| Ritchie, who has yet to play under Craig Brewster, limped off against Falkirk on January 15 and had a setback on his return to full training last week when he suffered a reaction to increasing his workload.
Although this afternoon’s reserve game at Dunfermline was called off due to a frozen pitch, it would have come too soon for him. But the former Hearts man should feature for the second string against Kilmarnock in seven days’ time.
And his boss is hopeful of seeing him at first-team level in the not too distant future.
“Paul did all the work in training yesterday and seems to have come through it OK. If there are no further setbacks, he should be ready for the reserves next week,” said Craig.
Although Ritchie, Jim McIntyre and suspended pair Grant Brebner and Mark Kerr will not feature against Kilmarnock this weekend, the manager is pleased to see every member of the playing staff out on the training pitch right now.
“I am the only one who has not been able to join in with the squad and that is the first time that all the players who were here when I have arrived have been training.”
While he is some way behind the rest, Craig himself is making good progress now that the plaster is off his broken leg and has been doing some light work.
“I have been doing some jogging and the leg has felt fine. It will still be next season before I am back, but it is nice to be able to do some work again.”
Tickets for the visit of Rangers on Sunday, April 2, are on sale from Tannadice. Fans should note that game has a 3 pm kick-off and not the usual 2 pm start for games being shown by Setanta. |
