Back to the start again
Brebner set to return for Hibees as Bobby Williamson looks for the fans to turn up in numbers…

WITH THE SPL CLUBS ALL HAVING NOW PLAYED EACH OTHER ONCE so far this season, it's back to the start again with Dundee United taking the relatively short journey down the M90 to Easter Road tomorrow to face a Hibs side who, Livingstone game aside, are having a good run of form.  Bobby Williamson will have Grant Brebner back in the midfield for this afternoon's clash at the expense of Kevin Thomson who, despite his performance last weekend, is likely to at least retain his place in the squad with a seat on the bench.  With the Under-21's being in sparkling form over recent weeks, it's hardly surprising that another name from that side has been added to the first team squad with Kevin Nicol, a player who has had big things expected from him, being added to the squad alongside Brebner.

As usual though, Bobby was giving nothing away with regards to players who may not be involved in the game, revealing that there are a couple of worries which will be dealt with this morning, allowing them the time time to prove their fitness before Williamson names his side.  "Kevin Nicol has been added to the squad from last week, and Grant Brebner has also recovered from injury and will be in the squad for the game.  We still have a couple of players suffering from minor wee knocks and we will need to see how they are in the morning."  Speaking about Nicol, the Hibs boss looked to take a little expectation off his shoulders though, "Kevin may not make the bench, it depends on how things are in the morning.  Under-21 performances dictate if any player has a chance of getting into the first team, unless injuries and suspensions catch up with us - that is how Kevin Thomson had his opportunity last week and he did well, I'm pleased for the lad as I don't think he looked out of place at all last week - he will remain in the squad."

McManus nets the winner in the sides last clash (sns)

Last season, Hibs had a tendency to lose late goals while the opposite has been true of this season, starting at Tannadice on the opening day back in August.  Since then though, not everything has gone the Hibees way although Williamson still believes that some of that is attributable to the league being tighter this season that some people would acknowledge.  "There is not a lot separating most of the teams in this league, sometimes a decision can go for you or against you and make all the difference, and of course you just need the breaks on the day as well.  Hopefully if you work hard enough then you get these breaks."  With United going down at Dunfermline last week, some sections of the Hibs support will look to that as a guide to this afternoon's result although Bobby refuses to accept that, knowing that his side will have a tough game ahead.  "United's defeat last week at East End Park will not be taken into consideration, it's a new week and a different game entirely.  Ian McCall will have his side fired up to come here and trouble us and look to take something from the game but we know that and are well warned, so it is about how we go about our business and hopefully we will be positive from the kick off and get the breaks."

With Straiton firmly off the agenda and the club, along with Hibs.net and others kicking off the new 'Stand Up And Be Counted' campaign yesterday, Williamson is hoping that recent results will also help to bring Hibs fans along in numbers.  Certainly the opening up of the upper tier of the South Stand to the Hibs Kids will boost things. "Hopefully it will be a large crowd tomorrow but however many pay their money hopefully we can reward them with a victory.  They keep coming week in week out and we are striving to do our best to reward them with victories and that is how we always approach things.  But for sure it would be great to encourage the fans to come through the gates."

One thing that the Hibs boss won't do though is to take the support of the Hibs fans for granted.  Much has changed on the park since his arrival from Kilmarnock, this season in particular, with several under 21 players getting their opportunity at the highest level thanks to injuries and their own good form, something that Williamson believes will help to attract the fans back in time.  "I keep saying that the club is going through a transitional period at present, we are going to get bad results but we will get good results as well.  The fans will we hope stick through it with us, but you do notice when teams go through a bad spell that the crowd does dwindle as fans don't look forward to going to the football any more.  But we have to try and encourage them, we have a lot of young players breaking through here who excite me when I watch them, and hopefully they can also excite our supporters."  While always looking to win, Bobby also believes, as many fans do, that Hibs are still not the finished article and is looking to more from the young side.  "I think the fans are well aware of our situation, but I feel we have a lot of talented players still at the club.  We've lost a lot though, a lot of guys have moved on to pastures new and that had to be the case but we are still managing to get some decent performances but as I've said we will still get bad results through the course of a season.  It will be a while yet before Hibs can go through a season without getting bad results, we have to make sure we get more good result that bad."

A tight game in prospect this afternoon then with United always up for the challenge.  The form of Derek Riordan of late has been what many Hibs fans have concentrated on over recent weeks, however I believe that it will be the midfield's turn to shine today with Brebner coming back in to take some of the pressure off the less experienced players.  As far as the result goes, I'm going to plump for a 3-1 victory to the Hibees.