Driver's debt to patience of Hearts

HEARTS winger Andy Driver has cited the patience of coaching and fitness staff at Riccarton as crucial to his successful return from injury.

A third consecutive substitute outing at Hamilton last weekend was Driver's 100th appearance for Hearts. He has been fit for two months since overcoming knee and thigh problems but has been gradually reintroduced to the first team, the club determined to employ caution with one of their most valuable players.

Driver, 23, is now pushing to start matches and admitted the care taken by the Hearts management team and physios has been vital in recent weeks.

"It's been a long, hard time since before Christmas, really working hard to get myself to a level of fitness," he explained. "I've got to thank the physio staff and the management, they have not rushed me back in. I'm still developing now, even though it has been two months since I've been declared fit.

"It's been over a year now where I've been frustrated. It goes back to the first game of last season. I've had little niggles since then which has caused other areas in my body to get weaker.

"We've done it slowly and I think I'm reaping the rewards of that, feeling a lot stronger and feeling better in training. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to challenge for a start.

"It's the best I've felt in a long time and I'm looking forward to going out to show what I can do. My legs are definitely stronger, so I feel like I'm a lot stronger than I've been in the past. I'm coming back feeling a lot more positive and I feel the strength I've got at the moment will help prevent me getting more injuries."

Driver is expected to play a crucial part during the final stage of the season as Hearts look to secure third place and keep pace with Celtic and Rangers. Ahead of Saturday's meeting with Dundee United at Tynecastle, they sit five points behind second-placed Rangers and ten behind league-leaders Celtic.

"We need to nail down third place as soon as possible and see where we go from there," said Driver. "Then we can start enjoying our football and who knows what will happen then?

"When the team is doing so well, you want to be involved. If I do get the chance to start, I've got to show what I can do."`