Hibs heroes Lewis Stevenson and Paul Hanlon wanted by Raith Rovers

Duo will depart Easter Road as free agents in the summer after almost 1200 combined appearances for Hibs.

Ian Murray is keen to hand Hibs stalwarts Lewis Stevenson and Paul Hanlon a fresh start at Raith Rovers - but reckons he’ll face serious competition from every club in the Championship.

Easter Road chiefs confirmed last week that the Leith legends would be ending their two-decade association with the club this month after racking up nearly 1200 appearances together. That’s put a number of clubs on alert with Kirkcaldy-born Stevenson tipped to head to his home town club who face a Premiership play-off semi final with Partick Thistle this weekend.

Fife rivals Dunfermline are also understood to be interested. But if Murray got his way, both will be heading to Stark’s Park in the summer. He told Fife Today : "I think with any players of their quality and experience and how good they are as professionals, we are always going to be interested. But I would imagine that there will be a lot of teams looking at that and thinking the same as us. Obviously Lewis is Kirkcaldy-born and a Raith Rovers supporter so people put two and two together and get five.

"But we would like to think that if it was a Championship team or level that were looking at, then we would have a chance. I think pretty much all of the Scottish Championship teams will be on alert.

"You've got good sides in there. Obviously Scott Brown at Ayr United knows them really well and there are also teams like Partick Thistle and, if they keep their status, Inverness.

"Then you've got your Queen’s Parks of the world. It's kind of the same for all players, the Championship is probably the hardest market I think in Scotland. I would imagine they'll have a few teams circling them at the moment.”

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