Friday, March 29, 2024
In BriefEx-Hearts defender Adam Eckersley trains with Hibs for first time

Ex-Hearts defender Adam Eckersley trains with Hibs for first time

BY IAIN COLLIN – Capital City Press

Former Hearts defender Adam Eckersley trained with new club Hibernian yesterday for the first time since crossing the Edinburgh football divide.

The former Manchester United defender penned a short-term deal with Hibs last month after being freed by city rivals Hearts at the end of last season.

Alan Stubbs
Stubbs is hopeful of soon having a full squad to choose from

But the 30-year-old has since been sidelined as he continued his rehabilitation from a knee operation he underwent back in April.

The former England under-18 left-back’s last match was ironically in Hearts’ 2-0 defeat to Hibs at Easter Road on April 12, after which he was banned for two matches by the SFA for a headbutt on Scott Allan.

Eckersley has now been deemed ready to step up his comeback, however, and joined in with his new team-mates for his first day of full training at Hibs’ East Mains base.

One familiar face will have been former Hearts team-mate James Keatings, who has now returned to training himself following persistent hamstring trouble.

The striker stepped up his latest return by taking part in a bounce game at the tail end of last week, with defender Jordon Forster, midfielder Fraser Fyvie and on-loan Chelsea attacker Islam Feruz also featuring following spells out ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Dumbarton.

@IainCollin

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