Scotland ace closes in on return after 571-day absence as Steve Clarke given hope of June comeback

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke is set to be handed a boost ahead of next month friendly double header against Iceland and Lichtenstein after it was revealed that long-term injury victim Aaron Hickey is in line to make his long awaited return this weekend.

The £17million Brentford full-back is set to play his first senior minutes in 571-days after head coach Thomas Frank admitted he ‘could’ be involved in the Bees penultimate game of the season at home to Fulham in the English Premier League.

Former Hearts academy product Hickey has been out of action since October 2023 owing to a debilitating hamstring injury that required two separate surgeries to fix, but has been stepping up his comeback in recent months by featuring for Brentford’s academy and B sides, with an aim of making his return to senior action before the end of the current campaign.

“Hickey is getting closer,” Frank told the media in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “He could be involved. He is pushing. There are two games to go. It’s fair to say there are a few full-backs who are more in-form than him right now, but I know what Aaron can give.”

Scotland international Aaron Hickey could return to senior football after 571-days out of action. | SNS Group

The 22-year-old was originally anticipated to miss only months with the injury, but suffered a major setback during his recover which forced him to go under the knife in order to repair the tendon in his hamstring last pre-season. Having already missed Scotland’s European Championship in Germany, Hickey has missed almost the entirety of Brentford’s current campaign.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Hickey now though, with a return to first-team action restoring hope that he could yet be included in the Scotland squad for next month’s friendly fixtures, starting with Iceland at Hampden Park on June 6.

“When he’s fully firing, he will more than compete to get in the team,” said his Brentford boss. “We want him in the squad. He also needs to perform to get in the squad, so it’s a fine balance. He’s training well, which is the most important thing.”