Aidan White is poised to make his first competitive start in over two-and-a-half years. Picture: SNS Group

The Englishman joined Hearts in March but has not played competitively since January 2017 due to horrendous injury problems at former club Barnsley. He was an unused substitute at Pittodrie and is now primed to start at Tynecastle Park this weekend.

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Hickey, 17, was sent off for two cautions in the opening Premiership match and that has created an opportunity for 27-year-old White. His only first-team outing since arriving in Edinburgh was 45 minutes in a pre-season friendly against Glenavon in Lurgan last month.

Manager Craig Levein has refused to rush the defender back into action but may now decide to call upon him against County. His other option for left-back is the Northern Irish teenager Bobby Burns, who was not in the matchday squad at Aberdeen.