The Englishman was dismissed with just one win in 11 league games and has since been replaced by Jack Ross.

Mallan, however, says that the players were just as much to blame for the poor run of results, if not more so, than the former Barnsley boss.

"Every player felt guilty and still does," said Mallan.

"A man lost his job and we were part of that - not just the manager.

"The manager can put out any tactics and any team, but first and foremost it's up to the players to perform on the park and we were the ones who weren't performing.

"You try your hardest but unfortunately it just didn't work out."

Head of player development Eddie May took charge for Hibs' 4-1 win away at St Johnstone prior to the appointment of Ross.

Mallan was an 89th-minute substitute in Perth, having played for 90 minutes in every Premiership game under Heckingbottom this season.

"We were working hard, it was just the results weren't coming our way and we were just hoping for a game that just flipped it," he said.

"The game that happened ended up being St Johnstone - when Eddie took over - so that makes you feel even worse.

"It was the same players, the same kind of team we put out under the previous manager. You just wish you'd done that for him, because if we did he might still be in the job."

'Ross appointment a no-brainer'

Ross takes charge for the first time on Saturday, with Motherwell visiting Easter Road, and Mallan, who worked with Ross at St Mirren, is backing the former Sunderland manager to succeed.

"When it came up that he was getting the job, I felt it was going to be the right choice," he said.

"I thought it would be a no-brainer and now that he's here I'm delighted. When he came in at St Mirren he lifted everyone's spirits.

"The boys who hardly played at St Mirren still loved coming in to train, even the boys who were substitutes most weeks renewed their contracts. He was just an enjoyable manager to play for."