Brebner earns his return ticket

GRANT Brebner joined Hibs in a blaze of publicity, was handed a five-year contract by Alex McLeish, then promptly vanished from the scene.

The midfielder was a key part of McLeish's rebuilding plans but has spent most of this season on the sidelines. He was so out of the picture at one stage he was sent on loan to Stockport, where he picked up an injury which put back any chance he had of repaying McLeish's faith.

However, in recent weeks the man who spent four years at Manchester United without playing a first-team game has returned and has shown the form which could be vital for his club at this stage of the season.

He has been involved in the last five games and, with Russell Latapy on his way out of the club, possibly even before the end of the season, there will be more responsiblity on his shoulders in the coming months.

Indeed, the club's misfortunes with injuries, suspensions and Latapy's international commitments has allowed Brebner to regain his confidence and hold down a regular place in the Hibs midfield.

According to McLeish, Latapy was ''not in the right frame of mind'' to play because of his decision to leave the club at the end of the season.

You could believe that argument if Latapy was a young, inexperienced player, but at 32 and a man who has played in the Champions League with Porto and who has a record number of caps for his country, he should be able to take something like this in his stride.

Indeed, there is more to the fall-out than McLeish will ever admit, and don't be surprised if the player is sold on before the season ends, something which would dismay the Hibs supporters, who would want Latapy to stay to play in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Livingston and possibly in the cup final. Life without Latapy looks grim for Hibs, who need an inspirational midfielder if they intend to put together a decent run in next year's UEFA Cup or even challenge the Old Firm's dominance in the league.

They have enough workmanlike players in that area, like John O'Neil and Mathias Jack, but the lack of spark without the Trinidad and Tobago internationalist is evident.

Against Dunfermline, Hibs looked disjointed and there was no leadership, while their defence looked as unsettled as Latapy is supposed to be.

They were without Franck Sauzee, Paul Fenwick and Ulrik Laursen against Dunfermline, but the men who came into to replace them, like young Tom McManus who missed an easy chance, did themselves no favours.

Apart from Brebner, who was one of the few success stories for Hibs, their performance showed quite clearly how they struggle without their first choice players and the lack of depth they have in their squad.

Ian Murray may have shown good composure to score late in the game, but the fact it was a defender who got their only goal illustrates the lack of inspiration Hibs had up front.

From a Dunfermline point of view, their 2-1 win, secured by a great Stevie Crawford volley in 28 minutes and a scrappy effort from Steven Hampshire after 67 minutes, puts them on course for a top six finish.

Jimmy Calderwood has Tomas Danilevicius on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season and, despite his pedigree, the Lithuanian was upstaged by Stevie Crawford, who caused the three-man Hibs defence of Gary Smith, Mark Dempsie and Ian Murray all sorts of problems.

No doubt with the paucity of strikers available to Craig Brown at national level, if Crawford keeps banging in the goals he will be mentioned in dispatches again for a call-up.

The experienced striker has scored seven times this season, and with Brown having a lack of goalscorers available to him, the Dunfermline-born striker, who has one full Scottish cap, has every right to feel he has a chance of making it back to the international stage in the future.