Elliott will repay Hearts with goals

That advice was offered today by Alan Maybury, the former Hearts full-back and a brief international colleague of Elliott.

A persistent hamstring problem has restricted Elliott to just two substitute appearances thus far, totalling 57 minutes of football this season.

He is currently spending the international break recuperating at Riccarton and hopes to return to first-team duty before the end of the month.

Maybury is convinced Hearts have recruited a striker ideally suited to the Scottish game, and urged supporters to allow Elliott time to ensure he is 100 per cent fit before passing judgment.

"I think Stephen needs a bit of stability now after leaving Preston," said Maybury.

"He went on loan to Norwich under Paul Lambert last season but the fresh start at Hearts will be good for him. Unfortunately he's been playing catch-up since the start of the season because of injury but it's a long-term signing for Hearts.

"Stephen is probably what they lacked last year and I think the manager has realised that, someone to put the ball in the net.

"He's gone out and got a couple of strikers and when him and Kevin Kyle are together and fit things will improve, not that Hearts are doing too badly at the moment.

"He wasn't quite fit when he first came up so people can't expect him to be banging in the goals straight away. If he's not quite at the races right away then you have to be a bit patient. It's not a short-term deal he's signed, it's a lengthy contract, so when they get him and Kevin Kyle together they will score goals. They're different but they will score goals, they did it before together.

"I remember Stephen from Republic of Ireland squads and he'll do what's asked of him, but he's been bought to score goals. He'll fight his corner and he isn't one to get too flustered about the odd kick here or there. After playing in the Championship and the Premier League, I don't think there will be any surprises for him up here."

Maybury, now with St Johnstone, considers Elliott primarily a penalty-box player but admitted the striker's all-round ability will become apparent. "I'm probably doing him a disservice saying he's just a finisher because there is more to his game, but that's what I see him as," he continued. "When he first arrived he said he enjoyed playing with Kevin Kyle, who will do the hard work. Stephen will take the knock-downs and the flick-ons and finish them off. I think he's keen to get their partnership going again.

"He did really well earlier in his career but the last move to Preston just didn't work out very well due a change of manager and different other reasons. He needed a fresh start and he'll get the opportunity up here to play games. He had an injury which doesn't help when you come to a new club because you want to hit the ground running. He just needs to find his feet.

"He scored a lot of goals when Sunderland got promoted. He scored goals for Wolves during his time there so he knows the way to the back of the net. He's sharp, he's bright and he's a finisher. He'll do the work outside the box and he can hold the ball up, but I think he really comes alive inside the box.

"If there's half a chance he's the one first to it to put it in the back of the net because he's a goalscorer."