Dundee United have received a major boost with the return of John Souttar from injury.
The 18-year-old has been sidelined since his ankle was damaged during the club’s pre-season trip to Holland but he finally made his long-awaited comeback on Tuesday night for the Development team in their 5-4 victory over Aberdeen at Brechin’s Glebe Park.
Souttar played the entire 90 minutes, coming through unscathed, however Tangerines boss Jackie McNamara insists the teenager will not be rushed back into the first team and the club will proceed cautiously until he has made a full recovery.
The manager said: “John is making good progress. It’s been hard for him as he’s had to go through a kind of mini pre-season.
“Now he needs some games to get himself fully match-fit again because he’s been out for a while and that’s his first match.
“We’re obviously not going to rush him but the good thing is that he’s on the road to recovery.”
Meanwhile, United’s loan signing from Hull City, Conor Townsend, is back training at Tannadice after receiving treatment at the KC Stadium on a foot injury.
The 21-year-old, who joined the Tangerines as part of the deal which took Scotland star Andrew Robertson to Steve Bruce’s Premier League outfit side in the summer, is now ready to step up his recovery although he will not be considered for Saturday’s game with Partick Thistle at Tannadice.
McNamara added: “Conor is back training with us which is a boost because he had been doing well up until the injury.”