HIBERNIAN'S Kurtis Byrne yesterday denied claims he would seek a move away from the club if he is not fast-tracked into the first team.
The teenager was the Under-19s hero in Wednesday's SFA Youth Cup final win over Rangers, scoring a brace in the 2-1 win at Hampden. The 19-year-old's goalscoring exploits have also helped the Hibs youngsters win their domestic league. However, just h
ours after his match-winning contribution against Rangers, Byrne's father, Paul – who played for Celtic – claimed his old Parkhead side could prise his son away from Easter Road if manager Mixu Paatelainen did not give the player a chance in the first team. However, Byrne junior has rubbished any suggestions he wants to leave.
He told the club's official website, www.hibs.co.uk: "I was shocked to hear what had been said; my uncle telephoned me and said there was a story in the newspaper in Dublin and obviously some of the Scottish media picked that up. But I just want to make it clear that I'm very happy at Hibernian – the article seemed to imply that if I did not play for the first team before the end of the season, I would leave in the summer, and that is just not true at all.
"Anyone who talks about my future and moving to other clubs is just crazy; we have seen that Hibernian do give young players a chance if they are good enough and that is why I'm happy here and have no thoughts of going anywhere."
Meanwhile, defender Lewis Stevenson is relieved Hibs have the excitement of a top-six finish in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League to look forward to rather than meaningless bottom-half fixtures after the Leith outfit edged into the upper echelon of the SPL ahead of Motherwell following a tense battle for the remaining berth.
Hibs host Dundee United this afternoon and will bid to cut the seven-point deficit to their opponents and re-ignite hopes of reaching the inaugural Europa League.
"If we had not qualified for the top six, it would have been a really bad season for us," admitted Stevenson.
"We are a big enough club in Scotland that we should be in the top six every season. It was tight this season but the points speak for themselves and we have got there on merit. It gives us something to look forward to with big games for the rest of the season.
"We have Celtic, Rangers and another Edinburgh derby, which is good. We have nothing to lose and we are probably seen as the top-six underdogs. But, hopefully, we can take a few points from teams and get a wee charge at the end of the season."
Dundee United manager Craig Levein seemed to agree with Stevenson and insisted Hibernian have every right to go into today's clash still thinking they can still achieve a place in Europe.
Levein has set his players the target of overturning Hearts' five-point gap in third place and he is sure his Hibs counterpart will be telling his own squad the very same thing about United.
"Hibs will be looking at their next two games as a chance to get right back into the mix," said Levein. "Nothing is decided in terms of European places yet. Hibs are seven points behind us and we're five points behind Hearts. Now I feel we can catch Hearts for third place so, by that token, Hibs will fancy catching us.
"Third place is probably beyond them but I'm certain Mixu will be telling his players they can overtake us in fourth and clinch a place in Europe that way. That's why there is so much to play for for everyone over these last few games and it should be very exciting.
Drawing games is no longer good enough; it's a run of wins we need and hopefully we'll start this weekend."
United's task has not been made any easier due to suspensions to Paul Dixon and captain Lee Wilkie. On top of that, striker Francisco Sandaza is ruled out with injury, as are long-term casualties Scott Robertson and Jon Daly.
However, youngster David Goodwillie and Andis Shala are vying for a place alongside Warren Feeney in attack, while veteran Darren Dods will be recalled to the team in Wilkie's place, and Levein admitted:
"That shows the value in having built a bigger squad because if we had this number of players out 12 months ago I would've been looking at throwing in kids of 17 or 18.
"This season, though, we have enough experience in the squad to cope with changes comfortably."
