ALLAN JOHNSTON is hoping to win back his place in Berti Vogts' Scotland squad after agreeing a three-year deal with Kilmarnock.
The winger, 30, rejected approaches from north and south of the border to be reunited with Jim Jefferies, who was in charge of Hearts during Johnston's time at Tynecastle. He is the sixth former Hearts player to be signed by Jefferies for Kilmarnock.
Johnston had been seeking a new club since his contract with Middlesbrough expired at the end of last season. In effect, he has not been a settled first-team regular since his 1998/99 season with Sunderland.
Johnston, capped 19 times, was loaned out to Birmingham City and Bolton Wanderers before moving to Rangers in 2000. After just over a year he joined Middlesbrough for (pounds) 600,000 but made just 13 starts in three years, spending six months on loan with Sheffield Wednesday.
Having endured such an uncertain existence, Johnston is happy to have the opportunity to revitalise his career.
''There were a couple of clubs in England interested and there were a couple of options to come back up the road as well,'' he said. ''But, if I was coming back to Scotland, I said I would come to Kilmarnock because I had worked with Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown before.
''I want to play for Scotland again, but the main thing is, hopefully, playing regularly again, playing well and enjoying my football again. Hopefully, the Scotland thing will follow on from that.''
Jefferies said: ''I have been interested in Allan since the start of the summer. I thought our chance had gone, so this is a bit of a coup for the club.
''He has benefited from a couple of good moves in the past and has been sensible with his money, so he made it clear to me that playing football was the most important thing.
''I don't know if anyone would have been able to match the contract he was on at Middlesbrough, but there were another couple of Scottish clubs interested from whom I would think he could have earned more.
''Allan had told me that if he wanted to come back up to Scotland then he would speak to me first. I am delighted that he stuck to that and we were able to agree something.''
Johnston is line to make his debut against Celtic at Rugby Park on Saturday. Jefferies added: ''His fitness is excellent, he has done a bit of light training with the squad and we hope to give him a run-out for the reserves. He is very much in my thoughts for the weekend.''
Kilmarnock have also turned down an undisclosed offer from Boston United for Kris Boyd.
lCraig Gordon, the Hearts goalkeeper, signed a new extended contract yesterday and immediately set his sights on becoming a Scotland squad regular.
The 21-year-old has agreed to stay at Tynecastle until 2007. He said: ''It is good to get my future sorted out the way I wanted,'' said Gordon.
''Hopefully my performances with Hearts will help the Scottish situation.
''I have to show I deserve to be No.1 at Tynecastle first and I won't be relaxing despite signing the extended contract. I have improved as a player but I am not the finished article.''
lInverness Caledonian Thistle were yesterday forced to apologise for a season-ticket shambles. With their first ''home'' game at Pittodrie on Sunday, the club admitted ticket books would not be ready in time.
Fans who have bought them will instead be given special tickets for Sunday's visit of Dunfermline and the game with Celtic seven days later.
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