Hibs confirm details of pre-season friendly as first summer fixture is announced

Details of Easter Road side’s first friendly announced

Hibs have confirmed details of their first pre-season friendly as part of their summer preparations, with a very short trip to Meadowbank to face partner club Edinburgh. The two teams were due to meet last pre-season but the delayed completion of the London Road stadium pushed the fixture back to the World Cup break, when injuries forced the Citizens to pull out of the rearranged game.

Lee Johnson’s side return to East Mains for pre-season training on June 22 and the first-team squad will face the League One side on Saturday July 1, with a 3pm kick-off at Meadowbank.

Ticket information will be confirmed ‘in due course’ according to Hibs but by the time the two teams face off, the hosts may have reverted back to their original Edinburgh City name. Citizens chiefs are hopeful of having the paperwork completed in time for the start of the Viaplay Cup group stages next month after a supporter-based consortium headed up by John Dickson took the reins following owner Tom Tracy’s decision to hand over control of the club.

Hibs will make the extremely short trip to Meadowbank to face FC Edinburgh in July

Last summer’s rebrand came about amid legal concerns surrounding the use of the Edinburgh City name, with club chiefs opting to assume the FC Edinburgh name after the Edinburgh City social club declined to relinquish the name. It was later clarified that the club should be known as Edinburgh, rather than FC Edinburgh.

In a statement posted on the club’s website on Monday Dickson said: “I intend for us to revert to the name Edinburgh City Football Club. Almost my first act as chairman was to make representation to the Scottish FA to this effect, and confirm our desire to return to our traditional club identity. My commitment to this is absolute, and I anticipate that having made our case robustly to the SFA, once their due processes are complete, we can bring City back.

"I am a supporter of the club and as such, the name Edinburgh City is incredibly important to me; it represents the heritage of the club and I know that the fans echo that view. Indeed, we are doing this with and on the mandate of their endorsement, so I look forward to a positive outcome later this month.”