Lack of funds could scupper Hibs deal for Alan Maybury

ALAN MAYBURY’S bid to win a move to Hibs is hanging in the balance as manager Pat Fenlon waits to find out if he can raise the funds required to strike a deal with the former Hearts full-back.

The 31-year-old Irishman has been training with the Easter Road club for over a week, and he featured as a trialist when stepping off the bench for the second half as Hibs marked their first pre-season friendly of the summer with a 2-0 win at East Fife on Saturday.

Fenlon admitted he would be keen to add his compatriot to the Hibs ranks, but the manager conceded any move may be dashed by financial constraints throughout the SPL. “Alan’s a great professional and a very, very good player,” Fenlon told Hibs TV.

“He’s probably someone we could do with around the place. Whether we are able to do it at the moment, I’m not too sure with the way things are. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Meanwhile, Ivan Sproule, who netted the opener against East Fife, has tipped Ross Caldwell to shine this season. The young striker came on as a substitute at Bayview and Sproule believes he has similar attributes to Garry O’Connor. “Ross has shown glimpses of what he is about,” Sproule said.

“He is a powerful young boy and reminds me of a young Garry O’Connor. When Garry first burst onto the scene he was raw and exciting. It’s hard to judge a player and say he will be as good as Garry O’Connor, but Ross has the ability, he has the power and he’s in the right place to be developed. Because of the situation at the club, he will maybe be presented with the chance to play this season, and with young players sometimes it is all about whether they want to grab it. He has a big season ahead of him.”