Hibs 'have no plans to explore Lowland League entry for development team'

The Easter Road side has been busy adding to its development squad in the last six weeks, bringing in no fewer than five new faces as they continue preparations to revive their second string.

Earlier this month Hearts revealed plans to launch a B team if the SPFL continued without a reserve league. Kensell dismissed the prospect of Hibs going down a similar route but admitted there was a wider issue in Scottish football regarding gametime for players between youth and first-team football.

“When we talk about the development team, the reason why perhaps it is being profiled a little bit more than others is because Hibs probably haven't done anything in the past on it," Kensell told the Evening News.

“The gap between under-18 teams, which have a structured league under the SFA, and the first team, is a chasm. It's too big.

"We're building a programme up because what I'm not going to do is wait for the authorities and governing bodies to decide what they want to do when we've already waited for long enough.

"For me, we take our destiny in our own hands and start forming a pathway for players.”

Kensell brought Steve Kean to Hibs and the former Blackburn Rovers boss has been tasked with spearheading the return of a development team among his duties as the club's new Academy Director while working closely with manager Shaun Maloney.

Kensell explained: “Everyone knows about our Under-18s at the moment and how successful they are but it's no good if we get to this summer and they don't have that pathway to the first team and we also can't put the burden on Shaun to play these players when they may not be physically ready. But they do have real potential.

"It's also got to be the way of the club to bring players through because