Toby Sibbick sends Hearts relegation message as he pays tribute to fans after loan ends

The Englishman was only able to feature twice for the club due to injury

Toby Sibbick believed Hearts would have avoided relegation and said the club didn’t deserve to be demoted with eight games of the season remaining.

The Englishman posted a message on Twitter thanking the fans for their support after the club confirmed he would be returning to parent club Barnsley after his relegation.

Sibbick was signed by Daniel Stendel in January and made an instant impact in the 2-1 win over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Toby Sibbick issued a message to fans following the end of his Hearts loan spell. Picture: SNS

He then featured in the 3-3 draw with St Johnstone, being taken off just after the 70-minute mark.

That would be the last Hearts fans saw of him on the field after the player was hit with glandular fever.

The 21-year-old reckons the team will be back in the top-flight soon but rails against the decision by the SPFL to put Hearts into the Championship with 24 points remaining.

He posted: “I’d like to thank @JamTarts for my time there even if it was for a short spell. The fans stuck by me when I had glandular fever & sent me a lot of positive messages which will stick by me forever. My loan didn’t go as I planned as me & the club had goals and ambitions.

“We were confident we were going to stay up and to relegate a team with 24 points to play for isn’t fair. A great club with a great fan base doesn’t deserve this. All the best to the club for the future and I’m sure they’ll get back to the prem, where they belong.”

Sibbick was one of 18 members of the playing squad or coaching staff Hearts confirmed have left or would leave following the expiry of their contract.

He joins fellow loanees Ryotaro Meshino and Joel Pereira in returning to their parent clubs.