Easter Road boss Jack Ross addresses David Gray’s recent exile from the Hibs side

HIBERNIAN head coach Jack Ross insists club captain David Gray still has a part to play this season despite his recent exile from first-team action.

The 31-year-old has not featured for the capital club since being hooked at half-time of a breathless 2-2 draw against St Mirren on February 1.

Gray’s appearance as an unused substitute for the Hibees’ defeat at Aberdeen on Saturday ended a run of eight games during which he had failed to even make the match-day squad.

However, Ross has confirmed that his skipper has not been injured and must bide his time to break back into the side.

Ross has been utilising Martin Boyle as a right wing-back in a 3-5-2 of late, affording Gray little opportunity to reclaim his spot.

Nevertheless, the experienced full-back did himself no harm on Tuesday when he found the net for Hibs’ reserve side in a 6-1 demolition of their Aberdeen counterparts.

Ross explained: “David hasn’t been injured, but we’ve had that balance in the team and with our subs.

“It’s just a case of David being ready to go, which he is.

“He’s trained well, we speak to him a lot and he is desperate to be back involved. It’s about taking the opportunity when it presents itself – and I am sure it will, whether through [a loss of] form, injury or suspension.

“Given how he conducts himself in training, he is ready to go if, and when, that chance arises.”