AFTER scaling the peaks of European football with Manchester United in the Champions League, and then with Hearts in the UEFA Cup last season, Michael Stewart had developed the aura of a little boy lost.

Relegated to a bit-part role by then-manager John Robertson and then ultimately relinquished by the club he was raised to support, Stewart was something of a nomad in his home city as the end of his Hearts loan deal coincided with the expiry of his Old Trafford contract last month.

David Gill wasn't offering new terms, neither was Phil Anderton, so it was left to Rod Petrie and Tony Mowbray to place the arms of comfort around Stewart's shoulders. His competitive reaction to their gesture of warmth is eagerly anticipated by the Hibs support.

Stewart has completed several friendly outings since crossing the city from Tynecastle, effecting at-times aggressive performances to give a hint of his capabilities when fully fit. He is not dominating, but Mowbray is not expecting him to, at least until he reaches peak physical condition in around September or early October.

At 24, Stewart has signed a contract that ties him to his place of work in Leith for the next 12 months, an ample period for all concerned to assess his compatibility with the club and Mowbray's intentions. The Scotland internationalist fully intends to make good use of the time.

And even having green-and-white cloth on his back as opposed to maroon cannot perturb him.

"It doesn't feel any different. I'm just out there playing football, which is what any player enjoys doing," says Stewart. "That's all I want to do here, anything else is immaterial to me.

"I want to become a better player with Hibs.

"In the last year since I've been back in Scotland I've only heard good words about what is happening at the club, and anyone I spoke to down south always had positive praise for the manager and Mark Venus.

"They have played the game at the highest level as well, and they are very impressive and influential people. You listen to what people like that have to say and I will always take it on board.

"Tony and Mark have been there and done it and they want people to get to where they have been in the game."

It could be argued that Stewart has already usurped Mowbray and Venus in terms of sampling the more glamorous occasions football can offer.

But believing your own hype, a criticism that has in the past been levelled at the midfielder, is a dangerous game for any young footballer.

Having played in hostile away matches in the Champions League against Boavista and Deportivo La Coruna as a Manchester United player, and then in Basel for Hearts last season, Stewart's European experience is indeed considerable.

If Hibs can negotiate a potentially hazardous qualifying tie for the UEFA Cup next month, their new midfielder is fully conscious of the prospect of further supplementing his air miles with his new club.

"Now that I am here that is something to look forward to," admitted Stewart.

"When I was offered the chance to come to Hibs things like that were completely out of my mind, but it's a good feeling when you are getting the power back in your legs in the friendlies and feeling fitter with every game. That's the way it should be."

Another opportunity for exerting the limbs presents itself at Easter Road this evening against Hartlepool in Hibs' only home match before the curtain rises on another SPL season, one which is already being regarded as something of a final throw of the dice for Stewart at the top level after failing to establish himself at Old Trafford and Tynecastle.

It's a chance he will cling to. He has the ability, he has the experience, now he has to put it all into practice as Mowbray prepares to get inside the minds of his squad to once again outthink the rest of Scotland and follow up last year's third-place SPL finish with more of the same.

"In games like the friendlies you can see that the players all have a little bit about them.

"Clearly there are a lot of good young players at this club and the manager has been able to gel them together to give us a fairly decent team that is going to be challenging. That will be the case this year as it was last year I believe.

"The team is always progressing, and I can see that even in the short period of time I have been here."

Anyone involved in football will tell you that progress is vital. If Stewart was gently meandering his way through Old Trafford and Tynecastle, then he must hope that taking the slip road down to Leith can put him firmly on the fast track.

Taken from the Scotsman