UCHE IKPEAZU has aimed a cheeky parting shot at old foes Hibs after completing his switch from Hearts to Wycombe Wanderers.
The hulking Englishman notched 10 goals in 55 appearances after joining the Jambos from Cambridge in the summer of 2018.
But he admits his two Easter Road strikes against ‘the wee team’ in Edinburgh are among his memorable moments north of the border.
Ikpeazu was unplayable upon his arrival in Scottish football, finding the net four times in his first seven games and tormenting defences with his work-rate and raw physicality.
However, a foot injury sustained in October 2018 saw him sidelined for four months and he struggled to recapture than initial form, before falling out of favour entirely when Craig Levein – the man who signed him – was replaced at the helm by Daniel Stendel last December.
Nevertheless, he has nothing but appreciation for the platform he was afforded at Tynecastle.
He tweeted: “I want to say a big thank you to Heart of Midlothian FC, especially Craig Levein and Ann Budge who gave me the opportunity to come and represent such a massive club.
“I will forever be grateful for that.
“I also want to thank the fans, staff, my team-mates and everyone connected to the football club.
“I have had some amazing memories, particularly scoring against the wee team… twice lol!
“I genuinely wish the club the very best.”
Ikpeazu, who has also turned out for the likes of Crewe, Port Vale and Blackpool, will now embark on his maiden crack at the English Championship with Gareth Ainsworth’s newly-promoted Chairboys.
And he has no doubt Hearts will return to the top-flight in his absence.
Ikpeazu continued: “I know they [Hearts] are in safe hands with the gaffer Robbie Neilson as he’s the right man to get the club back to exactly where it belongs.”
Former Hearts boss Levein, meanwhile, concedes that Ikpeazu’s lack of consistency was ultimately his undoing – despite possessing all the natural attributes to be a nightmare for defenders.
Levein told BBC Scotland: “Uche is a bit of an enigma. Ask Celtic and Rangers centre-backs who gave them the toughest time then, invariably, they would say it was him.
“When he is on his game, he is almost unplayable. He is so strong and quick.
“His finishing could probably be better and he is too erratic.
“Uche is a good guy and I wouldn’t want to criticise him, but he just didn’t put the same performances in week-in, week-out, which is what we are all looking for from a striker.”
