Benjelloun and Hughes have developed a mutual appreciation

Goal hero Abdessalam Benjelloun thanked the Hibernian fans for welcoming him back to the club despite coming close to a summer transfer to Al Ahly.

The striker, who manager John Hughes said owed the club an apology for his late return, came off the bench to score the winner against St Mirren.

"I never said I wanted to leave Hibernian and I never said I wanted to play for another club," he insisted.

"I want to thank the fans for the reception they gave me."

Benjelloun was sent on loan to Belgian clubs Charleroi and Roeselare last season by previous Hibs manager Mixu Paatelainen and this summer was pictured on Arabic websites allegedly signing for the Egyptian champions.

But Al Ahly eventually decided against taking the 24-year-old, who subsequently missed Hibs' pre-season training and only arrived back at the Edinburgh club last week.

He was a surprise inclusion as a substitute as Hibs kicked off their Scottish Premier League campaign with a narrow 2-1 home win over a St Mirren side reduced to 10 men after only 16 minutes.

I'm quite sure that goal will repay a lot of the supporters for him going missing in action in the close-season Hibernian manager John Hughes

"I was very happy to score, and I was pleased to repay the fans by scoring the goal, and for the manager who gave me the confidence to play," said Benjelloun.

"Not everybody knows the story of what happened in the summer. Someone stole my passport from my car and it took 15-20 days to get another to come here because it is very difficult in Morocco to get a UK visa.

"After that, I got the chance to go to another club, that did not work out and I came back.

"I am here and I am very happy to be here. It is not a problem for me and I have no problems with the board or the manager."

Benjelloun said he had told Hughes before the game that he would repay his faith in him with a goal.

"I am very happy to score the winning goal and I said to the manager that I would do that," he said.

"I saw in the papers that the manager said he wanted me back and he wanted me to play for him. So, since I came back, I have been in every day smiling and joking with the manager, which is what I need."

Hughes was delighted with the Morocco international striker.

"What he did in the close-season is behind him," said the manager. "He's still got a lot to do on his fitness, but he said to me he would score the winner.

"He was a fans' favourite and I'm quite sure he'll still be a fans' favourite if he keeps doing more of that throughout the season.

"He's a lovely lad, he's got that big smile and he's someone that you want to have at your club.

"I'm delighted for him and I'm quite sure that goal will repay a lot of the supporters for him going missing in action in the close-season."

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