Dwight Gayle says he's joined Hibs to make memories.

The 34-year-old former Newcastle United striker, signed on a one-year deal earlier this week, went through the summer as a free agent, but is adamant he 'didn't want to sign for just any club'. Gayle completed a full pre-season as part of a PFA scheme in England, and had interest from other clubs before he was offered the chance to move to Easter Road.

Hibs were keen on the forward even before Kieron Bowie was ruled out until the New Year, and Easter Road captain Joe Newell helped sell his former Peterborough United team-mate on choosing a move to the Scottish Premiership. Gayle is expected to offer head coach David Gray an alternative option in the final third, and the striker is determined to make an impact.

“The manager wants me to build up so I’m ready to come into the team and do well," he said. "He wants me to help out wherever I can. For me, I wanted to find something that was right for me. I wanted a new experience. I wanted to be a move that I could create memories from.

“I didn’t want to sign for just any club, you know? I didn’t want to go somewhere and it not really mean anything to me. In your later years, you realise how short a career it is. You will look back on the important moments. Everything else is a blur. So it was important that I made the right choice. There was interest from some clubs – but I wanted to wait for the right move. This was it.

“I spoke with Joe but also a lot of other people. I knew they were looking to add a bit of goals to the team, which made it a good match. A lot of people spoke well of the club. It’s obviously a fantastic city – and it’s important to me, with my wife and her family being Scottish. We do visit quite a bit, so it means a lot to us to get to play here. Hopefully I can do well for the club."

Gayle's other half hails from Fife, and he's made frequent visits to Edinburgh over the years - including scoring for Newcastle in a pre-season friendly against Hearts. Doing so again this season would earn him hero status among Hibs fans, and he says that connection with a support is something he's craved throughout a long career.

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"All the boys have been talking about that and it’s a thing that I have not perhaps had in my career, which I feel I would thrive off and enjoy," he said. "I feel that’s what you play the game for, moments against your rivals in derbies where it is that bit extra, the importance.  I know perhaps we’ve not had the results against them recently and it would be nice to get some results. We have the home game coming up and the big one on Boxing Day as well."