MIXU PAATELAINEN HAS AS EXPECTED BECOME the latest victim in the Easter Road clear-out, as boss Bobby Williamson admitted last night that he had told the former Finland international that he would not receive a new contract offer at Easter Road.  It is the second departure from the club for Paatelainen, who was given the same bad news by former boss Alex McLeish two years ago and subsequently spent a year in French football with Strasbourg before returning to the club on a one-year deal following a chance meeting with Bobby Williamson while out running around Holyrood Park.  That led to Paatelainen being given training facilities with the club last summer, and so impressed was the Hibs boss by his commitment and fitness during pre-season bounce games Paatelainen was offered a one-year deal.

There was a suggestion that the Finn might be offered a player/coach role at Easter Road but there was no hint of that yesterday when Bobby Williamson revealed that Paatelainen was on his way out of Easter Road for a second and last time.  "I spoke to Mixu, he was obviously disappointed but he knew the script when he rejoined the club on a one-year contract last summer," Williamson said, pointing out that he felt it was time to give some of the up and coming younger strikers at Easter Road their opportunity, adding: "I feel we have talented youngsters coming through and we have to let people move on if we are to bring others in.  Mixu has been great, it’s been great working with him, he’s a top professional and has never let anyone down."  At 36 Paatelainen is not quite ready to quit full time football just yet however, and St Johnstone are understood to be ready to make the striker an offer as they seek to return to the SPL having failed to make an impression on Falkirk's early championship lead this season.

Fans were lining up to praise Paatelainen last night, many remembering the valuable contribution he made to the side after arriving when Hibs were struggling in the early days of their season in the first division.  An upturn in fortunes for the club coincided with the arrival of Paatelainen, brought from Wolves for a £75,000 transfer fee that few can argue has been magnificent value for the club.  Of his 136 appearances for the club, few will argue that his finest moment came in Hibs stunning 6-2 victory over Hearts in October 2000, when Paatelainen hit a rare derby hat-trick that will be long remembered by Hibs fans.  This season Paatelainen has helped in the development of the younger players at the club, possibly to the detriment of his own game.  Mixu is not expected to make any further appearance for the club as he recovers from minor knee surgery, however the player retains a hope that he will recover in time to make one final appearance, saying: "I have tremendous respect for the supporters and a great relationship with them. I have always said Hibs will forever have a special place in my heart.  Hopefully the manager can play me before the end of the season so I can say `thank you' to them. He picks the team and I have to respect his decision but it would be tremendous to play."

Mixu Paatelainen - final farewell from Easter Road (sns)

Hibs meanwhile have been branded a 'disgrace' by Motherwell boss Terry Butcher, angered by the Easter Road clubs refusal to permit a vote on Falkirk's eligibility to be promoted to the SPL next season.  The vote was due to take place on Thursday, however Hibs refused to waive a ruling that required a 14-day notice period to be served before any general meeting of the SPL could take place.  Hibs managing director Rod Petrie made it clear at the weekend that he did not consider there was enough time to consider the proposal put forward by Falkirk, and that has angered those clubs with most to lose should the Bairns be permitted into the league, pointing perhaps more than anything to the way they thought the vote was going to go on Thursday.  Butcher's complaint it seems is that he feels he must tell players who are out of contract in the summer that they will not be remaining at the club before they know if they are safe or not from relegation - a situation that in any other league in the world would be regarded as normal, but for some reason is being regarded as taboo by a club who only a year ago tore up the contracts of most of their players with little or no compensation or thought for their futures.

"It's a disgrace and I would even go so far to say it's a joke, although it's not funny for ourselves or Dundee Utd,"  Butcher said of the Hibs decision, adding: "I've never known a situation like this before during all my time in football. It's a sad, sad state of affairs.  The clubs were all set to go along to decide on the relegation issue and Hibs have thrown a spanner in the works.  I don't know why they have decided to do this, but it certainly doesn't make my job any easier.  I have to put in a list of freed and retained players by May 15 and I'm going to have to do this not knowing whether the club could be relegated or not.  Indeed, I might even have to tell some of the players before the game against Hibs on Saturday as people have to be told sooner rather than later.  It's difficult to offer contracts to players when we don't even know whether the club will be in the SPL next season."

It seems likely that relegation threatened Motherwell and Dundee United perhaps expected a quick vote on Thursday to go against Falkirk.  While the vote is still odds-on to go against the Bairns, the delay does mean that the relegation-threat remains over the heads of the current SPL clubs at the wrong end of the league table, and that it seems has upset more than just Butcher, with Partick Thistle boss John Lambie joining the clamour to condemn Hibs.  Lambie said: "If the Whitburn Pigeon Club have a meeting and one of us can't or won't attend then the meeting goes ahead.  What's the problem with the SPL?  Apart from anything else, clubs have to retain or release players aged under 24 by May 15.  Then you have to have Under-21s to make up a team for the SPL second strings.   Motherwell are the bottom club just now and I agree wholeheartedly with their manager, Terry Butcher.