Toshney to be ‘pushed a wee bit’ in return bid

DUNDEE UNITED: Neilson determined injury-plagued star can get back to his best for Tangerines

Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson has backed defender Lewis Toshney to return sooner rather than later.

Neilson has revealed Toshney will now be “pushed a wee bit” in a bid to have him back available for the Tangerines for the first time since he played against Inverness on October 21 2017.

There were fears that Toshney’s career was at risk when he came off injured while on loan to Arbroath back in July.

A serious knee injury was followed by an ankle problem but the 26-year-old has dug in and got himself back among the main group at United.

Neilson will now step up his recovery, saying: “Toshney is back in, which is great.

“He has trained with us a little bit and he will get pushed a wee bit.

“When I first came in he was getting back to fitness and he was training with the first team all the time and was starting to play parts in wee bounce games.

“Then obviously he had a different injury – he twisted his ankle – and it took him back out again,” added Neilson, who considered signing Toshney when he was in charge at Hearts.

“I know him as a player and I know what he can do at this level,” added the Tannadice boss.

“I think if he can get himself fit he will be an asset. I have known him for quite a long time.

“I looked at him when at Hearts and I really liked him but we just felt at the time that he was coming in at right-back and we had Callum Paterson and Liam Smith so he wasn’t going to get the game time.”

I know him as a player and know what he can do at this level. ROBBIE NEILSON

Picture: SNS. On the comeback trail: Lewis Toshney has not played for United since October 2017.