Driver looks to hit road

OLDHAM-BORN wing wizard Andrew Driver looks set to hit the road in the January transfer window after revealing he wants to leave Scottish Premier League outfit Hearts.

The 24-year-old, who lived in Oldham until a move to Scotland when he was 11, was axed from Paulo Sergio’s squad to face Dunfermline at the weekend. He wants to switch clubs in the hope playing more first team football.

Manager Sergio confronted Driver on the morning of the match — which Hearts won 4-0 — about quotes attributed to Scott Fisher, the player’s agent. When Driver confirmed the quotes were true, and he did wish to leave Tynecastle despite having 18 months left on his contract, Sergio removed him from the squad and said: “He’s a good player and I think he has things that can help us. I don’t want anybody who is not involved 100-per-cent with Hearts.”

Former England under-21 star Driver, who spent a short time at Athletic’s centre of excellent, has made only eight appearances this term, mainly from the substitutes’ bench, after suffering a string of injury setbacks.

Driver is not expected to be the only departure when the January transfer window opens. Hearts are in crisis, with reports of first team players receiving wages late.