More departures to follow as Hibs axe forgotten wide man- and send prospect on loan

Gray is eager to work with a more manageable squad of 20-22 players. | SNS Group

Hibs have further reduced their over-sized squad ahead of David Gray’s first season in management – and are still looking to offload more fringe players before the competitive campaign kicks off. The Easter Road club revealed today that forgotten winger Dan Mackay has joined Championship promotion hopefuls Partick Thistle on a free transfer, while teenage midfielder Murray Aiken is returning to Airdrie on loan.

Mackay cost Hibs an undisclosed fee when they signed the left winger from Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the summer of 2021. He signed a four-year deal but, after just a handful of appearances and a single goal, an ankle injury put him on the sidelines for the best part of three months.

Daniel Mackay joined Hibs in the summer of 2021. Picture: SNS

Hibs loaned him out to Kilmarnock halfway through that first season. But Mackay, who is still just 23 and eager to prove himself at Firhill, was mainly used as a substitute and struggled to rediscover his best form.

He then spent season 2022-23 on loan back at Caley Thistle. And, after making just one more appearance for Hibs, coming on as a late sub in the 2-1 away loss to Europa Conference League opponents Inter Club D’Escaldes last July, he was sent on a season-loan loan to Livingston.

Aiken, who saw last year’s season-long loan stint at Airdrie severely disrupted by a broken ankle, will be looking for better luck as he returns to Rhys McCabe’s side on a six-month loan agreement. Despite missing six months as he recovered from surgery, the 19-year-old – who was joined at Airdrie by fellow Hibs prospects Josh O’Connor and Kanayo Megwa last season – bounced back in time to feature in the Diamonds’ play-off loss to Partick.

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New sporting director Malky Mackay has made cutting a bloated squad down to size, with Gray also keen to work with a more tight-knit group in his first crack at management. Both expect more departures – and a handful of quality arrivals, if all goes well - before the summer window closes.

Mackay said of the Aiken move: “This is another good opportunity for Murray to gain more experience playing senior football at a good level and a club that he knows well. Murray impressed during his first loan spell with Airdrieonians last season, and this is a good chance for him to build on that and get more minutes under his belt between now and the end of the year. I’d like to thank Airdrie for the smooth handling of the loan and we look forward to seeing how he progresses.”