Former Hibs star won't dismiss idea of reunion with ex boss as he shares David Gray meeting amid injury hell

A former Hibs star admits he’s drinking in the last chance saloon when it comes to his career - as he reveals a chance David Gray meeting.

Stevie Mallan was at Hibs between 2018-2021 after spells with St Mirren plus Barnsley. He’s since been at Yeni Malatyspor and Salford City but has not been involved in first team sessions since late 2023 as he deals with a brutal injury that has had one specialist telling him his career is on the line if his latest operation is not successful.

His boss from time at Hibs, Neil Lennon, is now Dunfermline Athletic manager. Mallan won’t shut down the idea of that being a possibility for him but insists he just wants back in the game by any means necessary.

Former Hibs star’s injury hell

He told the Sunday Post: “I have been out of football for over a year now. Before I left Salford last May, I tore my plantar fascia, the band of tissue that connects your heel to your toes. It is a hard thing to tear, but I managed to do it. Since then, it has been a bit of a nightmare trying to get back. I have not had a team training session since December 2023, which is an exceedingly long time. Never having been out of the game before that, it has been tough for me.

“I have massively missed it. Watching games and not being able to get involved at all is so frustrating. You get a lot of highs and lows because I would build my fitness up, feel really cheered by it, only to get brought down again when the pain kicked in with any change of direction work. The stop-start nature of it made for a hell of a long year. Ultimately, the problem was that it just would not heal. But then I got another scan which diagnosed severe plantar fascitis.

“'From there, I went to see a specialist in Ross Hall in Glasgow who would be able to help me out. He recommended an operation but did warn that it would be the last-chance saloon for me. That, if it did not work, there would be nothing more they could do for me. I have now had that and am hopefully on the mend. They said there should be a two-to-three-month turnaround, so I am hoping to be in at a club in the summer and be ready for the new season starting So that is the plan. We are starting to put the feelers out to see who would be keen to take me. I have just turned 29 so I have hopefully still got a few years left in me.

“I do have a good relationship with Neil going back to my time playing for him at Hibs, so you never know. We don't know how long he is going to be at Dunfermline for one thing. I am always going to try to push the boundaries so, if it is possible for me to play in the Premiership again, that would be ideal. If that is not possible, though, then I would be more than happy to drop down a level. I am dying for a game of five-a-sides let alone anything else!”

David Gray meeting

It’s Hibs and St Mirren that Mallan keeps an eye out for in terms of results. He’s been delighted to see former teammate Gray spearhead a run of 17 games unbeaten in the Premiership as head coach. Back when the grass was far from green though earlier this season and doubts lurked over his future, Mallan bumped into the legendary Hibs figure, and his message was resounding.

Mallan added: “Hibs and St Mirren are the two clubs I have played for in Scotland, and I have been following what they are up to very closely. St Mirren is just round the corner, and I am close with Stephen McGinn, the Under 20s manager, so I have been to a few of their games. They would be perfect fit probably but whether they fancy me I don’t know! We will see.

“David Gray was a team-mate, so I am happy he is doing so well as the manager of Hibs. I knew he would. Even when they were struggling, I kept saying if they stand by him the results would come. I bumped into him in the street before their current run started and he said then: 'We just need one win to get us kick-started'. No one has expected it to go this far. They have been phenomenal It helps that Martin Boyle has been flying. When he is on top form, as he has been, it gives the team a real chance.”