Aberdeen midfielder Stuart Duff has pencilled in a return to first-team contention for the beginning of January. The 26-year-old said of his comeback prospects: "At the moment, my main concern is just to get my fitness back, I have not set myself a definite date.

"That is just in case something happens and I have a couple of days where my knees are sore again. But I had the operations four weeks ago on Saturday, and the specialists say it takes six to eight weeks to heal.

"So fingers crossed, if everything goes okay it could be just a couple of more weeks before I am back."

Duff, who joined Aberdeen from Dundee United in January, added: "My knees became so painful I could hardly walk or drive after training.

"Originally, my intention was to see it through until the end of the season and then get the operation. But it got so bad I quickly realised I could not go on any more."