Hibs' Kyle McClelland eyeing first-team chance as former Rangers kid hails the Ibrox star who helped his game

The defender, who joined Hibs as a free agent after leaving Rangers, joined the Easter Road side at their summer training camp in Portugal and impressed in the two pre-season friendly wins against Hartlepool United and Burton Albion, playing with a confidence that belied his years.

Getting up to sing in front of new team-mates, however, is a very different story.

"I’m quite nervous about it. I’ll keep it for the staff and the boys. I think it’ll be one of the ones they don’t expect,” he confided, ahead of the big night.

"I did it in Europe when I was away with Rangers in Lyon and I’ve done it with Northern Ireland too so it’s not new to me but at the same time it’s always nerve-racking in front of new boys.”

If his singing can match his performances in defence for Hibs he will likely have had no issues impressing his new colleagues. McClelland took the decision to turn down an extended stay at Rangers in order to pursue first-team football and feels he has a better chance of that in the Capital.

“As soon as the Hibs manager said they want youth players coming right the way through, I decided to come here,” McClelland explains.

"It’s a great chance for me, I’m only 20 years old and to try and push to get into that first team, I think there’s a great opportunity at Hibs.”

It wasn’t an easy decision for McClelland to leave Rangers, having been at the club since he was seven years old, but with Hibs dangling a three-year contract and a clearer pathway to senior football, his mind was made up.

"You do everything you can in training but it’s hard to try and play with Rangers,” he admits.

"I did my best there but when Hibs came in with a three-year deal, I spoke to Rangers and knew what the plan was. I think it was maybe a