Jordon Forster set to cut ties with Hibs for Cheltenham Town move as loan for Blackburn Rovers striker Danny Graham looks like non-starter

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JORDON FORSTER is set to bring to an end seven years at Hibs with a move to English League Two outfit Cheltenham Town.

The 23-year-old, who joined from Celtic youths in 2010, has made 79 first-team appearances for the Easter Road side since making a high-profile debut in the 2-1 Edinburgh derby victory over Hearts in 2013.

However, he has struggled to hold down a regular place and, with confirmation expected at the start of next week, has opted to move on, despite having a year left on his deal in the capital.

The versatile defender enjoyed a loan spell with Plymouth Argyle in League Two in the early part of last year, and as a result missed out on Hibs’ historic Scottish Cup victory.

But, having played 23 times last season, he will leave with a Championship medal to show for his time at the club.

With Efe Ambrose having been recruited permanently from Celtic this summer, to join Darren McGregor, Paul Hanlon and Liam Fontaine in providing central defensive competition, Forster faced a massive task in forcing his way into Neil Lennon’s starting line-up in the coming campaign.

He will instead seek to kick-start his career south of the border, where Cheltenham will be desperate to improve on last season’s battle for Football League survival.

Meanwhile, Hibs’ hopes of signing Danny Graham have taken a hit after former manager Tony Mowbray insisted he wants to bring in new recruits to play with the striker – and not to replace him.

HELP

The Blackburn Rovers marksman is thought to be a loan target for the Easter Road outfit as they look to make up for the loss of Jason Cummings, Grant Holt and James Keatings in attack.

However, with Graham’s Rovers team-mate Anthony Stokes another player Lennon is stepping up overtures for, Mowbray appears to be in no mood to lose last season’s top scorer.

He said: “We do need to give him (Graham) some help. We’ve got Anthony Stokes, but I need to create more competition really.

“I need a hungry, firing Danny Graham, who feels a younger different type of striker breathing down his neck.”

Mowbray added to the Rovers website: “Danny Graham came in for a few days training before pre-season started and it’s great to see that he’s so focused.

“I’ve talked to him about the focus required. League One is a tough league, but he’s been in doing extra training early on and I’m delighted about that.”