FORMER Hearts assistant manager Donald Park won’t be returning to Easter Road, it was revealed today.

Park, who had two previous spells as a coach with Hibs, had been considering an offer to join Tony Mowbray’s backroom staff after leaving Tynecastle following head coach John Robertson’s departure more than six weeks ago.

But today Mowbray disclosed that the highly thought of Park had decided to do "something different" which will fuel speculation he’s about to team up again with Robertson who is now manager of First Division Ross County.

Mowbray said: "We are looking to bring in another coach although it is not a massive priority. If we can get the right person in then fine, but if not we’ll carry on as we did last season.

"In football you talk to people after games and Donald came across as a very genuine football person with a love for the game.

"We had a chat with him about what his thoughts were but he’s decided to do something different. I’ve every respect for Donald and wish him all the best."

Meanwhile, Mowbray believes Michael Stewart can be a star for Hibs - if he completes his shock move across the Capital from Gorgie.

While Stewart himself has said he’s keen to make the switch, Mowbray today insisted a deal had yet to be concluded.

The 24-year-old midfielder spent last season on loan at Tynecastle from Manchester United but, having seen an offer to become a Hearts player on a permanent basis withdrawn, is now poised to don a green-and-white shirt.

However, Stewart has yet to negotiate his way out of the final year of his contract at Old Trafford and Mowbray was reluctant to discuss his future at length until he puts pen to paper on a 12-month deal with Hibs.

The Easter Road boss said: "We have had a chat with him but nothing has been done at this moment and he remains a Manchester United player.

"We’ll see how it goes but we see him as someone we believe can bring a different dimension, something different to our midfield.

"He is a football player and whenever I have seen him, and I have seen him quite a bit, he has the necessary quality and if we can bring him to our football club that would be a plus.

"But I am reluctant to talk further as nothing has yet happened."

Stewart, though, appears to believe his future lies on the east side of Edinburgh rather than the west.

He said: "Tony Mowbray is a manager who is clearly going places with Hibs and in the game at large. I want to stay in Edinburgh and I’m delighted to have been offered this opportunity.

"I know there will be stick from some quarters. I’m an Edinburgh boy, I’ve grown up within that derby environment."

Stewart made 20 appearances for Hearts although the majority of those were as a substitute as he failed to hold down a regular place.

However, he did make an impression in the UEFA Cup matches against Basel and Ferencvaros.

He said: "I feel I gave Hearts everything and more they could have asked of me.

"They were able to sign me for nothing and while I can understand I again missed a fair chunk of the season through niggling injuries, I think I showed enough in the big games I played to merit more of an opportunity than I was given.

"However, that’s all behind me now - I’m just looking forward to working with a manager who believes in the game I want to play."

Taken from the Scotsman