Hearts rival worked 'hard' to replace Tynecastle star with ex-Jambo, ex-Hibs ace nearly over injury nightmare
A Hearts summer signing could have his replacement found in an ex-Jambo - as a former Hibs star battles to overcome fitness torment.
Former Hearts academy graduate Sam Nicholson has been described by Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell as a player with all the qualities to eventually replace Blair Spittal after his high-profile summer move to Tynecastle over the summer.
Spittal fired in nine goals and 11 assists from 37 appearances during a highly-productive final season at Fir Park before joining Hearts on a free transfer.
Nicholson, who made over 100 league appearances for the Jambos between 2013 and 2017, enjoyed spells at Minnesota United, Colorado Rapids and Bristol Rovers before returning closer to home with a move for Fir Park earlier this year in January on an initial loan deal which was eventually made permanent in the summer.
The Edinburgh born winger showed signs of promise in the second half of last season, with two goals in 17 appearances, but his progress has been hampered by a long-term knee injury in recent months.
Nicholson made his first appearance of the season in a seven-minute cameo from the subs bench last time out against St Mirren and hopes to be an important part of Kettlewell’s team moving forward.
When discussing Nicholson, Kettlewell explained: “I worked really hard to get Sam to sign here — obviously on a loan initially then to sign him permanently. For me, losing the likes of Blair Spittal, I felt we were bringing in a player with a lot of similar qualities. He's someone who can be creative, someone with an eye for a pass and someone who can score a goal. He scored a couple of fabulous ones for us last season.
“So I'd been desperate to get him involved and desperate for him to get a full pre-season and get through that. Sometimes it doesn't work out that way but we know how good a player Sam is. It's not just about getting him back into our squad — it's about trying to make sure we can keep him in there. We have to manage the situation, get him up to optimum conditioning and make sure when he comes into the team he can stay in.”
Ex-Hibs ace looks to bounce back from injury nightmare
Former Hibs winger Kyle Magennis made his long-awaited return to the pitch for Kilmarnock as a substitute during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Dundee United.
The Kilmarnock man has struggled for game time since leaving Easter Road in 2023 and was limited to just eight league appearances in his first term at Rugby Park.
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes said: “Getting Kyle back on the pitch is huge for us and it's great to see him after what he's had to endure. He has a calmness in possession and is still a goal threat, someone who can get in the box.
“For the penalty, he got in the box and kept it alive for us. Kyle has that quality and he can play various positions, but what he needs is a fair run at it to stay fit because he can be a big player for us. That's why we signed him.”