I’m hoping to never face the stress of another deadline day dash!
NEW Hibs defender Jason Naismith is ready to be thrown in at the deep end this afternoon as the club seek to turn around a miserable start to the season which has left manager Paul Heckingbottom under serious pressure.
As stressful as that sounds, however, Naismith hopes the experience of trying to pick up points on his debut against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park proves a lot less traumatic than his eventful deadline-day move to Easter Road.
The 25-year-old admits he probably came across like a crazed intruder at England’s £120million training HQ on September 2 as he raced against time to complete his season-long loan switch from Peterborough United just minutes before the window closed.
He had been told in the morning that the Leith side were keen to recruit him, but an on-off saga left him having to make a late dash to St George’s Park to meet Hibs physio Nathan Ring and undergo a medical.
The move was sealed just in time, with the ex-St Mirren and Ross County player insisting the drama of his fraught day at St George’s is something he could live without in future.
‘I was in Peterborough training that morning and I was told the Hibs thing was happening,’ said Naismith. ‘The day itself was mega stressful because the deal was on and off about 15 times, so I was just glad to get it done, to be honest.
‘My head was all over the place but, eventually that night, we managed to get it done.
‘Luckily, the physio was at St George’s, which is only about an hour-and-a-half from Peterborough, so I was in the car and trying to get there in time to get a medical done and have everything signed.
‘It was a very stressful day. I was relying on sat nav, trying to find my way along all the country roads to get to St George’s.
‘There were diversions and stuff as well and I was thinking: “This just isn’t happening”. It felt like it maybe wasn’t meant to be.
‘I got there late, it was after 10pm, and I was running around the complex. They must have thought I was a mad Scotsman, running about the place trying to find where I needed to be. I was about the only Scottish guy there and I was rushing about looking for a Hibs physio.
‘It was quite funny and you had to laugh but we got it done, so that was the main thing. I have always watched deadline day on Sky Sports before and I would rather that was the case from now on. Now that I’ve experienced it, I wouldn’t want that again. It is too much emotion.’
Naismith is thrilled to have returned to Scotland with Hibs after falling out of favour under Posh manager Darren Ferguson. The full-back, who made 47 starts in all competition for the London Road club last season, added: ‘I did well under Darren. He came in January and I probably played my best football for Peterborough from January onwards.
‘The manager was delighted with my form and so was I but the situation changed over the summer. That happens in football sometimes. It wasn’t anything malicious.
‘We just had a good, honest conversation with each other and the manager decided it was best for me to move on. I would come here at the best of times, so it was a no-brainer.
‘I am just buzzing every day, coming in to work. It is good to get that feeling back and, hopefully, I can turn that into something good and it will show in my performances.’
The international break has left Naismith waiting to make his debut but the Paisley-born player has at least had the chance to integrate himself with his new team-mates.
‘It has been a bit frustrating but it has been good to get to know the boys and their characteristics, as well as the manager and the way he wants to play. It has been good to get on the training field and see his ideas and how they can be implemented. ‘I know a few of the boys already. I know Stevie Mallan and Darren McGregor from St Mirren and I know Scott Allan as well, from Glasgow, through friends. I have been on holiday with Scott, so the bedding-in process has been fine. ‘I know a lot of the others from playing against them often enough.
‘I was giving Lewis Stevenson stick because he always seems to smash me when I play against him but it has been good. The boys have been good and it has been easy to settle in.’
He arrives at a testing time, with Hibs having picked up just one win in four matches, but Naismith said: ‘Hopefully, I can bring a winning mentality. I like to win. I’ve got experience in this league. I’ve done it before.’