Scott Allan reveals Hibs future intentions after Inverness CT loan debut

Scott Allan has opened up on his Hibs future following his surprise loan move to Inverness CT.

Hibs midfielder Scott Allan made his Inverness debut in the 1-0 win over Arbroath on Saturday following his loan move (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

The midfielder completed a temporary transfer to the Highlands on Saturday morning and was thrown straight into action for the Championship side, coming off the bench in the 54th minute of the 1-0 win over Arbroath.

Allan is reunited with Neil McCann, his former boss at Dundee, as the ex-Hearts winger holds a caretaker position with ICT manager John Robertson on compassionate leave.

Dundee were also interested in recruiting Allan until the end of the season but it was his close bond with McCann that convinced him to move north.

“Obviously I’ve got a good relationship from my previous spell with him,” Allan explained. “He did everything in his power to get me here and now we’ve got it over the line."

Allan has another year left on his Hibs contract and his intention is to return to Easter Road in the summer. The quick turnaround for his Inverness debut was his first taste of action since a substitute appearance in Hibs' 2-0 defeat to Motherwell at Easter Road one month ago.

“I was straight into the battle,” Allan said. “I drove up Saturday morning, went straight into the squad and got a good number of minutes and being involved in the win is a good feeling.

“It’s been a long journey for me, coming back from what I went through. I’m not able to get bounce games with Hibs at the moment and only got some appearances here and there so I need to get considerable minutes under my belt.

“My aim is to go back to Hibs at the end of the season but I’m really looking forward to the challenge we have here.

“The team’s on a good run. When you’re putting clean sheets together, that’s the basis of a good team and something we can definitely build on. We could maybe add some more goals to it but when you start with clean sheets, it’s definitely something to build on."

Hibs manager Jack Ross explained that it was Allan’s decision to leave on loan after struggling for minutes following his return from time out with a heart condition.

"We would have preferred to have kept Scott in the group but he expressed a strong desire to go out on loan," he said.

"Currently, and understandably given the challenges he has faced during the past year he doesn’t feel fit enough to make the impact that his abilities should in the top part of the Premiership. Therefore Scott feels that strengthening his fitness and continuing his recovery in the Championship is a sensible option.

"We feel that it was appropriate to continue to support Scott in his recovery by sanctioning the loan move."

Allan could now make his first start for Inverness in the Scottish Cup third round tie against Ross County on Friday night.

“I’m looking forward to the play-offs and obviously the derby next week," he added.

“If you’d told me I would be playing in a Highland derby at the start of the season then I’d have been surprised! But I’m delighted to be here with a manager I know really well and a good group of players and I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

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