GOAL hero Rhys McCabe believes his return to the Pars side has been “long overdue” and insists he doesn’t have anything to prove.

And the midfield playmaker hopes that helping to all but seal Athletic’s Championship survival in Saturday’s success at Dumbarton will hasten talks over whether he will be offered a new deal this summer.

The 24-year-old returned to the starting line-up for the first time since Boxing Day in place of the banned John Herron for the derby win over Raith Rovers and he has gone on to retain his place with some impressive displays.

McCabe capped another at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium by firing home the opener in what he felt was Dunfermline’s “most important game of the season”.

It means they have effectively staved off any threat of being dragged into a relegation play-off and, with his contract up this summer, he hopes to have his future clarified sooner rather than later.

“It was the most important game of the season and it’s a weight off our shoulders,” he said.

“We’re now thinking forward and can put it (worries over relegation) behind us. It was a big result and now we’ve got to put on good performances to go with results. Until Saturday there, the most important thing was three points, regardless of how we played, and we’ll try to get maximum points from the games we have left.

“It’s been good to be back in; it’s long overdue because I’ve been training well and been eager to show what I’ve got and what I can bring to the team. It’s about playing and enjoying your football but I don’t think I have anything to prove to anyone in football. I’m out to play to my own standards that I set, get confidence levels back and keep building on that.

“That’s the only thing I can do. I can’t control anything else and it’s up to the club. It’s a great club and I’m sure the boys would like to get things settled as soon as possible but the people upstairs will be planning budget-wise.”

He continued: “It will be busy over the summer so I’d like to think the club will want to get things tied up as quickly as they can. The gaffer I’m sure will know who he wants to keep and who he’ll want to target but everyone would like clarity. I’ll be putting pressure on the management to find out as soon as possible.

“Until then we can only go out on a Saturday and put on a show.”