Hip surgery puts Kevin Kyle out for season

Hearts striker Kevin Kyle has been ruled out for the rest of the season after having hip surgery.

Kyle has not played since going off injured in the Scottish Cup loss to St Johnstone on 11 January.

The Scotland international had a series of injections to treat a problem in the groin and stomach region and had double hernia surgery last month, but was still struggling to regain fitness and now faces a summer of rehabilitation before the start of the new season on 23 July.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies said: "Kevin has had an operation to clean his hip out and we will wait and see when it settles down how long it's going to take. Fingers crossed he makes a full recovery.

The Tynecastle manager added on Hearts TV: "Pre-season is the target for him now, whether he makes it or not I don't know as it's such a short break."

Meanwhile, Jefferies reiterated his preference for a split in the SPL over the ten-team league planned by league chief executive Neil Doncaster.

He added: "I'm not against the split. Playing against each other four times is more of a problem.

"It (the split] is a lot better than what's been proposed, in terms of a ten-team league.

"I'm glad to see that's not getting a lot of encouragement."