Hibs new signing Glenn Middleton reveals his goals – and why he isn’t worried by Ibrox defeat

He might have been forgiven for having second thoughts as he saw the team he was about to join being hammered 6-1 but the Rangers winger quickly dismissed the result.

“These things happen all the time,” said the 19-year-old. “I’m sure when Chelsea lost 4-0 (to Manchester United) at the weekend it would have been the same for them so it was no different for me coming here, it’s still a massive opportunity.”

Middleton was poised for a season with Dutch side NAC Breda but when Heckingbottom made his move after Martin Boyle was ruled out for the next few months following a second operation on the knee he damaged while on international duty with Australia at the beginning of the year he quickly changed his mind.

The Scotland Under-21 winger quickly had a change of heart, playing his part in pushing through the deal by taking the initiative and calling Heckingbottom himself having been alerted to Hibs’ interest by Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.

“I just wanted to get it done,” he insisted. “I had been waiting around for quite a while just to get going in pre-seson and when an opportunity like that came up I just wanted to take it and get going.

“It was in front of me and I didn’t want to turn that one down. I wanted to get it done as soon as I could.”

Middleton rejected the suggestion that he’d simply settled for home comforts rather than stepping into the unknown in the Netherlands with the danger of being “out of sight, out of mind”,

“Not at all,” he claimed. “I’ve always been used to moving around, even when young, going to boarding school. It doesn’t faze me. It’s about proving myself in this league.

“I’d like to give them (NAC) the thanks for the opportunity but when I got the call from the manager here I thought it would suit me better to prove myself and that I am ready to play in this league.

“If I had gone there I could have made an impression. Here, I have the feeling at this moment in time, staying here is the right thing to do.

“I will be in everyone’s sight and they can watch me every week so I can hopefully make an impression and hopefully it will be a strong impression.”

Middleton made 28 appearances for Rangers last season including Europa League matches against the likes of Villareal, Rapid Vienna and Spartak Moscow, but with Gerrard strenghtening his squad over the summer as Rangers hope to halt Celtic’s march to a ninth successive Premiership title he found himself dropping down the pecking order in Govan.

But he believes a good season with Hibs can allow him to return to Ibrox and make a stronger claim for a place in much the way Greg Docherty did in joining Shrewsbury Town on loan following his move from Hamilton to Rangers.

He said: “Greg is one of the best examples of what can happen. If you believe in yourself and put in the work then a lot can happen. If you put in the work then it is there for you at the end of the season.

“I was very grateful for those opportunities (last season) and I have always said that this year it is about progressing again and taking that next step, hopefully taking the chance of regular football. I want to show people what I am capable of week in week out.

“Everybody who goes out on loan is looking to prove to people that they are capable of playing football at any level. I want to be a better player and better person than I was when by the end of the 12 months.”