Miller may be answer for Robbo

MARK BONTHRONE

LEE MILLER can be the answer to Hearts’ striking problems this season, former Falkirk team-mate Kevin McAllister insisted today.

The 21-year-old has joined the Jambos on a four-month loan deal from English outfit Bristol City and the move could become permanent depending on how he does during his time in the Capital.

McAllister spent a season with Miller at Brockville when he first broke into a struggling Bairns side and watched him score 11 goals in his debut campaign despite the team finishing second bottom of the First Division.

Although McAllister ended his love affair with Falkirk at the end of that season, he witnessed enough from the then 18-year-old to know that he had the ability to make a name for himself in the game.

The following season Miller’s 19 goals helped fire the Bairns to the First Division championship and attracted the interest of Bristol City who splashed out £325,000 to lure him to Ashton Gate.

And although his two-season spell south of the Border hasn’t worked out as Miller would have liked, McAllister believes the capture of the striker will prove to be an excellent bit of business by the Jambos.

"Lee was just a young lad coming through when I was at Falkirk but because the club was struggling a bit for money we were forced to play him and guys like Mark Kerr earlier than we would maybe have liked," he said.

"I played up front for a time with Lee and even at 18 he was good in the air, could hold the ball up well and could score goals.

"He came into the team when we were struggling but to be fair he took it in his stride and turned in some really good performances.

"His attitude was always spot-on and he worked hard in training to make sure that he improved all the time.

"I know things haven’t really gone that well for him at Bristol but he’s just been making appearances here and there and what young players need is to be playing every week.

"If he can get that at Hearts I have no doubt he can sore goals for them and I’m sure the fans will warm to him quickly as he always gives 100 per cent in every game."

McAllister believes that the player’s switch from Falkirk to Bristol probably came too soon although he admits, that at the time, he felt it was the right one.

"Some people questioned Lee going to Bristol but I’ve played down there with Chelsea and they are a big club, with a good support and a wee bit of money so I thought it was a good move.

"However, he was still a young lad and moving away from Scotland, trying to adapt to a new style of football and being a relative unknown down there was, in hindsight, maybe a bit much.

"I kept a close eye on his career and he did well to start with before an injury kept him out of the team. Bristol had four or five strikers and he struggled to get back in the team and when you are young you need to be playing.

"So while the move to Hearts will be good for the club it will also benefit Lee.

"I don’t know if he will return to Bristol afterwards, stay at Hearts or move on elsewhere but the fact he is likely to get more games will help.

"The season after I left Falkirk he played with Owen Coyle and it was no coincidence that he scored more goals as he will have learned a lot from Owen who is a great role model.

"He stalled a bit at Bristol but Hearts also have some very good experienced players who play at international level so hopefully he can continue to learn his trade at Tynecastle."

Meanwhile, McAllister, who resigned as boss of Albion Rovers recently, revealed he is keen to get back into the game although acknowledges he will have to bide his time.

"I’m just chilling out at the moment," he said.

"It’s hard to get back into the game when you are out of it, although it is something that I am hoping to do eventually.

"But for that to happen somebody is going to have to lose their job and I would never wish that on anyone.

"Within about 25 minutes of me leaving Albion Rovers the club had something like ten applications for the position which shows you how cut-throat the game is!

"But until something comes up I’ll just have to bide my time and hopefully when the right opportunity comes up I will be successful."

Taken from the Scotsman