CHRIS HAMILTON has thanked Athletic's coaching and medical teams for having his "best interests at heart" in ensuring he made a full recovery from a head injury.

The club's vice-captain signed off for the campaign by making a substitute appearance in the second half of their final game at Ayr United last Friday evening, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

Hamilton, 22, has been an integral part of James McPake's side throughout the season, which saw Dunfermline finish sixth on their return to the Championship after last term's League One title win, playing 36 games across all competitions.

Like others in the squad, though, he has had to endure spells on the sidelines, the most recent of which saw him miss matches with Partick Thistle and Airdrieonians last month after sustaining a head knock in a game at Arbroath.

Following that incident, McPake revealed that Hamilton had suffered "uncomfortable" after effects, leading him to renew calls for there to be broader discussions across football about how best to look after players who suffer injuries in such circumstances.

Hamilton, who picked up a number of accolades at last month's Centenary Club Player of the Year awards, was able to take his place back in the team for the draw with Queen's Park on April 20, and the game with Inverness Caledonian Thistle a week later, which helped secure Championship football for next season.

Speaking after the match at Somerset Park, he explained: "It has been tough and with all the injuries that we have had.

"You want to be out helping the team, you want to try and finish the season on a high. The few injuries that I picked up towards the end were ones that I couldn’t really risk. The manager was big on that.

"I wanted to try and push myself, but he wanted the doctor to make sure that I was 100 per cent before coming back. It was a wee bit frustrating, but I appreciate that they have got my best interests at heart.

"The doctor and the physio here are really good. Hopefully next year they will have less work to do in terms of injuries that we get. It was frustrating at the time, but I’m feeling better now."

Frustration may be a word that Hamilton and his Pars pals could use to sum up their season as a whole, with the absence of key players throughout the campaign hindering their ambitions to finish in the promotion play-offs.

However, he believes that it has been a learning curve that will stand both himself and the team in good stead moving forward

"I have been put in situations that I’ve never been in before," he said. "Being a captain of a team that is struggling and trying to work that out, trying to help the boys off the pitch and on the pitch in a team that is lacking confidence, lacking players.

"We had a lot of young players, a lot of injuries - things like that have helped me personally to grow as a player. 

"For the team, it has been a season of a few highs, definitely. When we have had a full strength team and we have been at it, we have shown that we can compete with the best teams in the league, then we have the lows of the injuries that have really killed us at times in the season.

"That has been unfortunate."

Hamilton was disappointed Dunfermline saw a 3-1 lead slip at Ayr, which cost them the chance to leapfrog Greenock Morton, who finished above them on goal difference in fifth place.

He added: "It was a chance to finish the season on a high. We made a few changes.

"When I got to come on we wanted to see the game out, win the game and finish on a high. Unfortunately, we conceded two late goals, which put a bit of a dampener on it.

"It’s been a tough season and I’m just glad it’s over without any more injuries."