A county football club are set to benefit from a community partnership with Hibs.

The Capital club have agreed to link-up with Ormiston FC in a move which will initially see the county side receiving a large quantity of Hibernian-branded training kit, with further community initiatives planned to enhance the link between the Championship club and the local area.

Hibs have had their training base in the county for a number of years, with their East Mains training ground just outside Ormiston, and Hibs’ head of football operations, George Craig, hopes the partnership will strengthen the club’s ties in the community.

He said: “We’re delighted to be able to help our local senior club by providing them with match training kit and we’re sure it will be put to good use.

“We would like to wish Ormiston every success during the upcoming season in the East of Scotland League” The news has come as a welcome boost to Ormiston manager Brian Johnston, who is also a life-long Hibs fan.

He said: “It’s fantastic that Hibernian are now getting involved with the local community; it’s a great boost for the area.

“People’s perception before locally was that Hibernian were very stand-offish. Now the new regime has made the training centre more open to local community groups, of all ages, to enable them to utilise the outstanding facility here.”