Joe Shaughnessy has been given a major boost as the captain has returned to light training with his Dundee squad.
The Dark Blues skipper has been out since April when he suffered an ACL injury in a match against Rangers. The experienced defender is now taking his final tentative steps as he prepares to make a full-on return over the coming weeks.
Dundee assistant manager Stuart Taylor confirmed: “He’s been touching the ball this week. He’s joined in with the lads very, very lightly. But it’s still good that he’s got that barrier, that he’s passed another stage in his rehab programme. It’s good for the other boys to see him because a lot of the newer lads have never seen him playing. When they see Joe about the dressing-room, the presence that he has in terms of the respect that he’s got from the rest of the group is incredible.”
The Irishman has remained a big part of the Dundee dressing room even when he was out injured. Manager Tony Docherty got him involved with the coaching during his rehab. Taylor knows having him out on the training pitch as a player will be even bigger.
Taylor added: “The lads are now starting to see him on the grass and on the pitch with us. So it’s great for that.
“And it’ll be great for the newer ones that have come into the group, having that voice, having that leader around them every day at training. He always wants to be involved because that’s what leaders do and that’s what captains do.
“But Joe’s one of those players that doesn’t need the armband to say he’s a captain or a leader. The stuff that he gets involved with on a daily basis about the football clubs is fantastic. As coach or managers, it is players like that you want to be working with.
“Seeing him back now is great. Seeing him on the grass about a month ago was brilliant when he was back running, but now that he’s actually touched the ball and he’s back in with the group, it’s another step forward. It’s great for us, it’s great for him, it’s great for the club.
“And we’re just looking forward to having him when he’s really back fully training and close to coming back to games. So we’re looking forward to that.”