KELTY HEARTS boss Thomas Courts has hailed Stephen Husband as a "more complete player" – and his decision to sign a new deal.

The influential former Cowden midfielder, 26, put pen to paper on a new contract earlier this month to extend his spell at New Central Park until 2019 in a decision that thrilled his manager.

Kelty-born Husband, who started his career with the Blue Brazil before joining Dunfermline in 2012, raised some eyebrows when he signed for the Super League leaders in the summer of 2015, a move which he said at the time "made sense".

It allowed him the opportunity to take on a trade apprenticeship while turning out for his home team and Courts said: "It was a fairly easy deal to do; he's a local lad and has bought in to what we're doing. I think that we've made him a more complete player and he's proving time and again that he's a big player for us.

"I think his game has matured and we've seen a massive improvement because it maybe took him a while to get to grips with junior football. He's so technically gifted and he's got a really high number of assists and goals for us this season. He's a top player."