Back to the future for Duffy as he seeks fresh start with Hibs

DARRYL DUFFY admitted today that his future is in his own hands and vowed to do everything in his power to win a permanent deal with Hibs.

The former Falkirk frontman agreed a one-year loan deal from Bristol Rovers earlier this week and immediately set his sights on convincing new manager John Hughes to keep him longer than 12 months.

Duffy didn't feel he was given the chance to establish himself at Bristol under boss Paul Trollope and is keen to prove his old boss wrong by hitting the ground running at Hibs.

His main aim is to get regular games under his belt and, asked if he would be keen to extend his stay in Edinburgh, Duffy replied: "Yeah. Obviously a lot depends on myself. If I have a good season I'll maybe have that option at the end of it. If I don't have a good season that option might not be there. It's totally in my hands.

"It was difficult at Bristol, frustrating as well. I've got a good relationship with Yogi and that makes a big difference as well. It makes you feel more comfortable and hopefully will give you more confidence to go and do your stuff.

"I already know a few of the boys. I know John Rankin, I know Deeks a wee bit as well, Graeme Smith and Mark Brown, the two keepers, they were at Rangers when I was there. So that helps you settle in if there are a few familiar faces. And I know some of the backroom staff as well. It does help."

Despite not playing as much football, or in the position that he would have liked, Duffy insisted that he has no regrets at moving to England.

And he believes that the experience has helped to mould him into a better player than the one who left Falkirk two years ago.

He added: "I am glad that I went, but looking back maybe I was a bit too eager to get down there and went about six months too early.

"I suppose hindsight is a great thing, but I am still glad that I did it, it was a good experience.

"It's good to be back, hopefully I have come back a better player but only time will tell.

"I am a striker, I love playing through the middle, I thrive in there and on getting chances and scoring goals. I was used wide right and wide left in England, so hopefully I can get a run of games through the middle here."

The 26-year-old played the full 90 minutes of a closed-doors game against Dundee on Tuesday afternoon in a bid to get his match sharpness up to scratch in time for next weekend's game against Inverness.

He is keen to be involved in that game and to resume a working relationship with Hughes, who he worked under while with the Bairns.

Duffy feels that his time with Falkirk saw him play the best football of his career to date and is hoping that teaming up with his old boy will help him recreate, or even better, that form.

"I played on Tuesday against Dundee. It was my first 90 minutes and I needed it, to be honest. You can train all day, every day, but it will never replicate match fitness. So I think that game was important for my fitness levels.

"When I was at Falkirk I would say that was the best spell of my career so far but hopefully I can kick on and have a 'new' best spell of my career with Hibs.

"I am looking forward to working with John again, obviously I know him well from our time together at Falkirk, so it will be good to work with him and Chipper again. I know all about them, how they work, and I know all about the club as well so it's not like I am going into the unknown. I know exactly what to expect from them and that was a big pull in me coming here."

Duffy says that the SPL is given a bad press south of the Border but believes that Hibs could more than hold their own against sides from the English Championship.

He reckons that Hibs have everything in their locker to enable them to lift some silverware this season and added: "I don't think there will bee too many changes in the SPL since the last time I played in Scotland. I think the SPL gets a bit of a bad rap and I think that's a bit unfair, having played down in England myself.

"I don't think it's any worse than the Championship, although obviously the Premiership is another level altogether.

"I think clubs like Hibs would be worthy of a place in the Championship. I think this club is primed to win trophies and have a successful season so hopefully we can go ahead and do that."