MARTIN IS HOPEFUL MENTOR WILL STAY

TO Hibs youngster Scott Martin, the value of Scott Allan extends well beyond his obvious talents as a playmaking midfielder. Martin made his first start for the Easter Road club in deeply difficult circumstances as they crashed to a 6-2 defeat against Rangers in the first round of the Petrofac Training Cup. His elevation was partly down to the fact Allan began on the bench, after being the subject of two failed bids from the Ibrox club last week. Yet Martin has no wish whatsoever to see Hibs lessen their resolve on retaining their star asset. The 18-year-old midfielder views Allan as something of a mentor and has a high regard for the encouragement he has received. ‘I travel in with Scott every day,’ said Martin. ‘He has helped me through stuff on and off the pitch. He told me that this was my chance and that I should take it, to come off with no regrets. ‘He said I was there for a reason. He was a good help and even spoke to me in the changing room after the game. ‘He said: “Well done and keep doing what you’re doing.” It was nice of him to do that. He is not the type of boy or player to just think about himself. He helps all the youngsters and tries to give them advice. ‘He has helped me through games and when I’ve come on as a substitute previously, he has been the one who has talked me through it and been in my ear.’ Allan has told Hibs that he wants to join Rangers but manager Alan Stubbs is determined to retain him for the final year of his contract. The Ibrox club are still weighing up a third bid, while it remains possible that Allan could submit a written transfer request. Martin, though, is heartened by the stance Hibs have taken. ‘It’s good for the players to hear the club won’t sell him,’ he said. ‘It’s a confidence booster that we’re not giving into bigger clubs and selling players when they are worth more.’ If anything, the nature of Saturday’s defeat only served to underline how important a figure Allan is within Stubbs’ side. He added a fresh creative spark following his 54th-minute introduction, but by then the tide had already turned firmly in favour of Rangers. Sam Stanton’s fine opening strike was cancelled out by a James Tavernier free-kick and a double from Martyn Waghorn. A Jason Cummings penalty briefly sparked home hope, before it was comprehensively doused by an outstanding Andy Halliday finish and two goals from Kenny Miller. The crushing final score could leave psychological scars as Hibs prepare for a Championship fight for promotion against Mark Warburton’s newly-assembled team. Martin, though, is confident they will heed the necessary lessons. ‘It was an experience,’ he argued. ‘It was a bad one but we’re definitely going to take something from it and learn. That team isn’t the finished article. There are a lot of youngsters in that team. All we can do is keep going. ‘We had to make changes with injuries. We play Rangers in the third game of the season and we’ll definitely be stronger and up to it then. ‘For the first 40 minutes, we stood our ground and stepped up to the challenge. We had a lapse in concentration and that caused two goals. ‘I enjoyed every minute, the scoreline aside.’