Hibs Derby Joy - Fans' New Year celebration as Hearts peg derby prices at £27

HIBS fans will enjoy a bumper fall in ticket prices when they travel to Tynecastle for the New Year derby on January 3, the Evening News can reveal today.

Easter Road supporters were aghast when they were asked to stump up a top price of £33 for derbies in Gorgie last season while Hearts fans were charged only £26 on the other side of the Capital.

The discrepancy prompted Hibs officials to approach their Hearts counterparts to discuss the issue, the upshot being fans will be charged the same price at both grounds this season, £27, with concessionary tickets available for £17. Disquiet regarding the Tynecastle pricing policy was voiced again at this week's annual general meeting of Hibs shareholders with some expressing a concern that, once again, they'd be asked to pay more for a game in Gorgie than Hearts supporters would be charged at Easter Road.

However, having sought confirmation of proposed ticket prices for the New Year game, Hibs announced on their website that, when the tickets do go on sale, they will, as agreed, cost £27 – a decrease of 18 per cent.

And the move was immediately welcomed as "a victory for common sense" by Mike Riley, chairman of the Hibs Supporters Association. He said: "There were a lot of Hibs fans who didn't go to Tynecastle last season because the top-priced ticket was £33 and Hearts supporters were only being asked for £26 by us. It made no sense and it's good the clubs seem to have got together and thrashed out a common price for both grounds for the derbies."

Meanwhile, Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen has urged his players to "noise" each other up admitting not enough talking takes place between them during games which can, at times, lead to confusion.

While insisting all the players can understand each other despite there being a number of foreign players within the squad, Paatelainen agreed there had been a number of incidents both last season and this which had caused disquiet.

Highlighting the need for greater communication, particularly at the back, he said: "Yves Ma-Kalambay has a habit of creeping up behind Rob Jones and suddenly shouting. That puts Rob off and sometimes causes panic, not only on the pitch but in the dug-out.

"Talking, communicating all round the pitch is important and I feel we are a bit too quiet at times. I don't think we have enough talkers in the team, players who are loud, encouraging, demanding. It is something we have to improve."