Transfer Window Fizzles Out For Hibs

Stokes, Commons, Ambrose, Bikey, Samaras, Harrop or none at all?

Hibs transfer window ended in the most unspectacular fashion with hopes of a deal to bring Anthony Stokes fading into the distance despite rumours of a loan agreement surfacing from early afternoon.

Neil Lennon had claimed at the weekend he’d like to see the squad boosted by another couple of arrivals and whilst making a signing for the sake of it would make no sense, Hibees were still left disappointed when midnight came and went with no new incoming personnel.

Throughout January the Easter Road side had been linked with numerous potential recruits with Kris Commons seen as the likeliest to make a return to the club following a successful loan spell which ran out after the Celtic man had netted the winner in a 1-0 victory over Dumbarton mid month.

Despite the likes of Efe Ambrose, Stokes, Kelvin Wilson, Georgios Samaras and Manchester United starlet Josh Harrop reportedly being on Hibs radar during the winter window it appears any business to be done between now and the summer will be current free agents if any at all.

Supporters were left frustrated at a perceived lack of action behind the scenes after the weekend remarks by Lennon and one would hope it doesn’t cause a rift between management and those at boardroom level.

Any transfer can fall down at a given period of negotiation but to appear only to have a plan A rather than a fallback it’s left the club open to criticism despite being eight points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship.

Record season ticket sales on the back of the Scottish Cup win last season have seen the coffers swollen by unexpected amounts and the fans have certainly bought into the club’s mantra of backing the side through coming through the turnstiles with gates at a 40 year high yet it appears the ambition of both differs with Hibs floundering about on Deadline Day.

Perhaps Leeann Dempster was convinced a deal could be reached with Celtic regarding Commons at some stage in the final hours before the window shut but there must have been further targets on a shortlist in the likelihood of a stalemate in discussions and as such it adds to the disappointment of failing to strengthen when in the position to do so.

Hibs face local rivals Hearts in the next round of their Scottish Cup defence and relinquishing their grip on the trophy to the Gorgie outfit is unthinkable but it’ll be far harder to bear if it’s caused by our own inaction which could have been solved by making a true statement of intent at the business end of the January merry-go-round.