Hibs strike loan deal for Peterborough defender Jason Naismith

Jason Naismith in action for Ross County

The 25-year-old former St Mirren and Ross County player was the Easter Road side’s only transfer-deadline-day signing as Paul Heckingbottom moved to bolster a defence which has been ravaged by fitness issues this summer.

Naismith, who can also play at centre-back if required, has been drafted in following injuries to Tom James and David Gray. He earned his move to Peterborough last summer after 18 months at County in which he established himself as one of the outstanding full-backs in the Scottish Premiership.Prior to that he spent six years with his local club St Mirren, where he was a teammate of Hibs legend John McGinn. Naismith was a regular for Peterborough in England’s League One side last year and started 48 games in all competitions.However, he has since fallen down the pecking order, appearing in only match so far this term.

The Paisley-born full-back returns to Scotland in an effort to maintain the momentum he has developed in recent seasons and also to boost a Hibs defence which has shipped 14 goals in its last four games.

Naismith became the tenth new face to arrive at Hibs this summer, with chief executive Leeann Dempster having declared it a “strong” transfer window in an interview on Friday.