As a former Hearts defender, Alan Maybury knows there were some Hibernian supporters who were not too enthusiastic about his arrival at the club two years ago.

Now that he is returning to Easter Road as a Falkirk player, he does not have a clue how those same fans will react.

The 36-year-old enjoyed much of his time as a Hibs player and hopes that the majority of the home support today will recognise the commitment he displayed any time he was called on to represent their club. Those outings increased towards the end of last season, as Hibs' form crumbled and the club was relegated into the SPFL Championship.

The 36-year-old is able to anticipate a more comfortable campaign in the blue of Falkirk, even if he does not know if he will be welcomed back to Leith with open arms. "I don't know what kind of reception I'll get this weekend, I don't presume these things," he said. "Listen, they weren't keen on me because I had played for Hearts before. I'm never going to be a fans' favourite, I'm never going to be one to get people off their seats.

"But, everywhere I've been, I've always given my all, for whatever club. If nothing else, I work hard and I'm committed, and that's what I was when I went to Hibs. I think they appreciated that, in the end."

Alex Harris appears to think little of his treatment at Hibs last season, though. The winger acknowledged that he remains baffled by the way in which his recovery from injury was handled by previous manager Terry Butcher - Harris was sidelined for five months after breaking an ankle - and believes that the Englishman tried to rush him back too soon.

That may have been a product of Butcher's enthusiasm for his young player's ability; Harris was compared to England internationalist Theo Walcott by the then Hibs manager. The 19-year-old admitted last night he found the reference "strange" but that he is now much more content under the tutelage of Alan Stubbs.

"I am definitely feeling much better, I feel that I am back to myself," said Harris. "I've not really hit the form that I showed when I burst on to the scene but I am getting better every game. I made my comeback off the bench [against Aberdeen] in January and in the game after that I came on after about 10 minutes against St Mirren. I was a wee bit wary. I hadn't really experienced that.

"I was then in and out of the team. I was playing in the under-20s and then on the bench at the weekend. I wasn't really sure what I was doing every week."