REJUVENATED midfielder Craig Hignett today admitted he faces a game of patience as he battles to win back his place in Graeme Souness's first team plans.

With last season's injury nightmare now firmly behind him, the former Barnsley man is desperate to make up for lost time by proving he has what it takes to cut it in the Premiership.

But, after failing to make Souness's starting 11 for each of Rovers' opening three games, he accepts the fact he may have to play a waiting game over the next couple of months before he gets his chance.

"I must admit I was disappointed I didn't get a start against Manchester United and the manager admitted I had a really good claim after my display at Derby," said Hignett.

"He argued that we wouldn't have had the ball as much against United and he felt my strength was with the ball so he decided to go for Alan Mahon instead.

"But I've got to say I was very disappointed not to play against Spurs.

"I'm not too down-hearted, though, in fact I'm quite encouraged because I'm playing centre midfield and playing a different role to the one the manager wanted me to play last year.

"Perhaps I'm not making as many forward runs but I'm trying to adapt my game to play the way he wants, which is more defensive.

"But I'm never going to accept not starting games.

"If I'm playing well enough to be in the team and he's not playing me then I'll go and speak to the manager to see what's happening because I don't think I can put up with what happened last year."

Hignett's first season at Rovers was wrecked by injury after a niggling Achilles problem saw him miss the whole of pre-season on top of the opening three months of the campaign.

But Souness stayed faithful to him and he was rewarded with several crucial cameo appearances.

And now Hignett is hoping to start again with a fresh slate and really show Rovers fans what he can do.

"To be fair, the manager said to me last season that he'd written the campaign off for me after the injury.

"It was a difficult time because I'd had no pre-season and never really got going.

"But this season, my preparation has been good, I've lost a bit of weight and I feel incredibly sharp.

"So my job now is to make it hard for the gaffer not to pick me.

"We've had a great start to the season.

"We should have got something at Derby then we were disappointed not to beat Manchester United at home.

"So that shows just how far we have come under Graeme Souness."