James Keatings is set to complete a miracle recovery from injury to make the Dundee United squad for today’s Championship opener at Inverness Caley Thistle.
And if the attacker is involved up in the Highlands, he’ll be back playing just 17 days after being ruled out for six weeks with damaged ankle ligaments.
Keatings suffered the injury in the Betfred Cup win at Buckie Thistle just over a fortnight ago and was not expected back until the beginning of September.
But he resumed some training earlier this week and over the past few days has been making steady progress.
That could see manager Ray McKinnon put him on the bench against Caley.
That would represent a major boost for the Tangerines who know they are going in minus suspended trio Scott McDonald, Matty Smith and Mark Durnan.
The absence of McDonald and Smith looks certain to mean winger Paul McMullan will continue to be used in the central striker’s role he filled against Dundee last Sunday.
At the back, Tam Scobbie will move in to central defence to replace Durnan, with Jamie Robson coming in at left-back.
One man not making the trip north will be the now former club captain Cammy Bell, whose contract has been cancelled by mutual consent.
The goalie now looks likely to return to former club Kilmarnock, who’ve been linked with him all summer.
And with keepers Harry Lewis and Deniz both brought in since the end of last season, it’s been clear for some time now there was a very good chance the 30-year-old would be playing his football elsewhere this season, though only on Wednesday he stressed he remained committed to United.
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