Calderwood set to make one last signing for Hibs

Colin CALDERWOOD was today poised to make one last plunge into the transfer market after watching Hibs crash to their fifth successive SPL defeat, a result which sees them only two points off the bottom of the table.

The Easter Road boss made a rash of signings last week, snapping up Matt Thornhill, Richie Towell, Martin Scott and Victor Palsson, but, he revealed, he's hoping to add a fifth new face before the window slams shut tonight.

Towell, Scott and Palsson all started at Tannadice yesterday while Thornhill made a late appearance as a substitute, but were unable to prevent Hibs slumping to defeat as the Edinburgh club failed to score for the seventh game in a row, Jon Daly, Craig Conway and Johnny Russell completing a comprehensive victory for Dundee United. Now Calderwood hopes to make a further addition to his squad ahead of Wednesday night's crunch clash with St Mirren, currently two points above Hibs, while basement outfit Hamilton are just two points behind with a couple of games in hand.

"We are trying for one more," confirmed Calderwood, as he revealed Merouane Zemmama's proposed move to Middlesbrough where he'd be reunited with former Hibs manager Tony Mowbray was all but completed.

Speculation over leading scorer Derek Riordan's future intensified when he didn't even make the squad which travelled to Dundee, his absence prompting talk of a move today with Burnley said to be a possible destination.

However, the Evening News understands Riordan, one of more than a dozen Hibs players out of contract at the end of the season, will be remaining at Easter Road, the explanation for him missing yesterday's game being illness.

Calderwood said: "Derek did not train the last couple of days so it wasn't right to play him."

While he'll spend today trying to wrap up another signing, Calderwood's attention has also turned to Wednesday night's match, as he called on the fans to rally behind his under-pressure side.

He said: "It always was going to be billed as the big one and it certainly is now.

"The players in the dressingroom know their jobs and now we are going to ask something from the fans.

"There has to be a loyalty to the club above and beyond what they did again today. They gave us terrific support which is hard to keep reproducing when results and some of our performances are what they have been."