Hibs midfielder Stevie Mallan said he was determined to prove his worth at Easter Road after a season spent warming the bench at Barnsley.

The 22-year-old left St Mirren for Oakwell last summer but failed to nail down a regular spot in the Yorkshire outfit's starting 11.

Mallan played just nine games for Barnsley as they suffered relegation from the Championship.

The Scotland youth cap said he was determined to make up for lost time after returning north to sign on at Easter Road.

He said: "A main factor was playing, I felt like it was like a year out of football.

"Coming from playing week in, week out at St Mirren to hardly playing at all was a tough, tough ask.

"I found it mentally tough, as I felt I could have played.

"I just want to come here and show what I can do."

Mallan said he struggled to come to terms with his watching brief in England, having previously been one of the first names on the team sheet at the Buddies.

The playmaker paid tribute to the club's psychologist for helping him through a testing period and insisted he's better for it upon his return to Scotland.

He added: "It was a massive learning curve, the first three or four months was hard.

"I spoke to the club psychologist, he was always about the club. He helped me a lot because he kept me always thinking positive.

"That's something I've never experienced in football, being left out, and I think it's helped me as it has given me that little bit of extra hunger to not be left out.

"I've came here to try and stamp my authority on the team and hopefully I can do that."