BY IAIN COLLIN – Capital City Press
Former Hearts defender Adam Eckersley trained with new club Hibernian yesterday for the first time since crossing the Edinburgh football divide.
The former Manchester United defender penned a short-term deal with Hibs last month after being freed by city rivals Hearts at the end of last season.
But the 30-year-old has since been sidelined as he continued his rehabilitation from a knee operation he underwent back in April.
The former England under-18 left-back’s last match was ironically in Hearts’ 2-0 defeat to Hibs at Easter Road on April 12, after which he was banned for two matches by the SFA for a headbutt on Scott Allan.
Eckersley has now been deemed ready to step up his comeback, however, and joined in with his new team-mates for his first day of full training at Hibs’ East Mains base.
One familiar face will have been former Hearts team-mate James Keatings, who has now returned to training himself following persistent hamstring trouble.
The striker stepped up his latest return by taking part in a bounce game at the tail end of last week, with defender Jordon Forster, midfielder Fraser Fyvie and on-loan Chelsea attacker Islam Feruz also featuring following spells out ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Dumbarton.
@IainCollin
