Aiden McGeady talks Phil Parkinson and why he has signed for Hibernian under Lee Johnson

The pair were recently reunited at Hibernian after Johnson’s sacking at Sunderland last January and McGeady’s exit at the end of the season.

The 36-year-old joined the Black Cats from Preston in 2017 but wasn’t offered a new deal at the Stadium of Light following the end of his contract this summer.

McGeady said: “I’ve got a lot to thank the manager for. When he took over at Sunderland I was kind of an exile, because the previous manager had me training with the [under-]23s.

“We didn’t have a falling out, but I was kind of in no man's land, really.

“I hadn’t played for six months and the first thing he [Johnson] did when he got the job was phone me that night and say, ‘do you want to start tomorrow?’.

“We were playing Wigan and I said ‘yes’ and then I played every single game.

“So, I’ve got a lot of trust and loyalty towards the manager because of that but, also, I would say that season he probably did get the best out of me.

“I played some really good football under him and I enjoyed my football, which is the main thing for me.

“With regards to my role in the team, I think it goes without saying that he probably knows what he’s going to get from me and when I’m going to play and when he wants me to play.”