Heart of Midlothian defender Dylan McGowan has joined A-League club Gold Coast United on loan.
The 20-year old Adelaide-born centre-half left Australia in 2006 to join the Hearts academy in Edinburgh, moving onto the senior roster in 2010.
Last season he enjoyed a five-month stint with Scottish second division club East Fife and has taken up the opportunity to head back to his homeland in the search of regular first team football.
"Hearts were saying I was a bit too young to establish myself in the first team," he said.
"I could have stayed there and gotten the odd appearance off the bench but it was better for my development to come out and get some more games up here."
Gold Coast also signed 25-year old English-born American striker Alex Smith whose previous clubs include FC Dallas and Sydney Olympic.
