Lewis Miller thanks his Hibs 'dad' Nick Montgomery as Aussie star gets set for ten THOUSAND mile pilgrimage

He's travelling 10,500 miles to represent his country in front of friends and family Down Under.

But Lewis Miller admits it’s the second home and father figure he’s leaving behind in Edinburgh that have seen him take the giant leap with Australia. Hibs boss Nick Montgomery has put his faith in the powerful right-back ever since replacing Lee Johnson in Leith. Theirs is a relationship that stretches back five years to the other side of the globe when he was a raw cub in the Central Coast Mariners academy.

Montgomery was his tough love boss in the youths followed by the top-team manager as the then teenager made his way in the A-League. Miller and Easter Road mate Martin Boyle will touch down in Melbourne ahead of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh. And while Miller made his full debut against England at Wembley last month, quickly following that with his first start against New Zealand in Brentford, it is the prospect of pulling on the yellow and green in his homeland that lights his eyes up like an Edinburgh Hogmanay.

The 23-year-old and star man Boyle signed off with a solid showing as Hibs dumped Kilmarnock for a first win in seven league games. The Sydney-born Socceroo said: “You feel miles better going into the break with three points. I was lucky enough to get selected for the Socceroos and will be joining Boyler again, which is great.

“I love travelling and it’s going to be back in my home country. It’s not Sydney but it’s Melbourne, so it’s close enough and I’ll take that. Will I be sitting next to Boyler? I certainly hope not... he’s very energetic! But I’m assuming we’re sitting next to each other unless he’s upgraded himself to first class!

“Going back to Oz is a dream. I loved it there, loved