LEWIS Stevenson is determined to make the most of yet another fresh start at Hibernian after starting work under his 13th permanent manager.
The 34-year-old has kicked off the 17th pre-season of his first-team career following the appointment this summer of Lee Johnson.
Johnson is Hibs’ third boss in the space of just seven months and their eighth in the last decade.
It has been a remarkable turnover of personnel in the Easter Road dugout since Stevenson made his debut under Tony Mowbray in 2005
But the versatile left-back knows from experience he and his team-mates simply have to ‘be themselves’ as Johnson sets in motion another new managerial reign.
He said: “I’m feeling good! You think it’s going to get harder every pre-season and you get the butterflies in the stomach as you’re not sure how your body is going to react.
“But I’m glad to get the first few days out of the way and I’m looking forward to the season ahead.
“It’s a new start for everybody. We get to start a blank and you just have to give it your best and show what you can do.
“We have 10 hard days before we go to Portugal for the pre-season games, but it will be enjoyable as well. We need to get it right straight away and get the best out of everybody.
“It seems really positive, and it’s been really good to get to work.
“When a new manager comes in you have to be yourself, you can’t change your ways.
“We need to stick together as a team and give it everything we’ve got, and it will stand us in good stead.”
After finishing third last year for the first time in 16 seasons, last term unravelled horribly amidst the sacking of, first, Jack Ross and, then, after just four months in charge, Shaun Maloney.
The Easter Road men slumped to eighth in the table, their lowest finish since being relegated in 2014, and losing the Premier Sports Cup final and the Scottish Cup final only deepened the disappointment.
But Stevenson is convinced the capital outfit can aim high again this season.
He added: “For a club like Hibs, it’s not good enough to be in the bottom six.
“It was a strange season as we were so close to a cup final, so close to winning a cup and so close to achieving the top-six as well.
“These little margins can make a massive difference, especially in this league where there’s not much between the teams.
“This season, we want to get European football, we want a good run in the cup by getting one step further than we did last year. We want to achieve some big derby wins and wins against the Old Firm are always a highlight.
“I’m getting to the later stages of my career, and I want to make the most of it. I’ve been enjoying it as much as I ever have, and I’ve got nothing to lose now so I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”
