Scott Allan feels as if he ‘announced’ himself back into the fold at Hibs with a pre-season goal away to Stoke City.
The midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at cinch Championship club Inverness Caledonian Thistle. It was a positive spell for him after a career-threatening hypertrophic cardiomyopathy diagnosis, Allan’s first goal since the news in 2020 coming in last week’s 1-1 draw at Stoke.
Hitting his stride in pre-season, Allan says he’s feeling great ahead of Hibs’ return to Europe in the UEFA Europa Conference League: “Compared to last season, I am feeling a lot more positive. I am feeling more comfortable in the games now. I feel that goal really announced myself back, it was the first one since everything happened.
“It was more emotional in my own head after the match but I am past all that now. That Inverness loan spell was the best thing I did. I had eight games in the space of three weeks and it really helped me. It capped off the full circle of how how things went for me last season.
“I am now looking forward to the season ahead, and there’s European involvement too, which is something different to think about. We have a strong squad and I want to be part of something special. To have fans back too with a bit of atmosphere at Easter Road will be really nice as well.”
Hibs play English Premier League heavyweights Arsenal in a friendly tonight, but Allan says it’s all about prep work for the European campaign: “For us, the friendly games are all about looking ahead to the European games. It might be a game against a top side like Arsenal, but it’s only pre-season. We have a job to do. It’s part of the bigger picture.”
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