Craig Halkett: Hearts defender returns in time to dream of 'best season' with cup win

Andy Halliday, Craig Halkett and John Souttar have all recovered from injury

Heart of Midlothian's Craig Halkett says going from Rangers reject to cup final winner over his former club would complete "the best season I've had".

Only a month ago, it was thought the 26-year-old centre-half would not make Saturday's Scottish Cup climax at Hampden because of an ankle injury.

It looked like he would need surgery after going off after 50 minutes of Hearts' semi-final win over Hibernian.

"I am really delighted to be back and fit just in time," he said.

"It's been a great season for everyone involved with Hearts and it would've been a real shame if I was to miss out on the biggest game."

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Halkett was told to work hard on building up the strength in his ankle and it paid off with his return to action in the final 15 minutes of Saturday's 3-1 defeat at home to Rangers in the final game of the Scottish Premiership season.

"I thought I had no chance of getting back for the final and, after speaking to doctors, physios, specialists, we realised there would be a small chance," he said. "After that, it was about trying to make sure there were no hiccups and everything went as smoothly as it could - and, if anything, it was ahead of schedule."

John Souttar also made his return from injury on Saturday against the team he will join this summer, while fellow defender Michael Smith and midfielders Cammy Devlin and Andy Halliday have recovered from spells on the sidelines.

"Thankfully, a lot of the boys have started to come back and into good shape at the right time," Halkett said. "So I think it's all coming along nicely at the right time.

"Whatever happens at the weekend happens, but for myself, it's obviously been my best season to date - finishing third in the Premiership, guaranteed European football and getting that Scotland call-up was an immensely proud moment for me."

It is a far cry from when then Rangers manager Mark Warburton told a group of youth players, including the 19-year-old Halkett, they had no future at Ibrox.

The centre-half next found himself being relegated to League 1 with Livingston and "wasn't sure where my career was going to go at that point".

Two successive promotions with the West Lothian club, a move to Tynecastle and his first call up to Scotland's senior squad in March have him dreaming of lifting the Scottish Cup before joining Steve Clarke's national team for the World Cup play-off semi-final with Ukraine and possible final against Wales.

"Being out injured, I thought at that point it would maybe be a bit out of reach," he added. "Coming back fit in time for the final, you never know what could happen, but at the moment I'm just trying to win that cup for Hearts."