Pep-talk with ex-Hibs skipper Thomson has on-loan Boro man raring to go

The Middlesbrough defender joined Hibs' ranks on Tuesday - the final day of the transfer window - after agreeing a six-month loan deal from the Riverside.

The highly-rated 22-year-old is clearly a part of Gordon Strachan's long-term plans, having signed a new two-year deal with the Championship outfit in June, but both he and his manager are keen for him to build up a consistent run of first-team games.

Having spoken to former Easter Road captain Thomson in depth about the pros and cons of a move to Edinburgh, Grounds is certain that he has made the right move.

Revealing that Thomson still has fond memories of the club and their supporters, Grounds said: "I spoke to a few of the boys who have gone down from Scotland to play for Middlesbrough, the main one being Kevin Thomson.

"He had a lot of good things to say about the club. He spoke really highly of Hibs and said that the training ground was excellent and that the fans were brilliant.

"He knew all about the stadium and the atmosphere that the fans could create. He also spoke a lot about the club's desire to play a passing game and he spoke very highly of the manager, John Hughes, saying that he was the type of manager who would keep that style going.

"He said that John had played a similar style of football when he was manager of Falkirk and tried to get the ball down on the ground as much as possible.

"I think I am suited to that kind of game, having come through the Middlesbrough Academy where they teach the same kind of philosophy."

Thomson is one of a band of Scots currently occupying the dressing room at the Riverside right now, Kris Boyd, Barry Robson, Lee Miller, Stephen McManus and Andrew Halliday having been signed by Strachan, while former SPL players, Willo Flood and Scott McDonald, also know all about the game north of the border.

As a result, he's been able to pick their brains for information on Hibs and SPL football and Grounds continued: "There are at least six or seven Scottish boys down at the Riverside right now, so I wasn't short of advice!

"I think Kevin feels that he grew up at this club, I mean he has come right through the youth team ranks, and there are still a lot of the staff at the club that he is familiar with and that he knows from his time at Hibs.

"I don't think that there are too many players that he would be familiar with though, he said that the majority of them have moved on now. He told me that Hibs have brought quite a number of young players through who have moved on and now play elsewhere in Scotland or in England, so this seems to be a really good breeding ground for quality players and that was another reason to make me want to come here.

"On speaking to Kevin, he always said that Hibs were usually up there pushing for third or fourth place in the table and hopefully we can continue that and push on for a European place this season."

Grounds' main aim during his stay in Scotland is a simple one - to do enough to convince Strachan to play him regularly in the first 11 at Middlesbrough on his return to the Riverside in January.

He joined Boro as an eight-year-old and has been there ever since, apart from a spell on loan at Norwich a couple of seasons ago.

Having agreed that new deal earlier this year, it looks like he will be there for some time to come yet and he added: "I signed a new two-year contract with Middlesbrough in June this year. I have been with the club since the age of eight or nine and have only spent time away from the club a couple of years ago when I went to Norwich on loan.

"Other than that, I have always been at Middlesbrough.

"Middlesbrough is a bit of a small town compared to a big city like Edinburgh, so coming here will probably be a bit of a culture shock for me.

"I want to play consistently. Last season I was kind of in and out a bit in terms of playing regularly for Boro. I would maybe play two or three and then miss two or three. I just want to find good form and get a consistent run of games under my belt. I like to get the ball down and play a bit of football, I can play left-midfield or centre-half and I just can't wait to get started, I'm looking forward to getting on with my football and enjoying it really."

Having flown into Scotland on Tuesday night to meet John Hughes to discuss his move north of the border, Grounds has been hugely impressed by the training facilities and new-look stand at Easter Road.

Having put pen to paper, he is now just looking forward to getting started in earnest.

He'll have to wait until next weekend for the chance to make his Hibs debut, because of the break for the Euro 2012 qualifiers but has already met up with some of his new team-mates.

He said: "I had a chance to meet a couple of the lads yesterday, Francis (Dickoh, Hibs' other deadline-day recruit] and I went into the training centre and we saw some of the boys who are injured at the moment and were in doing a bit of extra work.

"I was really impressed with the training facilities and also with the stadium - but even more so with what the manager has had to say to me.

"I flew up on Tuesday night and met the manager at the training ground around tea time, had a bit of a look around there and then went to the stadium to see that and complete the medical side of things.

"The first I heard about Hibs' interest was on Monday afternoon, although there were a few complications with it being an English bank holiday. "I got another call on the Tuesday morning to say that there was firm interest and I went straight into Middlesbrough's training ground to finalise things.

"Now I'm just looking forward to hopefully playing some football."