Norwich City flop Steven Naismith insists his Scottish Premiership player-of-the-month award proves he was right to join Hearts on loan.

Naismith has re-ignited his career for club and country since returning north of the border on a season long move that effectively signalled the end of his Carrow Road stint.

The 32-year-old is out of contract next summer, after scoring eight goals in 48 appearances for the Canaries since his reported £8m January 2016 switch from Everton.

But Naismith has notched nine in 13 appearances during his latest spell at Hearts, as well as earned a recall to the Scotland squad, to lift September's monthly award.

'It proves I made the right choice,' Naismith told STV Sport. 'If you look at where my career was sitting in the summer, not in the national team and not playing regularly.

'To then start off so well, fight my way back into the national team, it shows I've made the right choice.

'How much I have enjoyed the first few months of the season was something I missed during my time out.

'There are a lot of people out there who do want to write you off, I have had that many times but it's never affected me.

'I know when I'm not playing well, or not enjoying it as much, but I was very confident if I could get fit I had a lot to offer and it has been proven so far.'

Naismith is convinced he has plenty more years left beyond the end of his current City deal.

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'I will continue on for as long as I can. The knowledge that one day I will have to stop and there's nothing I can do about it is tough to deal with.' he added, speaking to BT Sport.

'But at the moment I'm enjoying it and I'll play as long I can.

'I definitely feel fit enough now to play on for a few more years yet. When you get older, your mindset changes and you need to adapt your game. I've done that throughout my career.

'I play slightly different now to how I did 10 years ago but I'm still being effective in games and contributing for the team.'