Hibs have loaned Murray Johnson to Airdrie for the 2024/25 campaign with the 19-year-old finally handed a chance to show what he can do as a first-choice goalkeeper.

Rhys McCabe’s side needed reinforcements between the sticks after Josh Rae joined St Johnstone and with Johnson having previously starred for the Diamonds on loan, the Championship side have brought him back to the Excelsior. Johnson will spend the entire campaign in Lanarkshire, with no recall option in the arrangement.

Sporting director Malky Mackay says the player remains highly-rated at Hibs, and feels he will benefit significantly from regular action in a highly competitive division.

 “This is the perfect next step for Murray and an opportunity for him to gain regular game-time at a competitive level," said Mackay. “Murray is a young ‘keeper that we hold in high regard and to continue his upward trajectory, he needs to play senior football week-in, week-out.

“Playing for Airdrieonians will provide him with new experiences and tests that he’s not experienced regularly before. We have good relationship with Airdrie and having had three players on loan with them last season, we know they are a club that believes in young players and gives them an opportunity. Everyone is looking forward to following Murray’s progress closely.”

The Scotland youth internationalist has endured a stop-start couple of seasons, initially joining Airdrie on loan at the start of 2022/23 and impressing sufficiently to win the player of the month award, before being recalled to play in the Easter Road side’s UEFA Youth League matches, as stringent rules prevent players from participating in the tournament while also featuring on loan for another team.

He finished the season as back-up to David Marshall following the return of Ryan Schofield to parent club Huddersfield but didn’t make a competitive appearance.

He then joined Queen of the South on a season-long loan arrangement in August 2023 but played just once in a League Cup group victory at Elgin City before being recalled by Hibs after Marshall and second-choice ‘keeper Jojo Wollacott suffered respective injuries before and during the 5-1 Europa Conference League win against Inter Club d’Escaldes of Andorra. 

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But with Max Boruc also on the books, Johnson was reduced to mainly a third-choice role and when Wollacott returned to full fitness, the Pole was sent on loan to Arbroath with Johnson continuing to play back-up to Marshall and Ghanaian internationalist Wollacott without featuring, aside from a handful of appearances in reserve games.

Highly rated when he signed his first professional contract with Hibs, Johnson attracted serious interest from the English Premier League and has admirers north of the border too.

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But with Hibs eyeing a new option between the sticks to challenge Wollacott next season following Marshall’s move upstairs to the technical performance manager role, and Boruc under contract until next summer, Johnson - who is tied to Hibs until 2027 - will get a chance to prove himself over a full season of senior football as Airdrie aim to repeat - or perhaps even better - their run to the promotion play-offs last term.