Daly On Course For September Return

Manager Craig Levein has admitted that Dundee United have missed Jon Daly upfront, but the long-term absentee could make his return as early as the middle of September.

After joining Dundee United for an undisclosed fee in January 2007, the former Hartlepool hitman took a while to grab his 1st goal for his new side, but scored in dramatic fashion in his 10th United appearance against SPL champions Celtic.

Daly netted a 90th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Celtic at Tannadice, just moments after United captain Barry Robson had been sent off.

The following week, the Dublin born forward also scored against Aberdeen in an impressive 4-2 win at Pittodrie, but a few weeks later…..disaster struck.

Daly injured the posterior ligament in his knee, during a 1-1 draw with Inverness Caley Thistle at Tannadice at the end of April and reports suggested he`d be sidelined for upwards of 6months.

However, 24-year-old Daly is recovering nicely from his injury and the forecast is looking good for a comeback either next month or at the start of October.

Jon is coming on OK – everything has gone according to plan and he should be back playing end of September/early October,” admitted Levein to the Courier this week.

“The injury Jon sustained is quite an uncommon one – loads of cruciate ligaments get torn but normally it`s the anterior ligament which goes. Only one in ten cruciate tear involves the posterior ligament.”

“The anterior is the more important of the two and damage to that normally has to be repaired by surgery.

“With the posterior it`s just a case of putting the victim in plaster and letting it heal naturally.”

“We have missed Jon – He had just settled down and begun to hit a bit of form last season when he got hurt, but he is getting there in his recovery.”

Daly is expected to see a specialist sometime later today and if its good news – it could mean Craig Levein will have goal-scorer available upfront.

“Jon will visit a specialist tomorrow and, hopefully, he`ll get the all clear to step up training,” Levein told the Evening Telegraph.

“If that`s the case, he`ll be on course to return by late September, early October.”