Derek McInnes glad to have fit-again Stuart Findlay back from ‘Killie TV’

Derek McInnes is glad Stuart Findlay is ready to make the move from Kilmarnock TV back to the team’s defence after a five-month lay-off.

The 29-year-old, on loan from Championship club Oxford, has been out of action since an ankle injury sustained against Dundee on November 3 required surgery and in the meantime has been co-commentating on the matches with club media.

Findlay played most of a reserve game against Queen of the South on Tuesday and is set to go back into the senior squad for the William Hill Premiership game against St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday.

McInnes said: “It’s been a long road for him. When he picked up the injury at Dens, we knew it was significant. It was such a nasty incident, so great to have him back.

“There’s no doubt we missed his leadership qualities and experience, his know how. He was a huge part of what we did right last season in conceding so few goals.

“So great having him back, great for Stuart himself to get some encouragement. It’s a long road for boys when they are out for that length of time.

“There always will be a bit of trepidation with your first game back.

“It’s a reserve game, quite a straightforward game for him and the plan was to play him 55, 60 minutes and get him off.

“Hopefully he will train tomorrow. He has had no adverse reaction, he is quite bubbly with the fact that he’s come through the game with no affects to his ankle, just a wee bit leggy.

“So we’ll get another chat with Stuart tomorrow and we’ll maybe try and include him in the squad.

“Obviously my eagerness to get him back involved is clear, but I need to be fair to him but magic to have him out the commentary team, he has been doing a bit for Killie TV on match days so it’s better he’s helping us rather than them.

“But I don’t want to preempt any of that. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him in that sense until I have another conversation with him tomorrow.”

McInnes has also been without skipper Kyle Vassell who picked up an ankle injury against St Mirren on January 2.

He said: “Both Stuart and Kyle will be massive for us in terms of getting those two back.

“Not just for what they give on the pitch but their leadership qualities. Both of them have been pivotal for us in the past.

“Vass has some good days and some bad days with injury, he is going back down to see the specialist to get a check-up on things on Monday and hopefully we get the all-clear on that, that he can go back to full training but we are not quite there yet.”