Stephane Omeonga reveals Easter Road return has been on his mind

Stephane Omeonga reveals he’s “buzzing” to return to Easter Road for the first time in another club’s colours.

The Livingston midfielder will be part of David Martindale’s squad for Saturday’s game in the Capital after enjoying two loan spells earlier in his career as a Hibs player.

He sparkled after joining from Genoa in the latter half of the 2018-19 season and rejoined the following January. In total he made 27 appearances for the Hibees.

A free agent this summer after leaving Pescara he decided to come back to Scotland and sign with Livingston.

Stephane Omeonga battles Josh Campbell for possession during Hibs' 1-0 defeat to Livingston earlier in the season. Picture: SNS

Man of the match when the two clubs met at the Tony Macaroni in December, Omeonga admits a return to Easter Road has been on his mind since putting pen to paper.

“The first thing I thought about when I first signed here is my first game back at Easter Road to be honest, so I am buzzing,” the Belgian said.

"Obviously that was my first experience of Scottish football so I toughened up a little bit.

"It is a big club, there is a lot of pressure and you learn to deal with the pressure and the fans and stuff like that.

"I enjoyed my time. It was not easy every day but I would do it again."

Playing for the West Lothian club is quite a contrast to his days in Leith with a more intimate and humble surroundings, though he insists the management team, including former Hibs team-mate Marvin Bartley, ensure standards are just as high.

"It is different from Hibs, it is a smaller club. It is like a family and the atmosphere, the boys, the staff are good, Marv adds a lot and the gaffer is good with me. I love it,” he said.

"There is the family side of the club but the standards are still really high.

"The gaffer, the staff and everybody at the club expects you to act like a professional because we are. So the standards are really high and I think that is the key to success.

"It was quite tough when I first came as we were bottom of the table, now we are chasing upwards.

"When you look at the table we are in a relegation battle, but we have to aim for something more.”

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