Tony Hibbert joins Sunday League side Hares FC whose unbeaten run immediately comes to an end

The former Everton defender didn't make the best of starts with his new club

Hibbert made a total of 265 appearances for Everton (Getty)

Everton icon Tony Hibbert’s return to football hasn’t quite gone to plan.

With 16 years of Premier League experience to his name, the 36-year-old would have hoped to extend Hares football club’s recent unbeaten run after joining the South Lancashire League side.

Instead, in his first appearance for the side, Hares succumbed to a 1-0 defeat by rivals Clay Brow to bring their nine-match winning sequence to an end.

Tony Hibbert in action for Everton, April, 2012 (Getty)

Hibbert famously never scored a competitive goal throughout his long career and on the back of his recent debut, he doesn’t look to be changing that any time soon.

Indeed, the former Everton right-back has made three more appearances for Hares since his debut and is still waiting to end his goal drought.

Hibbert was born in Liverpool and brought up in Huyton. Growing up as an Everton supporter, he joined the club as a boy and was part of the Everton youth team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1998, beating Blackburn Rovers 5–3 on aggregate.

He made his senior appearance for Everton in 2001 and went on to make a total of 265 appearances for the club.