'Like new players' - ex Hibs boss praises striker after 'really bad' Hearts stint

Scottish football fans might have to go without any matches during the winter break but there has at least been plenty of televised English football to tide those that follow the game south of the border over.

There was plenty of interest last night when Wigan Athletic hosted Manchester United in the FA Cup with Scotland international Scott McTominay lining up for the visitors against the EFL side who are managed by former Hibs boss Shaun Maloney. There were also plenty of familiar faces in the starting XI for the hosts with Scotland youth international Liam Morrison alongside ex Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Rangers winger Jordan Jones and former Hearts loanee Stephen Humphrys.

Wigan lost the match 2-0 and exited the cup with Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes on target for the visitors. Jones and Humphrys both spent last season on loan in the Scottish Premiership with the Northern Irishman back at Rugby Park and the English forward with the Jambos.

Prior to the match, former Celtic favourite Maloney discussed the duo's respective loans in Scotland last season. He described them as being 'like new players' and felt both had 'really bad' times at Kilmarnock and Hearts.

He said: "We do have talent in the final third. We've got Godo on loan from Fulham. And the two players, Humphrys and Jones, they had really bad loans last year and they've come back like new players. So we've got some talent in the final third and we're going to need it tonight."

Humphrys, who did have a few injury issues while at Tynecastle, scored five goals in 28 appearances for Hearts last season including the memorable strike from inside his own half against Dundee United in February 2023. He has been more prolific with both his goals and game time for Wigan this season having scored nine times in 31 matches already.