HEARTS chief executive Phil Anderton is convinced Steven Pressley will still be a Tynecastle player next week.

The Scotland international, is technically a free agent after failing to agree with clauses inserted into all contracts for top-flight players by the SPL.

One clause, Schedule Two, allows a club to terminate the contract of a player who has been injured for six months.

The 31-year-old was listed as a trialist in the friendly win at East Fife on Thursday night.

Pressley signed a new two-year deal with the Tynecastle club in March with an option for a further 12 months and Anderton said: "I would be surprised if Steven did not sign the deal. It is not a big problem. Steven re-signed with the club before I joined, but the SPL have now introduced a new format for any contracts taking effect from the start of July.

"It's really just bureaucracy and we hope to get it ironed out when we meet next week.

Schedule Two has caused serious concerns at the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association and secretary Tony Higgins has backed Pressley's questioning of the clauses.

Higgins said: "The SPL have changed their contract system and there is now a fairly complex document. We wrote to the players towards the end of the season to say they should be very cautious of signing one of the non-mandatory schedules - schedule two.

Higgins added: "In any footballer's career, a six-month injury is normal and, to have some sort of threat of a termination after that, is very unreasonable in this day and age. But that part is not mandatory." "

Another player in a similar situation is Celtic skipper Neil Lennon. The 34-year-old recently signed a new one-year deal.

He said: "I know the SPFA were looking into it and were making sure everyone was briefed on it and told not to sign it. I don't know about Steven's case, but I know in my case it is not going to happen."

Meanwhile, across Edinburgh, new Hibernian signing Zbigniew Malkowski has thrown down the gauntlet to his rival for the No 1 jersey, Simon Brown, insisting he has not come to Scotland to sit on the bench.

The 27-year-old this week joined the growing band of Polish players in the SPL when he agreed a two-year deal with the Easter Road side after impressing on their tour of Ireland.

The Bosman signing was snapped up by Tony Mowbray's UEFA Cup-bound outfit after becoming frustrated at a lack of first-team action at Feyenoord. He made just two first team appearances last season.

"I was on the bench many times with Feyenoord in European matches but I never played, so this is a big opportunity for me to play European football with Hibs," said the goalkeeper.

Mowbray, who revealed the club have dropped their interest in Cameroon international Michel Pensee-Bilong, is confident Malkowski will prove a success.

He said: "Simon was in possession of the jersey last year but Zibby's here to compete for that position and he will be given every opportunity.

Meanwhile, Mowbray is still on the look-out for a new defender after deciding against a permanent move for trialist Pensee-Bilong.

The former MK Dons stopper turned out in Tuesday's 4-1 friendly win over Berwick Rangers but has been allowed to seek another club.

Mowbray added: "The search goes on and we will hopefully bring a player in, but probably just one."

Taken from the Scotsman