Hibs academy chief Steve Kean speaks on development squad plans and how many under-18s are ready for Easter Road first team

The team has a very good chance of winning the league title and has lost just three games in all competitions since the start of the season.

One of those defeats was a heartbreaking Scottish Youth Cup semi-final against Rangers, but the wee Hibees have been in impressive form otherwise.

Both league defeats have been narrow 1-0 losses and they have the best defence in the league by some distance, with just 16 goals conceded and 55 scored.

A handful of players have been involved in first-team squads – Jacob Blaney and Oscar MacIntyre as unused substitutes, while Josh O’Connor made his debut in the 3-1 defeat by Aberdeen in March. Goalkeeper Murray Johnson is regularly involved with the first-team goalkeepers and most of the squad have participated in first-team training at some point too.

The season still has some way to go but Kean is impressed by what he has seen so far since taking the reins as Academy Director at Hibs.

"The under-18s have been fantastic this season. We're getting to that point where there aren't many games left, we're a few points behind Rangers but we've got some games in hand,” he told HibsTV.

"That's all well and good but we've still got to grind these results out. The programme is looking pretty hectic – Tuesday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Friday is going to be a typical week running into the last few weeks of the season so squeezing those games out will be a big ask but they're very robust and they've had a fantastic season. Hopefully we can finish it in style."

But it’s not all about winning games and possibly the league, although that is an obvious benefit. It’s more about blooding the youngsters for eventual transition to the club’s first-team squad.

"It's great that they can win games and be