9am Briefing: Hibs keeper Stack's season over after horrific eye injury

GRAHAM STACK has revealed the full horror of his eye injury caused by a freak training ground clash.

The Hibs keeper's season is over as he struggles to see since being caught in the face by a combination of the ball and team-mate Abdesallam Benjelloun on Friday.

Stack, 28, was immediately rushed to hospital with blood pouring from his eye.

Specialists eased his initial fears by stating his retina was still attached, with an operation proving unnecessary. But with bleeding inside the eye, a small clot on the pupil and inflammation, Stack is still waiting for his eyesight to fully return.

The former Arsenal star said: "I still haven't got my sight back, I'm partially sighted, blurred vision really. "I've got bleeding inside the left eye, a small blood clot on the pupil and my retina is bruised.

There is basically a lot of trauma to the eye. It was just a freak accident in training. I tried to make a block to save at Benji's feet and immediately I felt pain and there was blood coming from my eye.

"My vision should start to come back, I was told between a week to two weeks. But I've been told I can't do any activity at all.

"It has improved but it's hard to a put a timescale on getting back. The way things are looking I've got a race to get back fit this season."

No op for Kello

HEARTS goalkeeper Marian Kello has been told he will not require an operation on his broken wrist.

The Slovakian has already been ruled out for the season and has not featured for the Jambos since a 2-0 win over Hamilton over a month ago.

The club feared he would require surgery after picking up the injury in training but, after having the cast removed on Friday, the 27-year-old will not go under the knife after all.

The news was welcomed by boss Jim Jefferies, who said: "Marian will not have to have an operation.

"He had the cast taken off on Friday and the doctors have had a look at him again.

"He will need two to three weeks strengthening so that rules him out of playing again this season but it's good news that he won't have to have surgery.

"He can now concentrate on building his wrist up and making sure he is 100 per cent fit."

Hearts are also without Janos Balogh for their remaining games this term but Jefferies has been more than happy with the efforts of Jamie MacDonald, who has taken over between the sticks.

Paterson keen to add to caps

CHRIS PATERSON is desperate to add to his 100 Scotland rugby caps as he nears a comeback from the kidney damage that ended his season.

Paterson has not played since being hospitalised by the freak injury during February's RBS 6 Nations defeat in Wales.

The 32-year-old full-back is in a race against time to be on the plane to Buenos Aires for Scotland's summer tour of Argentina.

But, regardless of whether he earns cap No.101 in June or later this year, he cannot wait to be part of what is shaping up to be an exciting era under Andy Robinson.

"I think everyone's excited and, looking ahead, it could be a big year for all of us," said Edinburgh star Paterson.

"I want to be in the best shape I can for my club side, to knock on the door to add to my cap tally and to continue to improve.

"That's what's driven me in 12 years of professional rugby – improvement – and I want to continue to do that."