John Hughes takes the mic as he begins touchline ban

JOHN HUGHES today insisted his touchline ban won't affect Hibs as he'll be "miked up" to the dug-out for the next six matches.

The Easter Road manager's ban kicks in with tomorrow's crucial SPL match at Falkirk as Hibs seek to end a run of just one win in nine games and will take in the visits of Dundee United and Celtic, a trip to Hamilton and the first two fixtures after the split.

Hughes will be banished to the stand for each of those games, leaving assistant manager Brian Rice and coach Gareth Evans in charge on the touchline.

However, Hughes revealed he's already made contingency plans and claimed being forced to watch matches from a different viewpoint could actually help.

Hughes was hit with the mammoth suspension after being sent to the stand during Hibs' 5-1 hammering by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park following an altercation with assistant referee Gordon Cheyne.

As he'd twice been in trouble with officials as manager of Falkirk, under the SFA's totting up procedure, incidents which had resulted in a two-game and four-match ban respectively, he was informed he wouldn't be able to sit in the Hibs dug-out, home or away, for six games.

Hughes, however, appealed the ban, claiming it was unfair Hibs should be punished for misdemeanours of the past, his plea falling on deaf ears and as such the punishment came into force yesterday.

Today, though, Hughes was making light of the fact he'll be removed from the action at the Falkirk Stadium, saying: "I'll be upstairs but I'll be miked up to Gareth so I should be able to get instant messages to the dug-out.

"It will let me sit back and take in the bigger picture. Sometimes you get a better view of what's going on from up there and that could be to our advantage although, obviously, I'd rather be in the dug-out."

Rice and Evans will be left to do all the cajoling and directing from the touchline but, while Hughes is banned from both the technical area and the tunnel, he will be in the dressing room before the match and at half-time to address his players. He said: "I'll let Chipper (Rice] concentrate on the game by being miked up to Gareth and we'll be able to communicate in that way."

Hughes was hoping both skipper Chris Hogg and Merouane Zemmama will return tomorrow.

Both returned to training yesterday and, if they report no ill-effects then they'll be in the squad. Paul Hanlon, however, is definitely out.