Much-travelled Hibs Hart defender hasn't faced local club before - and aims to mark game with a win

Much-travelled Hibs defender hasn't faced local club before - and aims to mark game with a win

You would imagine there's little new in football for Hibs star Michael Hart now in his 13th season as a professional and with almost 250 games to his name.

Over the years he's played for Aberdeen (twice), Livingston and Preston North End before pitching up this summer at Easter Road, one of seven new signings made by boss John Hughes. He's faced the likes of Rangers, Celtic and Hearts countless times not to mention lesser lights such as Alloa Athletic, Clyde, Albion Rovers and Dumbarton and virtually everyone in between.

Big European nights have seen him pit his wit against European opposition as diverse as Vaduz of Liechtenstein, Lokomotiv Moscow, FC Copenhagen, Atletico Madrid and, only the other week, NK Maribor.

Down south, he could count Chelsea, Spurs, Wolves and Middlesbrough as opponents. But tomorrow the 31-year-old defender will enjoy a totally new experience, lining up against Hamilton, the side he regards as his hometown club, for the very first time.

He said: "My parents come from Blantyre and I actually went to school in Hamilton so they are probably my local club. It's an odd one but I've never played against them in any shape or form, which is strange when you talk about how close-knit the Scottish game is and how often teams play each other.

"However, having played through the divisions with Aberdeen and Livingston we seem to have managed to pass each other until now. I'm looking forward to playing them for the first time and, I'm sure, a few more times this season."

The visit of Billy Reid's team, hammered 5-1 on their last excursion to Easter Road although the Accies won twice at New Douglas Park, comes hard on the heels of Hibs incurring the wrath of their own supporters as they let victory slip from their grasp against Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the 1-1 draw ending a run of six successive losses at home but not enough to please the home fans following back-to-back defeats by Rangers and St Mirren.

As disappointing as those statistics might be, Hart today insisted there was, in fact, no great cause for concern, adamant he and his team-mates have done little wrong in recent weeks.

He said: "I think you have to take the positives, at 1-0 against Caley we had the chances to kill the game, it could have been all over after 65 or 70 minutes. We feel we deserved the three points and it was disappointing not to take them. But, while you are only one goal ahead, the opposition always have some hope and I don't think we are good enough to go 90 minutes without giving the other team a chance.

"We made plenty of chances, though, and we have to go into tomorrow with the same attitude and the belief that we'll take our chances and win."

After a promising victory away to Motherwell on the opening day of the season, Hibs find themselves with just four points out of a possible 12, struggling, Hart conceded, to find the required consistency although he insisted that a close look at results elsewhere over the past few weeks would suggest other clubs are finding themselves in the same predicament.

He said: "We probably played the best we have this season against Rangers so it was very frustrating to end up losing 3-0. Perhaps outwith ourselves and our supporters, people didn't expect us to win that one but against the likes of St Mirren and Inverness we are expected to go out and win and that's what is so frustrating.

"I went along to watch the St Mirren match and, to be honest, we just didn't turn up on the day which was disappointing. However, other than the Old Firm I think the other ten teams have been a bit up and down when you look at their results. No-one has got the consistency they are looking for yet.

"Last season, Hibs got off to a flyer although it all fell away towards the end of the season but we feel we are good enough to get on that sort of run. I think there are better teams in the league, better players then my first time in the SPL, anyone can beat anyone on any given day.

"It's all about us performing to our standards, if we do that then we can beat anyone. On the other hand, if we play the way we did against St Mirren then we'll be beaten most weeks. We have the players, it's all about finding that level and showing that desire on a Saturday."

Hart found himself watching from the stand in Paisley having pulled his hamstring during the Rangers game and, he admitted, he was stunned to find himself facing Inverness. He said: "I'd only trained on the Friday after three weeks out and, afterwards, the gaffer said to make sure I went home and prepared properly for the following day.

"I always do so but I was a bit shocked, to be honest, when the team was announced."

Hart lasted just over an hour, looking on in dismay from the bench as Adam Rooney equalised from the spot for Caley after Derek Riordan had missed a penalty to put Hibs two up but, he insisted, those 60 minutes will stand him in good stead for tomorrow. He said: "We always knew I wasn't going to last the ninety and, with a hamstring pull, the longer you go on the more chance you have of it going again. I'm the sort of player who probably would have played on until it went trying to get a result so, while it was disappointing to come off, it was far better than spending another three weeks in the treatment room. I've had a tough week's training, full fitness will come with games and I'm raring to go tomorrow."

Hart returned to action to find boss John Hughes' defence almost totally overhauled as Francis Dickoh and Jonathan Grounds, signings on transfer deadline day, made their debuts and, again, he insisted it will take time for everything to come together.

He said: "I think when you include (goalkeeper] Mark Brown only Sol Bamba out of the five at the back had played more than five games for the team. It will take a bit of time to gel but, hopefully, the fans will be patient enough to let it happen."

Even this week there was a further new arrival in the shape of Valdas Trakys with Hart predicting, albeit on limited viewing of his latest team-mate the Lithuanian striker will prove a more than useful addition. He said: "He's someone who works hard to get on the ball and holds it up well, he runs the channels and, with the players we have in midfield, I think he will be a good acquisition."