Hibs’ Matt Done thought he was finished for season

By DAVID HARDIE
Published on 06/02/2013 12:00

Matt DONE admits he had 
resigned himself to spending the rest of the season as a Barnsley fringe man – until Hibs manager Pat Fenlon made a last-ditch move to end the winger’s frustration.

The 24-year-old had made only 14 appearances for the Oakwell club this season, with half of those coming from the substitutes’ bench, so was always open to the idea of a fresh challenge.

Although he’d heard rumours of possible interest, Done was starting to give up hope of a move away from the English Championship outfit as the clock ticked down on transfer deadline day last Thursday.

That changed in an instant, however, thanks to a call from his agent which saw him dash to a local hotel to fax through the necessary paperwork with only minutes to spare.

The last-gasp deal paved the way for Done to take a bow at Easter Road on Sunday, as he replaced David Wotherspoon for the final 19 minutes of the William Hill Scottish Cup 
victory over Aberdeen.

He said: “It didn’t look as if anything would be happening on transfer deadline day. There had been a few whispers, but nothing concrete, so I was back home in Manchester watching [Sky Sports News] myself when I got a phone call from my agent saying Hibs wanted to take me on.

“It was a frantic last few hours, I was at a fax machine in a hotel at 9.30, but thankfully it all went through.”

Done admits a glimpse of the training facilities at East Mains, when his Barnsley side were forced to play a hastily-arranged friendly there after Easter Road was waterlogged in summer 2011, left him impressed with Hibs as a club. “We went from Easter Road to the training ground and didn’t know what to expect but the lads thought it was brilliant. That day was a big factor in me signing. I didn’t know too much about the club, but I’d seen the training ground and the ground – it’s Championship/Premier League quality so it was an easy decision.”

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Hibs’ last-eight Scottish Cup clash away to

Kilmarnock will be screened live by BBC Scotland and will now take place on Sunday, March 3, with a 3pm kick-off.