WASPS star Steven Hetherington insists his injury worries are behind him as he gears up for a fourth season at Alloa.

The midfielder missed a chunk of last season but proved his worth on his return with a number of outstanding performances.

And now he can't wait to make up for the frustration of missing out on the Wasps' best spell of last campaign.

Hetherington told Advertiser Sport: "I have put all that behind me. I started last season well, even though I had a few niggly injuries.

"Once I was out for a long period it got really frustrating for me.

"The boys kept on winning as well, and I'll admit that that frustrated me too, because I missed out on one of the best runs of the season.

"But once I was back from that, I felt I slotted in pretty well. I managed to get a run of games under my belt between Christmas and the end of the season. Now I'm desperate to kick on."

Hetherington revealed he didn't have to think twice about signing a new deal at the Indodrill Stadium, and says he is excited for the challenges that lie ahead.

He said: "Last season was more frustrating than disappointing in that we just weren't able to get over the line. The team we had was brilliant and the stuff we were playing was superb so it was a no-brainer to sign on again, especially with most of the lads signing for another season.

"I'm really looking forward to the new season. It will be an even more competitive league this season, and I'm buzzing for the challenge of testing myself against better teams and players."

The popular midfielder is hoping his side can take inspiration from last year's cup heroics as they look to negotiate a division containing three full-time sides.

Hetherington added: "Building on last year will be a big ask because of the calibre of teams in the division this season.

"Raith Rovers have made it clear what they are planning to do this season, and Ayr will be keen to bounce back. Airdrie are still there too and they will feel they can compete. It will be tough but we just need to focus on ourselves and not look too far ahead.

"I can think of a few games last season where we did very well after being written off. We beat Ross County and Inverness, and pushed Celtic very hard. If we approach it like we approached last year, it can only mean positive things for us."