Hearts boss is upbeat over Driver's recovery bid

HEARTS are hopeful Andy Driver will return from injury next month after a summer operation to cure a persistent thigh injury precluded him from pre-season preparations.

The player has begun running again at the club's Riccarton training base and his workload should intensify throughout the remainder of August. Coaching staff believe he could be back in the first team during September.

"Driver might be a wee while yet," explained the Hearts manager Jim Jefferies. "It might be another week or so before he's into full training, but it won't take too long. He's working hard with the physio so we should get a clearer idea soon. We're just building him up gradually. He's coming on but it will be a few weeks yet before he is ready to play."

Driver managed just 14 appearances last season due to injury, with only five of those coming after Jefferies returned to Tynecastle as manager. He underwent a specialist procedure in Sweden in June to remove defective collagen from a thigh tendon, which is intended as a long-term cure for his injury problems.

Meanwhile, St Johnstone's Danny Grainger harbours no grudge towards Hearts striker Calum Elliot following a collision which left the defender with suspected knee ligament damage. Elliot apologised to Grainger after the pair clashed during the first half of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Tynecastle, forcing Grainger to smash his knee off the goal frame. "Calum came over to me and apologised after the game. He did nothing wrong and it was just his momentum," said Grainger. Grainger was stretchered off to hospital, but not before Elliot offered his condolences. "I spoke to Danny and apologised but it was an accident," he stressed.