Playmaker Mallan seals switch to Easter Road
By have announced the signing of former St Mirren playmaker Stevie Mallan for a fee believed to be the region of £150,000.
The midfielder returns to Scotland from English League One side Barnsley on a fouryear contract.
The 22-year-old moved from Paisley in the summer of 2017 having made over 100 appearances for the Buddies.
Mallan couldn’t force his way into the first-team at Oakwell but will now look to follow in the footsteps of former St Mirren team-mate John Mcginn by starring at Easter Road.
Mallan, who may make his first appearance for Neil Lennon’s side in Paul Hanlon’s testimonial tomorrow, could fill the space vacated by the departures of Scott Allan and Dylan Mcgeouch who were instrumental in the club’s march to fourth last season. Mallan said: “I am delighted to have signed for Hibs. It’s an exciting move for me – the club obviously had a good season last year and I want to be a part of that moving forward.
“I didn’t get much game time last year and I want to be back playing. The recruitment team at Hibs and the gaffer made me feel really wanted, which made me feel that this was the ideal place for me.
“It’ll be hard joining a team that’s been doing well but I’m looking forward to getting started and trying to get a place in the side and it’s a challenge that I’ll relish.”
Hanlon’s testimonial match tomorrow will see former Hibs boss Tony Mowbray return to Easter Road with his Blackburn Rovers side.
Hibs defender Steven Whittaker, who along with the likes of Derek Riordan, Garry O’connor, Scott Brown, Kevin Thomson and Steven Fletcher, were the home-grown nucleus of the team Mowbray forged, has fond memories of the manager’s spell in the capital.
“I remember Tony as a youth coach from Ipswich Town and this was his first job,” recalled Whittaker.
“He had a lot of young, talented boys and it all sort of merged together nicely.
“He brought us on leaps and bounds. It was massive for the younger lads at that time and we went on to play some great football under him, learn the game and it stood us in good stead for our careers.
“Why it all happened at that time we’ll never know, but it was great to work under Tony and be part of that. It was a great time.”