Collins confident of keeping duo

Hibernian boss John Collins insists Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson will stay at the club until the end of the season at least.

The midfield duo have been strongly linked with moves away from Easter Road this month with the transfer window now back open.

Celtic, Rangers, Reading, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United are all thought to be chasing the highly-rated pair.

Brown and Thomson are considering their futures at Hibs after the club declined to offer them the improved contracts they were seeking.

However, Collins is confident that he will be able to keep hold of the pair for the rest of the current campaign.

"I am confident that Scott Brown and Kevin Thomson will be at Hibs beyond the January transfer window," Collins told the Daily Record.

"It will be myself and the board of directors who will make the decisions regarding the two players.

"I've said all along I don't think January is the time to be selling your best players, especially when we have a CIS Cup semi-final to look forward to at the end of the month.

"I've never said these two players are for sale. They have contracts with the club and I just want them to continue to play football for Hibs.

"There will come a time when they will move from here. That is probably inevitable but not in the immediate future.

"I just want them to keep playing terrific football as they are good players and I want them to keep playing for Hibs until the day they leave.

"The situation has not changed with regards to the two players.

"It is unsettling a bit as I'd much rather not deal with this issue but that is the nature of football.

"I've said from day one that when you have good footballers at your club there is always going to be speculation but I won't sell them until the time is right."