Caldo admits Hibs fans may be 'bit nervous'

Colin CALDERWOOD has admitted Hibs' poor end to the season will cause supporters "a bit of nervousness" in the run-up to the new SPL campaign.

The Easter Road outfit managed just one point from their five post-split matches with a defeat at home by Aberdeen on the final day seeing them slump to tenth place in the table, costing them a further 80,000 in lost SPL bonus payments.

However, in vowing to "ramp up standards," Calderwood insisted everyone should put that behind them, promising his side will be prepared for the July 23 kick-off and claiming a small improvement on a number of fronts will make a massive difference.

He said: "Winning at the end of the season would have left everyone with a better feeling for the start of next season. So I can imagine there will be a bit of nervousness at the start of the season, there always is.

"The games to win are those from now and not what has happened in the last three or four weeks of the season, but we will be prepared."

Calderwood, though, admitted he'll be looking for an all-round improvement. He said: "We are going to have to ramp the standards upwards and make sure what might have been passable last year is not acceptable this year, improvement in strength, pace, experience, decision-making.

"If it all goes up by one per cent in all factors it will make a massive difference to the effect of the team."

Calderwood firmly believes that target isn't beyond his players, adamant they had shown such capabilities in stringing a run of seven matches unbeaten - including five straight wins - as they lifted themselves clear of the threat of a relegation fight.