Stanton leads consultation

Hibs may yet stay at their present Easter Road home

Hibernian legend Pat Stanton is to act as an "honest broker" on elected fans' consultation groups over the proposed joint stadium with Hearts.

And the move has been welcomed by fans groups sceptical of the proposals.

Hearts say they are ready to go it alone should Hibs succumb to pressure from those fans who find abhorrent the idea of sharing a new home with their bitter Edinburgh rivals.

Hibs owner Sir Tom Farmer is a co-owner of Straiton Park Limited, which owns the proposed site, and the group will give the site for free if the clubs decide to build the new ground.

So the club are taking strenuous attempts to give their supporters a chance to voice their opinions about the proposed £20m stadium in Straiton on the southern outskirts of the city.

Hibs chief executive Rod Petrie said: "We all want what is best for our club and hopefully this process will allow us to move towards greater levels of consensus and understanding on how that can best be achieved.

The McLeod Street stand at Tynecastle only has a very limited life Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson

"We are determined that our supporters should have confidence in the communications process."

Fans will be invited to elect representatives to sit on 'listening' groups of 20 to look at the proposal in greater detail.

Four separate forums, with 100 fans in each, will be held by Hibs, with the four listening groups meeting once a month.

The process will be overseen by Stanton, who helped Hibs lift the Scottish League Cup in 1972.

Hibs.net assistant editor John Campbell is sceptical about the plans but said: "Having a figure-head like Pat at the top of this will help tremendously and is a masterstroke by the board.

"Pat is revered by the Hibs supporters and will give the thing some credence."

Petrie believes the fans' meetings will offer everyone the chance to air their views and concerns on the ground-share idea.

Hibs admit that they are prepared to remain at Easter Road should there be no significant financial benefit from the move.

Capital clubs keep talking

They are hopeful that it will be proven that they would wipe out their £15m debt.

Meanwhile, Hearts feel that they have no choice but to move as their pitch is too narrow and too short to meet future Uefa regulations for participation in European competition.

The club have received special permission to continue playing, but Hearts chief executive Chris Robinson said: "That derogation won't last forever.

"What happens if someone says that won't be granted any more?

"We also have to appreciate that the McLeod Street stand at Tynecastle only has a very limited life.

"It's been patched and patched. It won't last forever and the safety certificate will be an issue in years to come.

"We will have to quite clearly look at a modern out-of-town stadium. That will not be off our agenda if Hibs want to remain in Leith."