Dundee United v Hibernian: Thomson trains at old club as hosts look forward to youthful progress

Saturday 23 February 2013

Kevin Thomson has spent this week working in close quarters with Hibernian but he might still prove out of reach for his former club.

Kevin Thomson is training with former club Hibs

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The midfielder is a free agent after his release by Middlesbrough and he has gone back to Easter Road to train while his agent attempts to resuscitate a career which has gone limp following a series of injuries.

His presence has already breathed life into speculation over a return to the club he left in acrimonious circumstances, when a £2m offer from Rangers was enough to pull him from Edinburgh in 2007. Such a hope is being strangled by the tight purse strings at Hibs, though; a productive transfer window having already allowed them to extend the loans of Leigh Griffiths, Ryan McGivern and Jorge Claros, while Scott Robertson and Matt Done also agreed moves. The idea of supplementing the pool further with Thomson is now almost too expensive to think about.Any glimmer of hope is reflected in the prospect of reaching the semi-finals of the William Hill Scottish Cup and sustaining a place in the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, as well as the sight of Motherwell convincing James McFadden of the merits of agreeing a short-term return to his first club. It is just enough for Pat Fenlon to cling to."I would never say never in football, it is a mad game," said the Hibernian manager, whose side face Dundee United tomorrow. "He is a fabulous player and he would enhance any squad. There is a question mark over the money, and that is where we are."He is happy around the place, he is a good lad and has been bright and bubbly in training. Whether he could do something similar to McFadden? That is probably not a question I can answer. It would be up to Kevin."The appeal of his prospective return to supporters is rooted in his prominent position in the clutch of young prodigies produced by Hibs, although Dundee United might now consider that their own crop of young players is able to give Hibs' a run for their money. Johnny Russell, Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong have not allowed their young age to present any barrier at Tannadice."I think some of the younger ones don't realise how good they are," said Jackie McNamara, the United manager, who will watch Marcus Tornstrand in a closed-doors game against Limerick before deciding whether to offered him a contract. "It's exciting not just for Dundee United but for Scottish football."

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Dundee United v Hibernian: Thomson trains at old club as hosts look forward to youthful progress

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