An SFA spokesperson said: "Hibs have now said that they would consider entering the tournament. That would be possible if Hearts did not take up their place as we have until May to give Uefa the name of the Scottish entry."

Hearts, were the only Scottish club to take the step to notify the SFA by the 31 January deadline.

The sole Scottish entrant would join the party at the second round stage, on the weekends of 3 and 10 July, and would be seeded (although knowing UEFA that could change). This is a time when Hibs would be playing pre-season games anyway, so this writer wonders what Hibs would have to lose by giving the tourney a try at least once.

In the past Scottish clubs have been reluctant to enter, but Partick Thisle Nil and Dundee have both taken the plunge.

A Hibs spokesman told BBC Sport that manager Bobby Williamson had been consulted fully and was happy about the possibility of entering. And no wonder, it would give his youthful squad experience of playing in Europe, with the carrot of a place in the UEFA Cup.