Hibs: Alan Gow looking for something better at Ibrox

• Alan Gow, pictured on debut against Montrose, is looking forward to a return to old club Rangers

IT would be fair to say Alan Gow has probably had more impact in 35 minutes in the green and white of Hibs than he did throughout his ill-fated career with Rangers.

A goal on his debut to seal a 5-1 Active Nation Scottish Cup win over Montrose preceded him playing a part in winning the penalty which clinched a stunning fightback against Aberdeen on Wednesday have certainly endeared the 27-year-old to the Easter Road support.

Today, however, the former Airdrie United and Falkirk star was looking forward to completing a memorable first week in Edinburgh with a return to Ibrox, insisting that while things didn't work out for him in Govan he does so with nothing to prove.

Gow had headed to Rangers with high hopes almost three years ago having turned his back on a clutch of other suitors, including former Hibs boss John Collins. All had been attracted by his goal-scoring exploits which had seen him score 25 times in 67 League starts for Airdrie, get into double figures in his first season with the Bairns and a further eight in his second including a quick-fire hat-trick in a fantastic 5-1 hammering of Dundee United at Tannadice on New Year's Day 2007.

While Collins, according to Gow, lost out because he wanted an immediate answer while the player was intent on talking to all interested parties, so, too, did Celtic who made a last-ditch bid to gazump their Old Firm rivals.

Gow's heart, however, was set on the south side of Glasgow but, unfortunately, he made only two appearances in a light blue jersey, a 4-0 Co-operative Insurance Cup win over East Fife and, in his only appearance at Ibrox as a Rangers player, a 6-0 Scottish Cup demolition of East Stirling.

Clearly on the fringes of Walter Smith's plans, Gow headed south on loan, to Championship sides Blackpool and Norwich City, attracting the attention of Plymouth Argyle who signed him on a permanent deal.

There Gow made an instant impact, scoring on his debut against Cardiff City although he ended up on the losing side. But the recent departure of Pilgrims manager Paul Sturrock and a different style of play initiated by his successor Paul Mariner saw Gow ask to move on. Although Plymouth agreed a package for Aberdeen to take not only Gow but his Home Park team-mates Steven MacLean and James Paterson to Pittodrie, there was only one destination as far as he was concerned when Hughes made a last-ditch intervention on the final day of the transfer window to sign him on loan. Gow said: "Obviously I knew the manager from my time at Falkirk and his assistant Brian Rice even before then when we were at Airdrie. The two of them have played a big part in helping me develop into the player I am and to get that move to Rangers although, unfortunately, it didn't work out as planned.

"But both the gaffer and Chipper (Rice] kept in touch with me, calling from time to time showing a genuine interest in how my career was going while I'd also phone them asking for a bit of advice. I might have been playing for Aberdeen against Hibs instead of the other way about on Wednesday night. I didn't actually know about the Dons until the last day of the transfer window, that Plymouth had struck a deal and wanted me to go.

"However, when Hibs came in there was only one place I wanted to go, the opportunity to work with the gaffer and Chipper again was too good to resist."

While a lot of water had passed under the bridge since the trio were last together, Gow revealed that, in fact, nothing has changed, highlighting the comeback against Aberdeen as a prime example of what Hughes and Rice expect of their team.

He said: "I know the manager has that never-say-die attitude and that's reflected in the players he has, no-one gives up and we managed to get a point rather than none at all.

"Although we lost those two early goals I think the way we came back shows the spirit, confidence and fight within our squad. When you are chasing a game like that but just can't get that second goal there does, I think, come a stage when you start to feel it's not going to be your day.

"It was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Aberdeen and on another day we could have won, the fact we didn't was our own fault having gone two goals behind.

"However, at the end of the day it turned out to be a reasonable night's work as we came off to find other results had gone our way."

Gow admitted, though, that's a scenario Hibs simply cannot afford to repeat at Ibrox on Sunday when they'll come up against a Rangers team determined to ensure there will be no further slip-ups following their controversial 1-1 draw against Motherwell at Fir Park in mid-week.

But with Hibs having already enjoyed a draw at Ibrox – not to mention victory at Celtic Park only a couple of weeks ago – Gow insisted there was no reason why Hughes' side shouldn't be heading back along the M8 full of confidence.

And he believes that in Republic of Ireland striker Anthony Stokes, who can count three goals against the Old Firm in his tally of 15 so far, Hibs gain have a potential match-winner.

He said: "I know Stokesy from my time at Falkirk and you know that no matter what, he'll always get you a goal as he's proved time and again this season.

"We'll have to be up for it, in their faces right from the first whistle. Rangers have a lot of good players and if you stand off them they'll hurt you.

"We know we can't afford to give them a two-goal start as we did Aberdeen and hope to get something.

"Rangers will feel it was a bad result for them at Motherwell but they are still big favourites for the title but they'll be anticipating a hard game against us and, I'd imagine, that's what we'll give them. Sunday's a big match for us, it's the first of three away from home in less than a week in what's a hectic spell with five games in the space of just 17 days.

"On a personal level I don't feel I've got anything to prove. I went there with high hopes but only got two games although I was involved in a lot of squad. I realised early on I wasn't going to play much but I've proved I can play in the SPL while I also went down to England and did well. I loved being at Ibrox but I'm going back looking to enjoy it with Hibs.

"I've had a good introduction to Easter Road, scoring on my debut and playing a part in the equaliser against Aberdeen. I would like to have had longer on the pitch but we have a big squad and I'm probably not as fit as the others although I am working hard to get there and hopefully I will be in the team soon."