Naismith’s deadline day move was touch and go

Jason Na is mi th has opened up on a “stressful” transfer deadline day as he made a mad dash from Peterborough to Burton to undergo a medical ahead of joining Hibs on a seasonlong loan deal.

The capital club’s Head of Sports Medicine and Science, Nathan Ring, was at the St George’s Park training base with the England Under-21 squad, and carried out the necessary tests on the 25-year-old.

It was past 11pm before Hibs were able to announce the arrival of the right-back – the club’s tenth signing of the summer transfer window – and Naismith, pictured, revealed it had been touch and go for a while.

Speaking to Hibs TV for the first time since he completed his move, the former Ross County defender said: “[The move] seemed to be on then off, on then off.

“Thankfully the two clubs got there in the end. I had to meet Nathan at St George’ s Park for the medical, which is two hours away from Peterborough.

“It was a case of agreeing everything in principle and then trying to get here. It’s not the easiest place to get to and there were diversions on the road. I thought someone was trying to wind me up but I eventually got there. It was some place but the important thing was that I passed the medical and everything got agreed.”

Naismith has plenty of experience of the Scottish game, having spent five years at St Mirren alongside ex-Hibs mid fielder John Mcg inn, and 18 months with Count y, but the full-back admitted he hadn’t spoken to Mcginn ahead of his return to the Scottish Premiership.

“I’ve known John since we were ten-year- olds at St Mirren,” he explained. “We grew up together and saw each other pretty much every day.

“I didn’t need to phone John [before signing]. It’s Hibs– you don’ t need a sales pitch. You’re desperate to come.”