Jackson Irvine has joined Hibs on a contract that runs until the end of the season.
The midfielder impressed in the Championship at Burton Albion and Hull City but with budgets cut to the bone has been without a club since leaving Hull in June at the end of his contract.
Irvine was missed out by Australian clubs in his youth but with his Dad from Aberdeen headed to Scotland where he caught the eye on trial at Celtic to earn a professional contract.
Returning to Scotland he’ll find many of his former Celtic team-mates scattered around the game such as Callum McGregor, Dylan McGeouch, Tony Watt, Stephen O’Donnell and Marcus Fraser.
Competition for midfield places at Celtic was fierce but Irvine managed one team appearance, against Hibs in September 2012 before a loan stint at Kilmarnock then making his name at Ross County where he won a League Cup medal in 2016 in a victory over Hibs.
He did put in a memorable performance in midfield in 2014 when a youthful Celtic side beat Liverpool, including Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson and Phillipe Countinho in the Dublin Decider at the Aviva Stadium.
He told the Hibs website:
I’m pleased to have everything sorted because as soon as I heard of Hibs’ interest, I was keen to make it happen. No-one has to tell me what a big club this is. I saw it for myself when I was with Celtic and Ross County.
I had a great chat with the gaffer, who outlined that this is a club that wants to be competing for silverware and qualifying for Europe. Why wouldn’t you want to be part of that?
I’ve missed playing so I’m hoping to be involved as soon as possible. I’ll work as hard as I can in training and hopefully give the staff something to think about. Irvine returns to Scotland as an experienced internationalist with 34 Australian caps including three from the 2018 World Cup Finals.
CLICK HERE for Dad’s surprise round the world trip to watch Celtic youth match.
