Mowbray signs trio and extends Shiels' stay at Hibs

HIBERNIAN manager Tony Mowbray yesterday raided his old club Ipswich Town for a third time as he beat the transfer deadline with a hat-trick of signings, while former Arsenal youngster Dean Shiels agreed to extend his contract to keep him at the club until 2009.

Defender Chris Hogg, Ipswich’s most expensive teenage signing, joined Northern Irish winger Ivan Sproule and Mali-born striker Amadou Konte in arriving in the capital, as defender Colin Murdock departed for Crewe Alexandra.

Konte, 24, a 6ft 3in striker has signed from Cambridge United until the end of the season, whilst Sproule, 23, is contracted to the Edinburgh side until 2006 after leaving Irish side Institute.

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However, it is the arrival of Hogg, who has joined until 2007, which is the most intriguing, with the 20-year-old former England youth skipper not expected to be fit to play for at least another six weeks.

The youngster, a 150,000 buy from York City as a 16-year-old, recently required an operation to repair nerves, tendons and a main artery in his left arm after sustaining the injuries while chasing away thieves who tried to steal his sister’s car.

After working hard behind the scenes to strengthen his squad for the second-half of the season, Mowbray was last night delighted to get business concluded. He said: "It’s been a good day all round.

"To have also extended Dean’s contract is very pleasing indeed. He has shown everyone that he’s a talented player and he wants to learn."

Shiels joins Scotland striker Garry O’Connor and French midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin in committing themselves to Hibs long-term, with Mowbray and assistant Mark Venus set to join their players in agreeing contract extensions in the coming days.

O’Connor and his strike partner Derek Riordan have been central to Hibs’ success - a fact reflected by their call-ups last week to Walter Smith’s first Scotland training squad - and they won praise yesterday from Kenny Dalglish, who insisted age should be no barrier to them entering the international fray.

While Smith has hinted the pair will not be rushed into action, Dalglish said he would have no qualms about calling on the pair for the World Cup qualifier against Italy next month. "I made my debut against Belgium at Aberdeen when I was 20, so age is not a barrier, if you are good enough," he said.