GREENOCK footballer Nicky Jamieson says he has no qualms that working with Rangers legend Barry Ferguson didn’t work out - and believes the experience has made him a better player.

Former Morton youth star Jamieson was halfway through a two-year deal at Alloa Athletic when they were relegated from the Championship and Peter Grant was axed from the manager’s post.

Ex-Rangers legend Ferguson replaced him but defender Jamieson quickly found himself out of the Ibrox hero’s plans and soon secured a move to Stenhousemuir in League Two, where he hasn’t looked back since.

Although the link-up with Ferguson didn't go to plan, Jamieson, who spent five years at Largs Thistle, is adamant he’s learned from the experience after securing back to back player of the year awards at Ochilview.

He told the Tele: “It’s an honour to receive the award again, that’s two years on the spin now.

“It’s good to get a bit of recognition on a personal level, but playing wise I was probably more happy with last season because I feel like I had a better one overall.

“It’s been nice to kind of kick on after what happened at Alloa, it was disappointing that it never really worked out under Barry Ferguson, because he is one of the best Scottish players of his generation.

“It would’ve been easy to let my head drop and maybe fall away, but I think the fact I was always at boys' clubs and never expected to do anything maybe helped me with that.

“I had the attitude that I’d prove myself, especially after going to the Juniors for a few years. I had the belief I could play at a decent view.

“I know what football’s like, one person’s opinion isn’t the be all and end all.

“It wasn’t too nice in the end but that's life and its worked out well for me since.

“Coming to Stenny was probably the best thing that happened to me.

"I got a player of the year award and a player of the month award to boot, it shows that I was really enjoying it.

Jamieson is relishing the opportunity to get back to full fitness this summer after soldiering through the second half of the season.

He said: “I tore my hamstring in October and was out for two months until December and since coming back into the team I’ve felt like I’ve only been at say 80 per cent or so since.

“It was getting to the last 20 minutes of games and I was knackered. I couldn’t get out and do fitness work because I was still feeling it on the Tuesday after. It was all about recovering.

“I’m just looking forward to being back 100 per cent fit and getting going again, I’m desperate to go one step further with Stenny now.”