DONS die-hard Stuart Duff played through the pain barrier for the club he loves, but he is now close to a first-team return after knee ops forced on him by Jimmy Calderwood.
The 26-year-old midfielder is hoping to be back in first-team contention at the beginning of January following surgery on both knees last month.
And yesterday he revealed that he was happy to battle on in agony for his hometown club until Dons boss Calderwood ordered him to go under the knife.
He said: "Originally, my intention was to see it through until the end of the season and then get the operation.
"But it got so bad I quickly realised I could not go on any more.
"I had the operations four weeks ago on Saturday and the specialists say it takes six to eight weeks to heal.
"Fingers crossed, if everything goes okay, it could be just a couple of more weeks before I am back."
Meanwhile, Aberdeen forwards Sone Aluko and Jamie Smith have returned to training ahead of Saturday's trip to Inverness.
Aluko was thought to be out until 2009 but has made a quick recovery and should certainly be fit in time for the crunch meeting with Hearts at Pittodrie on the 27th.
