Toby Sibbick insists he could never have signed for Hibs - after revealing he snubbed interest from Easter Road before sealing a stunning return to Hearts.
Sibbick is the talk of the toon after penning a three-and-a-half year deal at Tynecastle from Barnsley on Thursday night.
The towering Englishman says talks were held between Hibs and the Tykes - but that he shot down any prospect of moving to Leith at the first stage as it wouldn’t have been right to cross the Jambos.
Easter Road boss Shaun Maloney has played down claims he was ever in for Sibbick, insisting Norwich City loanee Rocky Bushiri was always his first choice defensive signing in this window.
But Sibbick - who is now preparing for a fiery reception when the two sides clash in Tuesday night’s derby blockbuster in Leith - said: “The two clubs were speaking about it. When my agent proposed it to me I said: 'No, I don't want to do it.'
“I just thought I couldn’t do that.
“It wouldn’t be fair on the fans, they’ve seen me here, they took to me so well.
“I’d been linked with Hibs before, but I said no, because that was just after I’d been with Hearts, to go there wouldn’t have been right on the club or the fans.
“In the back of my mind, I always wanted to come back, and I think now is the perfect time to do that.
“Hearts fans kept messaging me when I wasn’t playing at Barnsley, they kept looking out for me and telling me to come back and now obviously I’ve listened to some of them.
“I just don’t think it would’ve been right considering the history between the two clubs. The type of person I am, I couldn’t do that to a club like Hearts.
"I've seen my social media. I'm getting tagged in things saying I could never go there. I think the two sets of fans are having a go at each other but it's part of football. But I'm looking forward to Tuesday.
"I've played at some hostile places before. The fans bring everything to the game. Closed-door games isn't the same so having the fans back is good.”
Sibbick’s move to Tynecastle predictably sparked an online slanging match between rival supporters In Edinburgh ahead of Tuesday’s derby.
But Hibs boss Maloney insisted the 22-year-old was never on his radar and that Bushiri was his number one defensive target after taking over in mid-December.
He said: “Since I have been here, no, that’s not true.
“When I came in I immediately wanted Rocky. That was the player I knew a lot about and the player I really wanted at the club. Credit to the CEO and owner, they went and did that for me. So, no, it’s not true.
“I knew who he (Sibbick) was but when I came in Rocky was the player I wanted to sign and thankfully we got that done pretty quickly.”
Sibbick was a Hearts fans’ favourite despite playing just twice in a loan spell two years ago before the covid crisis brought his time in Edinburgh to a premature end.
That ended in heartache as the Jambos were relegated despite still having eight games to play.
And Sibbick - who came through the ranks at fan-owned Wimbledon before moving to Barnsley under ex-Hearts boss Daniel Stendel - says he can’t wait to play for another club owned by their own.
The defender said: “I’ve played for a fan-owned club before, so I know what it means for the fans especially, they give the club everything, so us as players should give it back to them.
“I always had it in my mind to come back. The fans took to me well, I know the history of the club, it’s a massive club in Scotland, so when I heard that the opportunity had come up, I just wanted to get it done and to come back.”
Sibbick admits he has unfinished business in Gorgie after the frustration of his first spell being cut short.
The 22-year-old said: “It was frustrating. Especially considering the position we were in at the time. We were bottom of the league, I was brought in to play and unfortunately I only played two games, so my time was cut short.
"It was tough as a player with us not knowing what was going on. I was speaking to Stendel throughout lockdown, asking him what was going to happen. If you can play a Scottish Cup final from the season before, why can't you continue the league?
“To me, it just made no sense. I feel they could have gone about it in a better way.
"In England they paused, then finished the season, then a little off-season, then back in. I feel that could have happened but Hearts are back where they belong now. That's the main thing.
“I think I’ve grown as a player and as a person. When I came here before, I think I was a bit rawer, but now I think I’ve learned my trade in the game. I’m still young, but I do think I’ve got a lot of experience at my age, so I just can’t wait to get going now.
"I feel Hearts should always be up there fighting for Europe. When I came and they were bottom of the league, it's always easy to blame other people in the dressing room. When you're winning, everybody comes together.
"When I walk in now I just see everyone happy and smiling. They are all together and they just want the best for themselves and the club. It's a really good atmosphere.”
