his best position.  "We don't know his best position yet. He has played up front, wide, off the front."

Despite his age though, Williamson has no qualms about blooding another youngster in the art of SPL football.  "He may get called on tomorrow because we do have a spate of injuries, some of them long-term.  We will see how the game develops.  I have no worries about giving him a chance."  The injury crisis though has had the Hibs boss worried at times over exactly who he can put out on the park at times and despite things getting tight now with the much reduced squad, he believes that things haven't gotten to the point of panic yet.  "We are at the end of our tether but we still have enough to field a team!"