Defender Grant's return delayed by a week

The centre half was pencilled in to feature against Dundee United at The Falkirk Stadium tonight (Tuesday), but he won’t feature – at the player’s request.

It all stems from a back strain the defender picked up during his rehabilitation work – and not to do with with the knee injury and surgery which have kept him out since the end of January.

Boss Peter Houston explained: “We have spoken about it and he would rather put another week of training in his legs.

“It was planned – from him and from ourselves to be the Dundee United game – but Peter, simply because of the back injury and his lack of training that week because we told him to lay off it, we’ve decided to delay it a week. He is playing at Hamilton in the under-20s next week.

“It’s absolutely nothing to do with his leg. I think he just wants another week.”

The Bairns boss reckons Grant is capable of playing, and the defender’s rehabilitation and return to fitness which has taken him from London-based specialists, early recovery at Fulham FC and then a return to Falkirk was on course until a back strain picked up in the gym stalled his progress by a few days.

“By the looks of him in training he could play [against United] but I’m not going to rush him at all,” added the Falkirk boss.

“He’s in, he’s doing full contact and it’s simply he doesn’t want to let himself or anyone down on the fitness side. He’s a big honest guy and he’s fit, but if he wants this extra week he’ll get it.

“We’ve said all the way through we’re not going to rush him and let’s be honest – the team has won the last five so there is no rush in that respect and we can bed him in gradually.”