HIBERNIAN midfielder John McGinn has revealed that he was approached by Neil Lennon last Friday in order to ascertain his mental state ahead of the game against St Mirren.

McGinn’s brother Stephen plays for the Paisley side who avoided a relegation play-off after their 1-1 draw at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon.

The build-up to the encounter ought to have been a cause for celebration for midfielder John – who took the PFA Championship Player of the Year on Sunday evening – as Hibs prepared to host a title party. Instead, the player admitted that much of the week was spent wrestling with his own professionalism in the face of what could have been a disastrous result for Jack Ross’ side.

And McGinn admitted that if it had been a case of St Mirren losing the game and automatically going down, he might not have been able to play.

“The manager asked me on the Friday if I was mentally prepared to play and I was,” said the affable 22-year-old. “It would have been a completely different scenario if it was to put them automatically down. I don’t know if I would have been able to cope with that, especially if we had nothing to play for.

“It would have been tough, especially with all the financial implications. I was looking forward to the game with St Mirren but it was one I was dreading because there was a possibility that me and my team mates could put my brother in a precarious position.

“It was strange because you need to be professional. It wasn’t my fault that St Mirren were in that position it was theirs. Obviously, I didn’t want my brother to get relegated but I felt I was professional and did my best.

“It wasn’t a case of going easy on him. I was trying my best but they’re a good team now and they deserved their point. But at the end of the day you just had to treat him as an opponent.”

Meanwhile, McGinn has insisted that he would be prepared to train with a rugby club over the coming weeks so long as it means that he is fit and ready for Scotland duty. The midfielder has been a part of Gordon Strachan’s Scotland team in recent qualifiers and was part of the squad who went to England last October.

Scotland host England at Hampden on June 10 in a vital Fifa World Cup qualifier and while it means an elongation of the season after the curtain has come down on the domestic front, McGinn is determined to keep himself in the kind of physical shape that would ensure a readiness to feature if he is called upon.

“I’ve had this on the back of my mind and I have been talking to the sports science staff at Hibs,” said McGinn. “I just need to keep myself ticking over and if the manager of Scotland decides to call me up I’ll be ready.

“It’s one of the biggest games you could be involved in so it would be crazy to take your foot off the gas. If he doesn’t select me I will understand but if I can be involved I will be ready to go.

“I spoke to the gaffer about it and we will do whatever it takes, even if it means training with another team I’m more than willing to do it. I would train with a rugby team if it meant that I would get into the squad.

Lennon has publicly stated his belief that Hibs are the second best team in Scotland, setting an appealing tone for next season.

“It’s nice that he thinks that of us,” smiled McGinn. “We’re aware of how good teams are in the top flight but I think we have proved in the cup competitions that we can hold our own against them. So the manager has every right to say that.”