This is becoming monotonous!
Hibs Caretaker Boss bemoans bad luck on the injury front over the course of this season...

In the run up to every Saturday, there seems to be one topic that dominates the conversations at press conferences - the injury list!  While not being the worst in terms of numbers, the length of time that some of those affected have been forced to sit out has started to wear down caretaker boss Jim Clark and the team to the point where they can't wait for the season to be over!  With so many experienced players out at any one time, Hibs could easily have been fighting to stay out of the bottom two places, but Clark believes that those who have had to step in to the first team have done well to keep the club away from that danger.

“To be fair I think we’ve handled it quite well, but I think it’s getting a bit monotonous now, it’s starting to take its toll. The thing’s never ending, we’ve had more than our fair share I would say”.  With eight weeks to go until Hibs have to re-enter competitive football in the Intertoto Cup, there will be an opportunity for the players to recharge their batteries and for some of those that are injured to recover fully in time for these games or the Whyte & Mackay Challenge match against Leeds United that has been arranged for Saturday 31st July!  However, Clark refused to believe that the problems were down to malice or any other deliberate act.  "It is part of the game!  Hibs have just been unfortunate this season.  Maybe it’s somebody else’s turn next season.”

Fletcher - back in squad again  (sns)

”No Kevin Thomson, no Fletcher, the usual people as well and no Edge either.  We’ve added Kevin MacDonald, John Kane and Jay Shields to the squad, three young boys, and also Matt Doumbe will be back and Garry O’Connor is also in the squad again."  The addition of the three youngsters to today's squad shows just how bad things have gotten and the need to bring in a few players over the summer is never more evident than now.  The loss of Thomson at this time is as big a blow as the loss of Brebner was at the start of the year although last Saturday, there were signs that the return of Brebner could help to steady the ship slightly.  That said, the influential midfielder didn't have as good a game on Wednesday night as Clark acknowledged.

“I don’t think he (Brebner) played as well on Wednesday to be fair. I tend to think that's the lot of players in their second game back. In their first game back they tend to get carried on adrenaline, the second game is always harder."  Last Saturday's midfield looked more like the kind of midfield that Hibs needed to take the club through the season and the Hibs caretaker boss pondered what could be for the club next season once Brebner gets some match fitness back along with club captain Ian Murray and others.  "I think it’s fair comment that is the future for Hibs, Ian Murray’s also coming back as well, Stephen Glass is coming back next season at some stage. I think when they do come back the future will be that much brighter. Hopefully they’ll bring in three or four more experienced players too”.

This season, while being a bad one for a lot of the experienced players, hasn't been too bad for those that were on the fringes of the first team or not close at all!  One such player is Alan Reid who has spent the last six years at the club without ever having the chance to show what he can do.  Reid has come into the squad over the last couple of months and held down a starting place despite not having one regular slot as Clark acknowledged.  “I think Alan’s done exceptionally well.  He’s played in a variety of positions, and done well in every position. He’s excellent in training, he works really hard, he’s played both full-back positions, he’s played wide, through the middle.  Anything he’s been asked to do he’s done well.”

Predictions over the last few games have gone horribly wrong for me so no doubt today's will as well!  For that reason I'm going to go with a home win for the Dons given the tiredness that was shown by some of the younger members of the squad on Wednesday night.  Of course, should I stick to form...

Malcolm Colquhoun will be the guest on RadioHibs flagship Saturday Live show this Saturday starting at 9.30am.  The overworked Hibs physio will be talking about the players who've passed through his treatment room over the past 9 months as well as those currently there with some stories from previous seasons also likely to be heard.