Ex Hibs star's permanent Millwall exit to Aberdeen chances rated as he finds Easter Road comfort at Pittodrie

A former Hibs striker is thriving at his latest club - as he has rekindled what he had at Easter Road with Christian Doidge.

Kevin Nisbet left Leith in 2023 for Millwall after an impressive stint at Easter Road where he netted 39 times with 12 assists in 101 games. His first campaign at the Den proved frustrating and his first half of this season was trending the same way at Aberdeen, who he is with on loan.

Form has been hit though and during a Scottish Cup quarter final win over Queen’s Park at the weekend, Nisbet made it five goals in six games during a 4-1 win. It has catapulted him into Scotland reckoning with ex-Hibees like Ryan Porteous and John McGinn.

Permanent chances rated

With the season’s end coming into view in May, the Aberdeen transfer question is now being asked of Dons boss Jimmy Thelin over whether or not Nisbet will hang around in the north long-term. His answer was non-committal but there’s no doubt over how pleased he is with the Millwall loanee.

He said: “I haven't thought about that right now. I'm happy he's here right now, and let's see what happens in the future. But who knows?

“I'm happy with the journey he's doing and his performance. He's more often arriving now to the box in the right position because he gets stronger and can cope. He always has a good game, but he also has to push for the right spot. Also, how he defends and his leadership to help other players to defend better has been good. There were some nice goals there, so it's good to see.”

Doidge factor

One pundit reckons pairing him with winter signing Oday Dabbagh, who joined on loan from Charleroi in Switzerland, has been a difference maker for Nisbet. Scotland hero James McFadden likened it to what the striker had at Hibs with Doidge, the powerful Welsh striker the forward bounced off during his time in the capital.

McFadden told Sportscene: “For Kevin Nisbet, at times when he’s asked to play as a sole striker, it’s a tough role. You need to chase things downs, you need to chase lost causes, be the focal point, offer to feet, go behind, run channels. He’s always been at his best with a strike partner. Think back to Hibs, he had Christian Doidge, who would be that focal point, Nisbet would then find the spaces. I think Dabbagh coming in and Gueye being back fit, having a strike partner certainly helps him and gets the best out of him.”

Ex-Aberdeen defender Andy Considine commented: “He’s picked up some brilliant positions in the past number of months and just not managed to find the back of the net. It’s instinctive, it’s the Nisbet you saw at Hibs before he got his move.”

Former Rangers and St Mirren striker Steven Thompson added: “He has come back into form. There was a spell he wasn’t looking quite himself and he is looking sharper. He puts himself in the right place at the right time, it’s what all good strikers do.”