'I want to stay at Hibs all my career' says Derek Riordan

Suddenly everything at Hibernian appears a little less gloomy. The goals have started to flow again, the distance between them and bottom club Hamilton Accies has grown and the club's star player has re-affirmed his desire to remain at Easter Road.

Contrary to expectations, Derek Riordan is not necessarily in the twilight months of his second spell at the club. Although it remains more than possible that his career might continue elsewhere when his contract ends this summer, Riordan has not ruled out remaining at the club. The 28 year old has even stated that he wishes to end his career at Hibs.

While the decision remains in the hands of manager Colin Calderwood as much as it does Riordan, the player himself is not adverse to staying on at his boyhood heroes. Calderwood will have to consider whether the clearly talented player is part of his plans going forward.

With a newborn son to consider, perhaps it is understandable that Riordan sounds content to stay put. For this reason a mooted move to Russia might also not be No 1 on his list of options. "I've already been asked about that (a move to Russia] about four years ago and I didn't go, did I?" he said in reply to this possibility being put to him following Hibs' 2-0 win over St Mirren on Wednesday night.

"I want to stay at Hibs all my career," Riordan added. "But that will have to (be looked at] at the end of the season." There have been "wee talks" with Calderwood, the player revealed. "I think everybody has had wee talks, but they said they'll assess it later on.

I'm happy playing football," Riordan added. "I've scored a goal tonight, that gives you confidence. I've just got to keep getting that and be happy playingfootball." The fortifying properties which stem from a goal are undeniable. Riordan's was not only the club's first of 2011, it was the player's first strike since Boxing Day. However, he remains the club's top scorer, by some distance.

"Once you get that goal - what was it, ten or 11 hours we'd had without scoring? Once you get that first one, just hopefully the others flood in after it," he said. "That's quite a lot of time playing football and not scoring a goal. I think this season we've lacked a lot of chances created. We've lacked a bit presence in midfield - we've been quite a small team."

Riordan saluted the changes made to the squad by Calderwood as he continues to search for the blend that will keep Hibs moving in the right direction. They edge a place further up the league after Wednesday night's victory. The only regret now is there is now so long to wait until they play again. Hibs' next appointment is against Kilmarnock a week on Saturday. "Big Conor Sammon is away now, so they'll not be as deadly as they were," noted a buoyant Riordan.

Significantly, of Hibs' remaining nine pre-split fixtures only two are against teams - Celtic and Hearts - currently in the top six. They are ten points behind sixth place and, while safety will be Calderwood's priority, that run of fixtures means even a modestly successful run of results could take the side to the verge of the upper half of the league.

Victor Palsson and Matt Thornhill have made strong starts to their Hibs careers and helped Hibs win the battle in midfield on Wednesday, while Akpo Sonje provided a muscular presence in attack. Riordan benefited from the former Charlton Athletic's striker assistance when scoring his side's first goal. "Victor has come in, as have Matty and big Sodje," he said. "That helped me tonight, with Sodje's flick-on for my goal. I'm top goalscorer here. I'm always confident in myself if I get a chance. I've not been happy lately with the amount of chances created for the strikers."

He hopes the shake-up in personnel might lead to more productive end to the season. "When you stand next to him he doesn't seem like a big, massive guy," he said of Sodje. "But he's brilliant in the air and he's dead strong. He's got a basic 12-pack - he's ripped. I thought he was a real pest tonight. As I say, he's good in the air and we were unlucky with a couple of his flick-ons."

But Riordan seemed happiest of all about what the win might mean for Calderwood, the manager who has shouldered the responsibility for the recent poor run. He described him as "one of the nicest managers I have had" and clearly considers Calderwood to be someone he could work with in the long run. "It's been quite hard on the gaffer and I felt quite sorry for him," said Riordan.

"You want to do well for him 'cos he's such a brilliant guy as well. Everybody gets on really well with him. He's the nicest guy and you didn't want to see bad results going for him. I'm really happy for him and it gives us the weekend to be happy and look forward to next week."