Former Hibs winger Kevin Harper admits Easter Road exit still disappoints him over 20 years on

Kevin Harper spent six years at Easter Road between 1992 and 1998 before departing for the English Premier League with Derby County. Pic: SNS Group Alan Harvey

Former Hibs winger Kevin Harper has revealed that he is still haunted by the manner of his departure from Easter Road over 20 years ago.

Harper made his professional debut with Hibs and spent six years at the Leith club before making a £300,000 move to the English Premier League with Derby County in September 1998.

He was a popular figure at Easter Road having made 94 appearances and scored 15 goals, including a memorable derby winner against Hearts, but he regrets leaving the club without saying a proper farewell to supporters following relegation to the First Division.

Speaking to Word Football Index, the 44-year-old said: "I think that my time at Hibernian was fantastic. I really enjoyed my time at the club.

"I made my debut at the age of 17-years-old which was something to behold at that point in time. I had only arrived at the club a year before.

"It was very exciting times for me as a kid growing up in a really tough neighbourhood that did not offer much (in the way of) prospects, to make my debut for Hibernian was worth all the sacrifice that I had to go through.

“I have lots of memories throughout my time at the club: Making my debut as a substitute against St Johnstone, I scored my first goal in front of the home crowd against Dundee United, scoring the winner against Glasgow Rangers at Easter Road was special, and scoring the winner in the Edinburgh derby against Hearts on New Year’s Day.“These memories will always stay with me and are things that are very important to me in terms of each and every milestone.

"The disappointing time was getting relegated just before I left the club. I left to go to the Premier League without saying goodbye to the fans, which always disappoints me every time that I think about it.”

Harper went on to play for Portsmouth and Stoke City, among other clubs, before returning to Scotland to sign for Dunfermline in 2007.

He was appointed manager of Albion Rovers in 2018 and steered the club to League Two safety before leaving his position last month.