Hearts longest serving player, Robbie Neilson, has been given the all-clear to return to full training in just over a week. The full back has been sidelined since April with a series of injury problems, and recently had achilles surgery.

"I feel fine because I've looked after myself during the period out and I don't feel I am that far away," said Neilson, who recently stated he expected to be back in the first-team reckoning well before Christmas.

"You need to get a certain level to get back to the first-team training but I feel I am nearly there and in the next week I can get back with them."

The 28 year old told Hearts News: "There's always competition if you are out for a long time as someone will come in and stake a claim. That is part of football these days.

"I just need to impress the manager who has not seen anything of me since he came in - it's about showing him what I can do.

"It was frustrating because when the new manager comes in, you want to be part of his plans. I wanted to be in but I was injured and so just had to get on with it.

"He's been asking me how I've been getting so hopefully when I get back into training I can impress him and get the benefit of his coaching."