KELTY HEARTS boss Kevin Thomson has hailed Max Kucheriavyi as a "special young human being" and hopes he'll return to his parent club a better player.

The 19-year-old joined the New Central Park club in February on loan until the end of the season from Premiership side St Johnstone, and wrote himself into maroon folklore by scoring the goal that clinched the League Two title.

His decisive header against Stenhousemuir last month ensured that Kelty won a second successive promotion, having made the step up from the Lowland League last year, and ensure Thomson collected a title in his first season as a manager in the senior game.

Kucheriavyi, who also spent time on loan at Brechin City this season, has also had to deal with the impact the conflict in his homeland of Ukraine has been having on his family.

Born in Kyiv, the midfielder has relatives in the city, and opened up bravely last month on the "humanitarian catastrophe" that his family and friends, some of whom are based in the east of the country, are going through following the Russian invasion.

He spoke of "sleeping much less" than normal, but also the support he has received from people in Scotland.

Kucheriavyi started an online fundraising page to help charities supporting aid efforts in Ukraine, which saw donations of more than £5,700 received, while players from both sides, and match officials, stood side-by-side ahead of a game at Stenhousemuir with the flag of his country, with supporters also urged to donate to his fundraiser.

Following that match, Kelty's sporting director, Andrew Barrowman, described him as a "special talent" and "a real special human being", and paid tribute to his mental strength.

Callum Davidson, his manager at his parent club, recently said that Kucheriavyi could "be proud" after a loan spell that he believes has been of benefit to the player, who "has now become a contender for the first team for next season" at Saints.

When asked about Davidson's comments, following Kelty's recent game with Edinburgh City, Thomson said: "He's a big talent.

"I said it after Stenhousemuir; he's a wonderful lad. He's a proper gent, a proper, special young human being, minus the football player.

"He's a talented boy and we, hopefully, have given him a platform to showcase that. Hopefully, he's learned a wee bit, and the standard that we play at and that the way we like to play would suit him, and hopefully we're sending him back to Callum a better player."