Andrew Driver takes strength from injury

HEARTS winger Andrew Driver has claimed he has become a stronger player for the injury problems he has endured as he closes in on his first start in ten months. The 23-year-old appears set to consign his troubles of the last two seasons to history after returning to the first-team fold.

He has been dogged by knee and thigh problems which have restricted his hopes for both club and country. But the pacy forward has come off the bench in Hearts' last three matches to signal a brighter future, making his 100th appearance for the club in Saturday's 2-0 win at Hamilton. Such has been his amount of time in the gym, Driver feels stronger physically for the ordeals he has been through and feels he can now prevent future injuries occurring.

Looking for his first start of the campaign against Dundee United on Saturday at Tynecastle, he said: "It's been over a year now where I've been frustrated.

"It's been a long, hard time since before Christmas, really working hard to get myself to a level of fitness. I've got to thank the physio staff and the management, they have not rushed me back in. I think I'm reaping the rewards of that, feeling a lot stronger."

He admitted sitting on the sidelines while Hearts raced clear in third place in the SPL has been hard, but he hopes he can play his part for the run-in to at least wrap up a top-three finish.

Driver added on Hearts TV: "We need to nail down third place as soon as possible and see where we go from there. Then we can start enjoying our football and who knows what will happen then."