Duffy plots an early Hibs return

Darryl Duffy

The 26-year-old striker signed on for former boss John Hughes on a season-long loan deal from Bristol Rovers but broke a bone in his foot in a freak training ground accident before he had a chance to kick a ball in anger for the Easter Road club.

Now the former Rangers, Falkirk and Hull City player is aiming to hand new boss Colin Calderwood an early Christmas present by pulling on a green and white shirt for the first time within the next month.

Duffy had an x-ray on the broken metatarsal in his right foot, which was pinned with a screw as he underwent surgery, earlier in the week and has now begun light training with the target of stepping up his rehabilitation in the coming weeks.

However, having been sidelined for nine months as a teenager when he suffered a similar injury to his left foot, Duffy admitted he was wary of trying to push on too quickly. But following this week's good news, he's hoping for more in a fortnight's time when he is scheduled to have another x-ray.

He said: "It's healing well and I feel really good. I'll have a week of gym work to build up the muscles in my leg, no running but low impact stuff like walking on an incline and on a treadmill and if it goes well I'll progress to some light jogging.

"Hopefully in three or four weeks time I'll be fit enough to be in squads and it will then be up to the manager to decide if I should play.

"It's been frustrating not being able to help at a time when the team are going through a wee bad patch and I'm itching to get back to play my part."