These stunning before and after photos highlight the stark transformation in Hibernian's pitch at Easter Road over the last 12 months.
The club's head groundsman, Stevie Thomas, has shared a series of pics on social media that showcases the incredible turnaround in the playing surface in Leith.
Posted yesterday, the photos from 2022 show that the pitch was heavily waterlogged in areas and looked rather drab.
Contrasted with the present day, just one day after the Edinburgh derby with Hearts, and the field looks vibrant and pristine.
Exactly 1 year apart, the difference is unreal!! Huge investments from a forward thinking and progressive club over the summer paying huge dividends this season, teamed up with getting the right practices and maintenance plans in place! Always trust the process 💪🙌 pic.twitter.com/AnnmgeHaVw
— Stevie Thomas (@sthomas1987) December 28, 2023
He wrote on X: "Exactly 1 year apart, the difference is unreal! Huge investments from a forward-thinking and progressive club over the summer paying huge dividends this season, teamed up with getting the right practices and maintenance plans in place! Always trust the process."
Meanwhile, Nick Montgomery admits he expects to lose five players for Tuesday’s cinch Premiership clash with Motherwell as a result of international commitments and injury.
Forward Martin Boyle and full-back Lewis Miller will not be available as they fly out to Abu Dhabi in the coming days to join up with the Australia squad ahead of next month’s Asian Cup in Qatar.
Similarly, defender Rocky Bushiri and back-up goalkeeper Jojo Wollacott are set to join up with the DR Congo and Ghana squads respectively to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
In addition, midfielder Josh Campbell is facing around a month on the sidelines after spraining his ankle in Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat by city rivals Hearts, meaning Hibs will be without five players who were in the squad for the derby.
“Unfortunately we’ll lose Lewis and Martin for the Motherwell game as well as Rocky and possibly Jojo Wollacott,” said Montgomery on Friday.
“We’re already pretty thin on the ground and we add Josh Campbell to that who is potentially going to be out for four-plus weeks with a badly sprained ankle.
“It’s not great but it’s one game before the winter break so we have to get on with it.”
