Returning hero Driver could be a devastating addition to Hearts squad

As the No.11 shirt emerged from the technical area and manoeuvred towards the touchline, the tumultuous roar emanating from Tynecastle told the story of a returning hero. As did chants of "Andy Driver on the wing".

The elongated absence of someone who regularly creates and scores goals has been less keenly felt due to Hearts' imperious league form of late, however there is no denying the value of the influential 23-year-old.

Jim Jefferies, the Hearts manager, was keen to emphasise throughout last month that quantity would not take precedence over quality in any search for new faces.

"If anybody comes in, he has to be better than what we've got," is a phrase oft-repeated by managers in January. It certainly applies at Hearts where squad depth is as strong as anywhere else in the country.

Driver's return provides Jefferies with experience, pace, general expertise in the wide area plus an added goal threat. All talents which can have an enriching effect throughout the second half of the season.

Whereas David Templeton, the player who has deputised so prominently during Driver's absence, is still adjusting to the pressures of being a first-team regular, the established senior knows what he is coming back to. His reappearance at the weekend had the same uplifting effect as a costly new recruit. "Driver is like a January signing for Hearts with him coming back at this time in the season. It will be like having a new player coming in. Hopefully he can have a big impact," said John McGlynn, the Raith Rovers manager who oversaw Driver's development as both youth and first-team coach at Hearts.

"David Templeton has been doing particularly well and has had a great season so far, but Driver coming back in with new enthusiasm and a freshness having not played might just inject new impetus into Hearts. Not that the team has been doing badly, but bringing him back into the squad could push them on even further."

A persistent thigh injury forced Driver out of action last spring. Operations and additional knee problems meant he hadn't been seen since until Saturday. His last appearance for Hearts was against Kilmarnock on April 10 last year and, to date, he has played only six times under Jefferies.

Penning the player's name on a team sheet for the first time in nine months, the manager would have been mindful of an imminent assignment at Ibrox looming on the horizon. Hearts head west for the second time in a week tomorrow evening to confront Rangers and try to atone for last Wednesday's 4-0 demolition at Celtic Park. Their "new signing" is known to thrive on such high-octane occasions having previously slayed both halves of the Old Firm with his clinical touch in front of goal.

"Driver has a bit more experience than a younger player who has come through the youth ranks," explained McGlynn. "He's been there for a few seasons now, he's been to Ibrox and been to Parkhead and knows what to expect. He knows what the atmosphere is like and how to handle these situations along with Edinburgh derbies and all the rest of it.

"We always thought he would come in and make an impact at first-team level. It was probably more when Shaggy (Stephen Frail) was in charge that Driver really established himself.

"I left Hearts in 2006 and Driver was only on the fringes of things at the time. Through all the youth ranks he was always one of the prominent players. He had a lot of pace, was naturally left-sided and had an eye for goal. We worked on him to improve his right side but he had a lot of natural ability. He was a good character and worked extremely hard, so he had a lot of ingredients that you need to make it.

"He will be looking to kickstart his own season after all the injuries and reproduce the form that he showed previously when other teams were looking at him and quite a lot of money was being branded about regarding his worth.

"I'm sure he'd like to get that type of thing going again whilst trying to help Hearts challenge the top two."

The question is whether he will remain fit. Medical staff at Riccarton have been deliberately overcautious to ensure Driver's return is not interrupted by a recurrence of any previous injury. To that end, he has been training for several weeks and participating in warm-up exercises in matches he was not involved in. An attempted comeback last autumn had to be aborted when he sustained a thigh problem during a closed-doors match against St Johnstone. This time, signs are wholly positive.

That he has been permitted to resume first-team duty without any friendly outings illustrates that those in charge are as confident as they can be that the winger is healed. For Jefferies, the difficulty will soon be accommodating Driver, Templeton and another talismanic figure, Rudi Skacel, in the same starting XI.

"Hearts have been doing particularly well recently without Driver," continued McGlynn. "Templeton has played on the left and Skacel is left-sided. Driver and Lee Wallace had a great partnership down that left side prior to Driver's injury. Nothing against Templeton, who I think has done exceptionally well this season, but the freshness of Driver coming back and linking up again with Wallace down the left could be a lethal combination for the opposition Hearts will face in the second half of the campaign. "Those two could be formidable.

"Skacel has been playing in an attacking midfield role off the front.

"Rudi can also play in central midfield in a 4-4-2 and still try to attack, which would still allow the use of a wide player outside him. Playing both him and Driver in the team can be done. It's a great problem for the manager to have with players like Driver coming back, Templeton scoring goals and Skacel scoring goals."

New signings are always a gamble for any club. However, Hearts know exactly the capabilities of the unofficial new recruit unveiled on Saturday. His contribution for the remainder of the season could be pivotal.