Driver sets December as return date for Hearts

ANDY DRIVER has identified early December for his Hearts comeback after travelling to Hertfordshire last week to undergo cryotherapy on his injured thigh.

The procedure, which uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy damaged tissue, was intended to accelerate the winger's recovery from the thigh strain sustained in a bounce match in September.

However, he will not be fast- racked back into the Hearts first team, with club medics determined to wait until next month to ensure a full recovery.

Driver, 22, underwent surgery in Sweden in June to cure a persistent problem with defective collagen and had been earmarked to play in September. He then strained his thigh in a closed door friendly against St Johnstone which prolonged his absence.

His current rehabilitation programme runs for another two weeks, by which time he should be ready for full training at Riccarton. He is hopeful of making his first competitive appearance of the campaign early next month.

Driver managed just 14 appearances last season due to injury, with only five of those coming after Jim Jefferies returned to Tynecastle as manager in late January.

Meanwhile, Jefferies was due to learn today whether the Scottish Football Association will punish him further for his altercation with referee William Collum during September's defeat at Celtic Park.

Jefferies served an automatic two-game dugout ban after being ordered to the stand for berating assistant referee Francis Andrews.

However, he clashed with Collum in the tunnel area at half-time and was reported to the SFA for "excessive misconduct".

Any additional ban would not come into effect for another seven days, thus Jefferies is guaranteed to take his place in the dugout when Hearts visit Easter Road for Sunday's Edinburgh derby. Ironically, Collum has been appointed to referee the match.

Hearts striker Calum Elliot is rated doubtful after being withdrawn during Sunday's defeat to Kilmarnock because of a knee injury.

Jefferies believes losing 3-0 to his former club may work in Hearts' favour against Hibs.

"Sometimes things happen to make you realise everything isn't always straightforward. It was a timely reminder you can't take any team for granted in this league."

• HEARTS midfielder Paul Mulrooney has joined Second Division Brechin City on an emergency one-month loan deal.