Hibs hand pro deals to five promising academy youngsters including son of Easter Road legend

Hibs have dished out professional contracts to five of the club’s most promising youngsters.

Owen Hastie, Jacob MacIntyre, Rudi Molotnikov, Alfie Smith, and Harry Wright have all put pen to paper on two-year deals and are expected to flit between the under-18s and development squad this year as they continue their development at Easter Road.

Four of the five – Hastie, MacIntyre, Molotnikov, and Smith – were involved in the title-winning under-18s last season, with MacIntyre a frequent starter and Molotnikov featuring regularly off the bench.

Hastie and Smith were used less often but still contributed to a memorable season for the wee Hibees, and the quintet have started the new season in impressive form.

MacIntyre was on target in a 3-2 victory over Sheffield United under-18s while Hastie and Molotnikov got on the scoresheet in the 7-0 victory against Preston Athletic earlier this month, with Wright notching the assist for Molotnikov’s goal.

Ostensibly a marauding left-back, former Portobello defender Hastie can also operate as a left-wingback and left-sided centre-half, and is a pacy, direct full-back with an eye for goal.

MacIntyre, younger brother of Oscar who made his first-team debut in the final game of last season, is a versatile midfielder but spent much of last season as the starting right-wingback for Gareth Evans’ side.

He has captained Scotland at Under-16 level and trained with the Easter Road first-team squad.

Harry Wright, Jacob MacIntyre, Owen Hastie, Rudi Molotnikov, and Alfie Smith have all signed professional contracts

Molotnikov plays as an attacking midfielder and has also been capped for Scotland Under-16s. He was a team-mate of MacIntyre at Loanhead Miners, and also spent time at Lochend before joining Hibs.

Smith is also predominantly an attacking midfielder and played with Hastie at Portobello, and is set to make his under-18s debut this season and could also appear for the development squad.

Wright joined Hibs from Tranent Colts and is the son of former Easter Road striker Keith Wright, but is more defensively-minded than his dad as he normally plays at right-back.

Smith and Wright were both involved in the under-17 squad that travelled to France at the start of June, as were Bailey McKenzie and Josh Landers, who both scored in the 3-2 victory over the Blades.

Led by Guillaume Beuzelin and James McDonaugh, the Hibs team played five matches during the tournament, losing 4-0 to Metz and 1-0 to Havre AC, but beating US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole 4-2, and seeing off Gazelec Ajaccio and host side ESM de Gonfreville-l'Orcher on penalties.

They finished fifth out of eight teams, ahead of Gazelec, ESM, and Quevilly-Rouen. Sparta Prague won the tournament ahead of Annecy, Metz, and Le Havre.

Speaking about the deals, Hibs academy chief Steve Kean said: “This is a proud day for all five of the youngsters; signing professional deals is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.

“The hard work for them really starts now. They have to keep pushing themselves, focus on small details, and setting themselves high-standards to take their game to the next level."

Looking ahead to Saturday’s development squad match against Newtongrange Star, Kean added: “Our youngsters will be playing against men, some of whom are ex-professionals.

“It forces our players into forming and having good habits. When you’re coming up against professionals, then you have to be on point and do the right things.”