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December

December 31st - Kevin Cuthbert, who ended up playing on Saturday at only an hour's notice has been speaking of the team's performance at the Death Star. He said, "After losing that early goal I think the players did really well to keep Rangers at bay and I think players like Nick Dasovic and Stuart McCluskey were immense. After beating Motherwell and drawing with Hibs a good performance was needed to keep the momentum going-and that's what we produced. I think the momentum is still going, which we can now take into the Hearts game. We've got a big month coming up and a few more points will put a lot of pressure on the teams around us in the table.". In terms of his own contribution he was also fairly pleased. "It was good, really, because I didn't have time to worry about the match, and playing in front of nearly 50,000 people. I really enjoyed it. Alan Miller spoke to me before the match and said to me it's a no-pressure game and that if we lost an early goal I just had to keep going, stay confident and play my normal game.The manager told me he was looking for an experienced keeper when he came to the club and I accept that. If Alan's fit for Wednesday and he plays, then that's fine. I just hope that when I get my chances I play well and the manager knows that he can call on me when needed."
As well as Miller, Saints are fairly hopeful that Paddy Connolly will have recovered from his hamstring injury in time for the Hearts game. The Jambos are already set to be missing Niemi who's out with a broken finger.
Kenny Clark is in charge of the cup-tie this weekend. And if we don't deal with them straight away the replay at Pittodrie is set for Jan 15th at 7.45pm.
Finally Happy New Year to Saintees everywhere !!!

December 29th - Latest team news is that Alan Miller will face a late fitness test before the big game at the Death Star. Also doubtful is Paddy Connolly who is struggling with a hamstring injury. Starkers is still optimistic though, "You can say that you would prefer a game that on paper looks more winnable than this one On the other hand, nobody expects anything off of us and I am sure my players will acquit themselves well. There was great elation in our dressing room after the Motherwell game but I am happy to say that the spirit and attitude hasn’t changed much just because of one win-it has been consistent over the weeks."
And let's hear is for ""Rangers-daft" Peter MacDonald who is featured in the Retard today going on about his "boyhood heroes" although to his credit most of the talk is about Saints.
7.00pm - A Mols 2nd minute goal was enough for the points to stay at the Death Star as Saintslost 1-0 despite putting up a good performance. Man of the match was keeper Kevin Cuthbert(right) in for Alan Miller who failed a late fitness test. Starkers said, "There was a wee feeling there that we might have got something out of the game. I certainly wasn't feeling that after two minutes or whatever it was. But that makes me more delighted that we didn't crumble or fold. We kept our organisation and shape and had a couple of opportunities in the first half. It was a game where nobody expected us to get anything, especially as we had eight players injured and one suspended. We had to bring in a young goalkeeper and in the circumstances I'm delighted with the performance. I don't like saying that after a game we have lost but I think you have got to be realistic. Overall, I have no complaints."

December 28th - Saints have announced that they won't appeal over "Flash" Forsyth's red card which means he's automatically out of the Rangers match tomorrow. Stewart Duff said, "Ross was a bit impetuous and, whilst you could argue it might not have been a sending off, we will accept the referee’s decision."
Nick Dasovic has been called up by Canada for the Gold Cup games and will be missing from January 18th for at least 10 days.
For tomorrow, Alan Miller(right) will still play despite picking up a groin strain at Fir Park which curtailed his kicking (no major problem then). The manager said, "Alan hurt his groin in the first few minutes against Motherwell and I thought he was tremendous. His handling was impeccable and so was his judgment. He won't be 100 per cent fit going into the Rangers game but we'll take a chance with him."
Elsewhere, Tommy Løvenkrands(right) has been speaking of the prospect of facing brother Peter tomorrow. With a target of helping Saints out to get their first win at the Death Star in 40 years as well as really confuse the media as to which brother plays where, he said, "We've got a lot of big games to look forward to and it's been made easier by winning at Motherwell. Every point is going to count now. All the players were fired up on Boxing Day. We were well aware that if we are to dig ourselves out of the mess we've got ourselves into we needed a win. It's pulled us closer to the rest. There was no sign of nerves about the team. We felt we had something to prove. After the match there was a sense of relief but we were also a bit annoyed to lose a late goal. There's work still to be done but we've given ourselves a chance of getting back into it. We have to keep this going in the weeks ahead. It was an important game in midweek but now there will be others to come. Going to Ibrox will be a tough one for us but I made my debut there and we were unfortunate to lose 2-1. I watched their win over Hibs on television when I got home from Motherwell and Peter played very well. I'm delighted for him and hopefully we will start our first game on opposing sides. That would be nice for the family. We'll both be trying our best to win but we'll be on opposite sides of the pitch most of the time.There will be 50,000 Rangers fans at Ibrox but it's important we aren't intimidated. I enjoy the atmosphere of games in Glasgow. You seem to find more within yourself playing these matches against Celtic and Rangers."
It looks like a 3-man defence tomorrow with Willie Falconer possibly coming into contention for a place. Starkers is a realist though saying, "I hate the term squad rotation, as if it's just about keeping guys happy. Saturday matches tend to be about 14 players so at this time of year we're looking at 20 doing a job.I want a good performance in Glasgow. While I want to see us win there has to be a degree of realism. We have to acquit ourselves well and on the day that could be good enough to take something from the game. There's no point trying to kid people on that the way Rangers perform is irrelevant but we aren't travelling with a negative attitude and it's 11 versus 11. If we're set up properly, organised and decisive you never know what might happen. No one expects us to win so the pressure is on Rangers.". As for the Boxing Day win he said, "Well are a naturally aggressive side and we stood up to them. There wasn't a single player who let us down. Everyone contributed and won their individual battles. The only criticism I have is that we again created chances which we didn't tuck away. And there was a sense of disappointment that we didn't have another clean sheet. Our supporters deserve a great deal of credit for the backing they gave us all the way through the game. With Hearts and Aberdeen at McDiarmid next week, hopefully the home support will get right behind us because it definitely helps the players."

December 27th - While Saints are still enjoying their win it's good to see the Scotsman, Retard and Sun keeping up the tradition of inaccurate reporting. Little else to report with the media being slightly complimentary towards us for a change. Starkers isn't making too much comment on the "Flash" Forsyth red card saying "I'll wait until I see the video evidence. Ross, like all players in these situations claims he is innocent. I wasn't totally focused on the incident but it was in my eyeline. But the ref makes these sort of decisions and we just have to get on with it.". The other victim, Greg Strong is also apparently planning an appeal and said that "Forsyth is supposed to have tried to kick me but there was definitely no contact".
Finally commiserations to the woman that personifies Saints who has managed to join the ranks of the injured at the club - yup Aggie Moffat has broken her leg. Best wishes from the Temple for a speedy recovery.

December 26th - Right, the nice bit's over so it's time to get down to real graft for the Saints side as the proverbial "six-pointer" at Fir Park this afternoon beckons. Nick Dasovic(right) believes that a decent win today could act as the springboard for the rest of the season. He's due to make his 150th appearance for Saints today and said, "It is a milestone for me and I never thought I would stay so long, but hopefully I can mark it with a win. It is going to be a very tough game and they lost on Saturday which is a bit of a boost for us but an incentive for them to do that little bit better against us. It wasn’t the best game for us against Hibs but we got the point and we can climb from there. This Christmas period of four or five games will be vital, starting at Fir Park where we have to win. We don’t have to win all five games, but if we get our fair share of wins and minimise our losses we will be able to climb up the table. If we don’t win any games, though, we are talking about being in a really bad situation, so up to the end of January we can either turn our season around or be killed off. If we beat Motherwell then it is just a five-point gap and that is just two wins because other teams will drop points as well. I don’t think we need a fabulous run of five wins and, to be honest, that is not going to happen for us. But if we can maybe get a draw and a win or a couple of wins in a row we will be in a much better situation. But it is going to take a lot of work."
As expected there are no new injury worries and both Tommy Løvenkrands and "Flash" Forsyth are expected to make the side.
7.00pm - A nice wee Xmas present from the boys saw goals from Grant Murray(right) and Peter MacDonald give us a good 2-1 win at Fir Park to narrow the gap at the bottom to 5 points, although it was marred with the sending-off of "Flash" Forsyth. After the game a chuffed Starkers said "It was a magnificent performance. There's long way to go but getting the win has given us the confidence and there's a buyancy in the dressing room now. Hopefully there will be more points to come with a bit more rub of the green. I don't think Motherwell will be the only tem involved, it's only December and a lot can happen yet but that's the nature of the game. The players deserve great credit today and I'm delighted for them and I'm delighted for the fans that travelled through."

December 24th - Nothing much in the papers following the draw with the media more concerned with Hibs losing form than Saints showing some. Nick Dasovic made an appearance in the paper talking about the "quiet Xmas parties this year" (so no more Charliegate-type incidents then). He's also spoken of his desire to possibly keep on playing in Scotland for another year (which would also allow him to gain dual citizenship with the UK and Canada) although whether or not that will be with Saints remains to be seen. All talks about a new deal are on hold until we're sorted apparently.
Let's here it for the in-depth reporting in the Sun and Retard today with the former opting for singling out Rachid for a total slagging (and rating him as our worst player) and the latter more concerned with commenting on Saints giving the media boys an Xmas drink post-match on Saturday. Sometimes it seems we can't do anything right.
Injury-wise it's unlikely we'll see any new faces at Fir Park. Both Tommy Løvenkrands and "Flash" Forsyth saw their injuries flare up a bit on Sunday, although the former is confident of Saints turning things round "We go to Motherwell on Wednesday and if we win that game we're right back in there."
Apart from that there's the usual bit about Saints training on Xmas Day (poor wee souls). Hopefully it means they can give us all some cheer on Boxing Day and win the so-called "six-pointer" at Fir Park. Starkers is looking for a bit of luck as well though. "Last week Motherwell managed to get another point with the late penalty against Rangers. That's the kind of thing we're looking for - a penalty here and there, the sort of thing which we've not had. Now we can go into the Motherwell game having picked up a point on them and hopefully we can go there in good heart. We'll be training as usual on Christmas Day but it will not be the first time that's happened."
Finally Merry Xmas from the Temple to Saints fans everywhere !!

December 22nd - Little in the way on team news for today's match against Hib - which I suppose can be seen by the optimists amongst us as also meaning there are no new injuries. Tommy Løvenkrands and John Paul McBride could both return to the side.
7pm - A good defensive performance (with only a few of the usual panicky moments) saw Saints draw 0-0 with Hibs. Martyn Fotheringham(right) played for the full 90 minutes in his first team debut. And with Well losing 3-1 at Tynecastle we've at least managed to narrow the gap to 8 points at the bottom although Wednesday's match at Fir Park takes on all the more importance. Definitely make or break time. Starkers said "I think a point was a fair result. We've played better in previous games and ended up with nothing. But we dug in and Hibs had a good period of 15 minutes in the second half when they had us on the rack. Alan had a great save off the bar and we were really resilient in that period. We threw ourselves in front of the ball, cleared our lines and I was pleased with that. We could have been in front at half time but Hibs had a lively second half and I was pleased we got a shut-out, and a point on the board. What's made it really difficult for us in management to build momentum with the players is where their performance has merited three points but they don't get it - and it's another defeat. At least when it's a draw, and they've got a clean sheet they can take a wee bit of heart from that."

December 21st - Saints have managed another PR disaster off the park. This time it's the Aberdeen cup-tie on Jan 5th. With the Sheep set to bring 5000 fans to McD (allegedly) the club have decided to give them the North and East Stands, and move all the home fans to the West and Ormond Stands. Chief executive Stewart Duff said, "After the draw was made, Aberdeen approached the club and advised that their travelling support for the game would likely be well in excess of 5000 and asked if the game would be made all ticket. After consultation with the police, and with crowd safety paramount, it became clear that the club was faced with two options-an all-ticket game or providing Aberdeen supporters with an additional area of the ground. The first option was considered but this would have resulted in many visiting fans being deprived of supporting their team, and would have meant our own supporters being required to purchase tickets for the game over the festive period." . Never mind the fact that season tickets are invalid, the club have yet again decided to alienate the majority of home fans who usually sit in the East Stand rather than (for a change), force the much smaller number of regulars in the West Stand to give up their precious seats. It's bad enough being treated like 2nd class citizens away from home (witness the Ibrox ticket allocation which sees us move to a corner of the Broomloan Stand), but when it's at home it does nothing to keep the supporter's faith with the club.
Back to the activities on the park though and Cap'n Jim has vowed to return as the "Masked Defender" within a month. He said, "I was attacking the ball at the back post. Willie Falconer was between myself and Kevin and after he got out of the way, Kevin tipped the ball away and his head hit mine. Out of all the injuries I’ve had-including my achilles injury-this was by far the worst for pain. It really was excruciating until I was given morphine at the hospital. I’ve been told by the surgeon, though, that I can keep training as long as I stay away from contact. Then in three weeks time I’ll be able to start the physical stuff if the surgeon can get a mask made up. The worst thing about this injury is that I’d just come back against Livingston, played well and got through the game OK without any problems. I’ve just got to get on with things, though. If it had happened last season I would not have missed any games because it would have been the winter break but, as it is, I’m missing a few important matches. The best remedy for me would be if the guys could win a few matches while I’m out."
Starkers(right), meanwhile is doing a Wiggy and giving us another lament about injuries. "We’ve actually been worse off in terms of numbers than we will be against Hibs on Saturday. Against Dundee two weeks ago we had 10 first team players missing. For little things you should be thankful!" . Of the current list only Tommy Løvenkrands looks like having any chance of playing tomorrow.
Finally some good news with Rachid opting to skip some Algerian friendlies over the Xmas period to play in our Xmas and New Year games.

December 20th - Skipper Jim Weir(right) has been ruled out for a month after another training ground clash (this time with Kevin Cuthbert) which resulted in the bid defender being rushed to A&E at the PRI where he was diagnosed with a triple cheekbone and jaw fracture. Starkers, who accompanied him said, "We seem to be getting two or three years’ worth of injuries out of the way in a matter of weeks. He went up for the ball with young Kevin Cuthbert and you could hear the collision. It’s terrible to see that sort of thing happen to a player and you could tell straight away it was a fracture. Everyone’s feeling so sorry for Jim just now."

December 19th - Confirmed referees for the festive period are John Rowbotham for the Boxing Day trip to Fir Park, Bobby Orr for the trip to Ibrox a week on Saturday and Willie Young for the 2nd January Hearts game at McD.
In the treatment room, the latest scan has shown that Graeme Jones' leg injury has healed and he's got the green light to start training. God knows when that means we'll see him play though. Also back in training is Tommy Løvenkrands after his groin strain.

December 18th - Departures first and the weekend apparently saw out-of-favour (and out-of-condition) midfielder Martin Lauchlan head to Dumbarton on loan.
A young Saints side lost 2-0 to Livvy in the U-21s last night.
On the park and the good news is that Mark Lynch(right) has NOT broken his ankle, instead it's just a bad sprain. He's back at Old Trafford for treatment and still looks to be out for 4-6 weeks though. "It's a huge relief to find out it's just badly sprained. My loan period is up near the end of January and I hope the Livvy game wasn't my last for Saints. When I saw the physio putting padding round the leg I thought it was broken. I thought my season was over and done with. Fortunately they gave me a painkiller and the rest of the day is a bit of a blur. When we got to hospital the leg looked as if a potato was growing on it. There was a huge, fat lump on the ankle and it didn't look good. I was completely out of it. I don't know how long I waited in casualty but a nurse had to wake me up during the X-rays. I'm going back to Manchester for treatment because Saints physio Nick Summersgill has enough on his plate. It will mean a quiet Christmas at home but I should be back in January. Hopefully the loan period will be extended." .
Finally the SPL have put Kevin Toner in charge this weekend.

December 17th - We're still awaiting confirmation but it looks like Mark Lynch has indeed broken his ankle. More than likely then this will mean a return south for treatment and the end of any possible extension on his loan deal to the end of the season (something which was looking more and more likely to occur).

December 15th - It's been confirmed that both Tommy Løvenkrands and John Paul McBride are ruled out with a groin injury and the flu respectively but other than that Starkers has a full squad to pick from for this afternoon's trip to "Ambitious" Meadowbank (who apparently play in shellsuit land now).
Paddy Connolly(right) has indulged in the tradition of praising the opposition before the game (just in case our confidence was getting up) saying, "They have some great players and the coaches are setting their stall out in a way which allows them to make the most of their ability. I have enjoyed watching them this season as, I am sure, have most people. The bottom line, though, is that we are at a stage where we have to start winning games if we are not to be relegated at the end of the season. We were very poor last Saturday (against Dundee) but prior to that we had shown the kind of determination we will need to get ourselves out of this situation. The wins against Kilmarnock gave us a real lift and if we could get something against Livingston it would do wonders for the confidence. As it goes, the spirit in the dressing room hasn’t been bad but everyone is aware of the seriousness of the position we are in, it is always there at the back of your mind. We are all determined to do everything we can to turn things around. For me that means taking the chances that come my way. I am getting into the right positions, which is something, but I need to start hitting the back of the net. I have only got two goals to my credit so far this season and that is not enough." . Still the spirit in the dressing room is high so that's all that matters.
Joining him on the confidence-boosting soapbox is our manager who said, "It is great to have so many experienced players back in contention-a big positive. If it was the Old Firm you'd hear all about it. We were down to the bare bones last weekend. The players were told the Dundee display wasn't good enough but we're hanging in there. Everyone forgets we had been playing well before the derby - but not me. I've reminded the players even the best have off-days. And if we win it would be a big result for us because nobody expects us to get anything." .
One player who will hopefully get a long-deserved starting spot in the side today is Rachid who is becoming so famous even the BBC are namechecking him (check here).
Off the park and the club have announced that tickets for the trip to Ibrox will go on sale priced £18 on Monday.
19.00 - Despite taking the lead through a cracking 30-yard Paul Hartley free-kick, Saints ended up losing 2-1 to "Ambitious" Meadowbank. And to add to that results elsewhere have seen us drop to 9 points adrift and Mark Lynch was stretchered off in the first half. Starkers said, "I think the players have given everything they've got in every game and again we probably should have got something out of today. We defended well in a general sense throughout the game but the two goals were definitely preventable. Every goal is preventable but they were particularly disappointing. We had possession in the middle of the park and lost it, then the next thing the ball is in the back of the net. The second one was a quick corner which kind of caught us by surprise. The delivery was good and they were fortunate to get someone on the end of it. We're creating reasonable chances in games - not as many as we'd like - but if you look at it we're not taking a big enough ratio of our chances. We've been defending well as a solid unit but we had one moment's aberration and got punished for it."

December 14th - With Saints quoted at 7-1 to become the 2nd team to win at Meadowbank this season, Starkers(right) knows thew odds are against us. "Statistics can be manipulated but in this case I think they give an accurate reflection of what has been going on. Livingston are enjoying a great season and exceeding all expectations. People talk about them having the element of surprise but they have a lot more going for them than that. They have got fast, skilful, attacking players, good experienced midfielders and some very strong defenders-in total, a very well-balanced team. We on the other hand have struggled, particularly away from home where the results have gone against us more often than not. Put the two together and you can see why the bookies have them as favourites. That doesn’t mean though that they are going to win." .
With a few more back from injury and international duty (although don't expec Rachid to start) thesquad is looking a bit healthier. The manager said, "You don’t like to go on about injuries but there have been times this season when, for one reason or another, we have been without as many as 11 players. "That is a whole team and a club of this size simply can’t manage to cope with so many absentees. While Tommy Løvenkrands remains very doubtful for the weekend, we are getting close to full strength, which is good news. If we go to Livingston and get a positive result then I have no doubts that we can get on the sort of run we need to take us off the foot of the division." . See it's not all doom and gloom.

December 12th - Starkers is looking at the transfer market to freshen up the squad but a new face for the weekend is unlikely (unless of course Rachid plays from the start). He said,"I can bring in one or two players and that’s something we are looking at although the weekend will likely come a bit quick" . No news on the injury front but Jim Weir and Paul Kane are thought to be in line for a starting place, whilst the others (including the badly-missed Tommy Løvenkrands) are said to be "improving".
Finally, Mike McCurry has been appointed the man to hate at Almondvale on Saturday.

December 11th - With the U-21 game being called off, Starkers is trying to arrange a closed-doors game this week to give some of the recovering players a run out. The bad news is that whilst he is recovering from his groin injury, Tommy Løvenkrands isn't expected to make it for the weekend, but the good news is that Graeme Jones(right) will be back in full training.
And the manager has been trying to find something resembling a silver lining from the weekend's debacle comparing it to the gubbing we received at Tynecastle earlier in the season. "I would say that there’s a comparison to be drawn there. There have been two bad games so far but in between there were possibly six or seven games where we played well and didn’t get as many results as we deserved. If we play eight or nine games and get seven good performances and two bad, then that’s not too bad really. What we have to do now is make sure that we bounce back as we did after the Hearts game and make sure that if there are times when we’re not playing well, that we don’t let ourselves get as low as we did on Saturday." . As for the cup-tie he said, "Obviously it’s not an easy tie for us. I suppose you only really know if it’s a good draw after the game. It’s a home game, though, and that’s the first thing any manager would ask for."
As for the rest of the battle to save our SPL status it looks like the veterans will be back in the team. Starkers said, "Experience is a good thing to have - the sooner these guys are back the better. It gives us more options and that is what we need."
One player who more than deserves a start in the side though is Rachid Djebaili who managed a full 90 minutes for Algeria last week and only missed out on playing on Saturday thanks to the French Air Strike. He said, "I'm positive in my mind - I never get down when I'm not picked. I need more games to show what I can do. I'm enjoying being here - the people of Perth have been very friendly to me. You have to be strong when you get your chance in the team - I came here to play in the first-team so I'll keep working on my game." . And he was full of praise for the management as well saying, "I think it is more professional now - he knows how to speak with the players, how to motivate us."

December 10th - Tonight's U-21 game against the Arabs has been postponed after McD failed an afternoon pitch inspection. Off the park there are rumours that Starkers is well pissed off with the players after Saturday and that several signings are on the cards although nothing concrete has emerged yet. Oh yeah and apparently the players had their Xmas night out on Saturday in Newcastle. No doubt they were on as much of a downer and depressed as the rest of us who are going to have to suffer the humiliation of yet another bloody week without a win after giving in so easily to a side who the players are supposed to get worked up about. Personally it's about as likely as the OF singing Xmas carols at a home game.

December 9th - The draw for the 3rd round of the Scottish Cup was made today and Saints are at home to Aberdeen on January 5th in one of only 2 all-SPL ties in the round. Still at least we avoided the OF this year !!!!
Today's SPL matches saw TFOD gub the Pars 4-0 and TFOE beat the Jambos 3-1.
On the transfer front, a report in the News of the World again links Saints with promising 20-yr old East Stirling defender Brown Ferguson. Ferguson is already apparently a target for Norwich City and Southampton and was linked with a possible move to Saints 18 months ago but today's report believes Starkers is "close to a deal this week".

December 8th - With his loan deal probably ending next month, Alan Miller has been taking time to thank Saints for giving him some first team action. "I was back down training with Blackburn in the middle of the week and it brought home to me just how lucky I am up here. This move has been a particularly enjoyable one for me as there are a really good bunch of lads at the club as well as an enthusiastic support. I don’t know what the future holds for me but as long as I am here I will continue to do my very best for St Johnstone. We are well aware this is a big one for them and it is something they deserve to see for all the backing they have given us during some difficult times this season. Obviously it won’t be easy because Dundee have some players of real quality but if we play to our capabilities then we are certainly capable of winning. We gave Celtic a good run for their money and they are side which won the treble last season."
7.00pm - A 2-0 defeat at home which was so humiliating it's hard to describe combined with results elsewhere means we're now 8 points adrift and looking certainties for the drop. Post-match the traditional insightful managerial comment was "It was a very poor performance from us and I think we got what we deserved. In recent weeks we have picked up some points and maybe deserved a wee bit more. But on this performance I just didn't see it coming and it was difficult to pick out any pluses or give the players any pass marks. If the other teams above us had put together a winning run then we'd get left behind. But we are in an area of the league where nobody is really doing that. We got the first home win and we were looking to progress from there against Aberdeen last week and come here and pick up something. But I'm not going to put my head in the oven because the players showed some form in recent games. Today they didn't do that and it's my job to make sure that we turn that around."...All I can say is time is running out.

December 7th- Not much in the way of team news today with Saints only saying that Tommy Løvenkrands and "Flash" Forsyth are both doubtful for the Scumdee match and face late fitness tests. "Tommy is really struggling. He hasn't been able to train." said Starkers.
Starkers has also taken the trouble to back the attendances at McD despite criticism from the rest of the SPL. "I think our fans are unfairly treated because we are a club in a town that has a population of 50,000. We have small surrounding areas as well which would suggest that we're not going to have the biggest crowds - that's the plain fact of life. But that doesn't mean that our supporters are any less passionate about their club than Rangers and Celtic supporters. They've give us great backing in the home games we've had here and I'm looking for that to continue."
On the team front one certain starter is Darren Dods(right). He said, "It has been very frustrating being a spectator in the last two games. I was very disappointed in myself, being sent off at Tannadice. I'm not a dirty player and it was my first red card since signing for Saints three years ago. I got involved with Jim Hamilton. There was a bit of a scuffle. I didn't think there was much in it but I have to admit television didn't do me any favours. I didn't think there had been any contact but it looked bad when I saw it on tv so I could have no complaints. Jim was sent off first but he was successful with his appeal and good luck to him. I was more annoyed with myself for getting involved. Hopefully it's something I have learned from."
Elsewhere and Rachid Djebaili played the full 90 for Algeria in their 1-1 draw with Ghana on Wednesday with no injuries. For the Coagies, Bible Juan and Walrus-face are set to play.

December 6th- Confirmation today that Benito Kemble's injury will keep him out for around 4 weeks.The big defender hopes the fracture on his ankle will heal naturally and he'll be back in action around Xmas. Starkers paid tribute to the player saying, "He's been playing with the injury for the last 3 or 4 weeks and it's typical of the spirit about the club that he didn't want to ease up".
Elsewhere andRoger "Ramjet" Risholt has reportedly headed back to Norway apparently "no better than what we've got" according to Saints.
Some good news on the selection front for Saturday with "Walrus-face" Caballero and Sara the Bible-Basher apparently injured and thus sparing Saints fans from their "wacky" antics.

December 5th- So much for any hope of Benito Kemble's injury being minor. The defender has an ankle fracture. He's been struggling for a few weeks but nobody at the club expected it to be this serious. He's definitely out this weekend as the club wait to see if an op is required. The only consolation is that Darren Dods is back from suspension.
Another doubt for this weekend is Tommy Løvenkrands(right) with his groin strain flaring up. The good news is that after 90 minutes in the U-21 game, both Paul Kane and Darren Jackson are both set to be included in the squad.
And after all the drugs scandals, Saints have confirmed that they are going to spend an estimated £10,000 per annum introducing random drug testing for all full-time players at the club with each player set to be tested at least once per year.
Finally the draw for the 3rd round of the Scottish Cup will take place at 12 noon on Sunday at Hampden Park. Expect Saints to get the usual easy draw against the OF.

December 4th- The good news today is that the expected scan on Benito Kemble's ankle will hopefully show that the injury isn't as serious as first thought. "The fear is it could be ligament damage but Benito has made good progress so we reckon he could be okay, It is always best to check though" said Starkers
Meanwhile Peter MacDonald(right) scored from a free-kick last night as the U-21s drew with Scumdee.
On the international front, Rachid Djebaili is in the Algerian squad to play Ghana tomorrow - he'll be back to torment the Ice Cream Boyz at the weekend though.
Finally the big news is off the park and the great CharlieGate scandal can finally be put to rest with Charlie One losing his unfair dismissal claim at a tribunal in Scumdee yesterday although he does apparently get 42 days to appeal (and no doubt we can expect another sob story in the press). The tribunal ruled that the club had not acted unfairly in sacking the player and the tribunal chairman said "He is a professional sportsman and we were of the view that he would have been in no doubt about the consequences".
Saints issued the following statement to the press: "The Board of St Johnstone FC is delighted with the Employment Tribunal verdict, which has upheld the Clubs decision to terminate the contract of former player, Kevin Thomas, over drug abuse allegations relating to an incident on 22nd December 2000. This unfortunate issue has been hanging over the Club for the past 11 months and hopefully this will see a line drawn under a rather sad episode. In particular, the Club welcomes the Employment Tribunal's clear indication that they found the evidence provided by Managing Director Stewart Duff, Director James Donnachie, Club Doctor Alistair McCracken, former Manager Sandy Clark and Physiotherapist Nick Summersgil(right) entirely credible.The Club would like to pay tribute to the professionalism, integrity and exemplary conduct of Nick Summersgil in trying circumstances. He has acted with the utmost dignity throughout this period. From the outset, St Johnstone FC has always been conscious of its hard won reputation as a family club with a strong accent on youth development, and has acted accordingly."
Stewart Duff commented that : "If Kevin had perhaps taken a different attitude I might have felt differently. But I don't have any real sympathy. I would like to see him get his career back on track. But neither player showed any remorse to Nick Summersgil, the physio, who had taken time to train them." On the wider issue of testing, the Saints chief is in favour of random tests. "We're not aware of other problems with drugs and we would be in favour of random testing by clubs. It might amount to a substantial four-figure sum on an annual basis. But at the end of the day it would be worth it. We're a family club, and when youngsters are at our club from Monday to Friday I would like their parents to feel they're in a good environment."
Oh yeah and in case you thought we were going to end today's round up on a high note Stuart Dougal is in charge of the game against Scumdee this weekend........

December 3rd- Despite Saturday's defeat, Willie Falconer is still convinced we'll pull through. "We didn't start the game well and we were a bit late putting them under pressure. We just needed a bit of luck with some of the chances at the end, but that's the way it's been going. It's been like that with the start of the season - not too many teams have given us a doing, there's normally been the odd goal in it. It's just a matter of time before things change and we get some luck on our side. Another day a couple of deflections go in - it's just one of these things. I thought we never played well - not as well as we've played in the last few weeks - but everybody's working hard and we deserve to get something in the end. Paul Hartley had a great free-kick which hit the bar but even the rebound came to one of their guys. There's a great spirit at the club - it's not as if we go out and say 'here we go again' and get beaten - there's a belief that we can get back into the pack and start worrying a few teams above us."

December 2nd- With most Saints fans out trying to drown their sorrows last night, Benito Kemble(right) was getting plastered elsewhere with the Saints defender falling victim to the Curse of the Centre'Half and leaving the land of the Sheep with his leg reportedly encased in the Paris variety to round of a wonderful day.

December 1st- Early reports on trialist Roger "Ramjet" Risholt(right) are mixed with Starkers reasonably happy with his performance but still criticising the player's lack of fitness - mainly due to his lack of match practice since the Norwegian season finished a few months ago.
Some good news though with on-loan youngster Mark Lynch keen to stay with God's Chosen Ones beyond the end of next month until the end of the season. He said, "I am thoroughly enjoying myself here and believe I am achieving all the goals I set myself when I came up north. That’s five games I have played now with something positive coming out of each one in terms of my performance. I am sure the first team experience will be of real benefit to me and I would have no problem staying here until the end of the season as long as that is what Man United want. The coaches down there keep in regular touch with me so they know that the move is working out pretty well." . Starkers said, "Mark’s done very well for us and if he is prepared to extend his loan deal then that is certainly a possibility we will look into. He is still under 21 so there wouldn’t be a problem on that score, it would just be a case of getting the other parties to agree. I think everyone can see the potential he has with his recent performances all the more impressive when you take into account the fact he has been suffering from a chest infection. Once he is completely clear of that I am sure we will see an even better player, one capable of making an even bigger contribution to the side."
On the team news front, Mark Lynch is 90% fit so should make it but of the injured doubts, Tommy Løvenkrands and "Flash" Forsyth all that the manager would say was "I am hopeful with one but the other is doubtful."
7.00pm - A fairly poor performance overall saw us lose 1-0 at Pittodrie with Winters getting the winner in front of a 17,000 crowd. Just to add to the worries, Benito Kemble was taken off in the first half with a head knock to continue the Curse of the Centre-Half. One consolation was that results elsewhere went our way and we're still only 7 points off the pace.
There was praise for Saints from Ebbe the Chainsmoker but it's not much consolation for Starkers who said "We didn't start the game well. Craig Russell could have had us one up and Paul Hartley hit the post with a free kick. Robbie Winters finished well but I don't think that's what he had in mind. Aberdeen were pacy and aggressive but we coped well with them. We can do better but we made enough chances today. We need to keep working. A couple of wins will make all the difference. I'm happy with the response from the players since I've come here but we haven't go the rewards we deserve." . Some hope but it has to be said that if these wins don't come this month then the season might as well be written off.

Top Of News

November

November 30th - Despite being up against a flock of Sheep on form, Saints and El Starko feel confident of getting a result at Pittodrie tomorrow. "With the run they are on up there, Aberdeen are going to be viewed as good things to win this one. Their fans all know we are bottom of the table and they will turn up expecting the Dons to beat us fairly easily. That’s fair enough but if that attitude spreads to the players then we could be in business as there is just not that much between the two teams. If Aberdeen are going to beat us then they will first have to match us in terms of hunger and work rate because, make no mistake, we want to win this one. We have won two of our last three games and are desperate to extend the sequence."
In terms of team selection, Free Wullie is available again but Darren Dods is still suspended. From last week's almost-injured players, Tommy Løvenkrands is fully fit but "Flash" Forsyth(right) is still troubled by a groin injury.
Meanwhile, Cap'n Jim will miss out after breaking his nose in training in a collision with Paddy Connolly. The skipper said, "I reckon this must be the sixth time I've broken my nose. I can't believe it."

November 29th - Starkers has joined in the praise of goalscorer Craig Russell. "Craig has had a difficult time here but he's a quality player. A few things went wrong when he joined Man City and a couple of loan spells didn't work out but he's got a good goals ratio wherever he's been and I think he can bring a lot to the team. I hope this is where he can get his career going again because he really deserves a break." . Apart from that there's little in the way of real news from the club.

November 27th - Saints have 22-yr old Norwegian midfielder Roger Risholt(right) over on trial this week. The player, available on a Bosman arrived yesterday after helping IK Start to promotion last season. Starkers said, "Roger comes highly recommended and we're pushing for international clearance."
Meanwhile last night's U-21 game saw Paul Kane and Darren Jackson continue their comebacks, whilst Stuart McCluskey and Cap'n Jim are also back in training. The manager said, "It will be good if we can get Darren and Paul back in our squad."
Off the park and Stewart Duff has said the club are planning further initiatives on the back of the free tickets scam to try and generate bigger attendances at McD. "We're always looking to increase our home support and will try various initiatives. But the best advert we can give is by playing attractive, winning football, and those who came along to see the Killie game must have been impressed."
Finally John Underhill is in charge of the visit to Sheepville at the weekend.

November 26th - Paddy Connolly(right) was praising Craig Russell for scoring a the weekend and saving him from a humiliation after his own misses. "It was just one of those days when nothing went right for me in front of goal. I missed a couple of sitters, but at the end of the day it was about the result and the boys are delighted. Craig’s come in and scored and that’s great for him. He has been out a long time with injury and maybe he can see light at the end of the tunnel after this. I think we could have won by four or five-obviously I missed a couple of great chances-but we got the result and I think we’ve maybe turned the corner now. We’ve got a bit of self-belief back. Our home form has been dreadful, to be honest, but hopefully we can build on this result. Like I said, we should have been three up in the first half, but I can’t recall Kilmarnock creating too much and we haven’t been able to say that about teams too often this season. The defence did really well. At the start of the season, as well as not scoring we were leaking a lot of goals as well, but the team’s performing and working hard and now we’re getting the rewards for it."
Not much else in the papers with the usual slaggings for the poor Saints home support (along with the just as usual lack of criticism for the poor away supports). On the injury front both Benito Kemble and Rachid have only picked up minor knocks and both will be fit for the weekend.
10pm - Tonight's U-21s game saw Saints draw 2-2 with Scumdee with both our goals coming from Rachid. So he's recovered then.

November 25th - Craig Russell is rather chuffed with himself for getting back on the scoresheet. "It is fantastic to get the victory and it keeps us in touch with the teams above us. I was looking at the scoreboard and could see Motherwell were winning so it was important that we got a good result. I was delighted to get the winner but there have been a few false dawns for me so I'll take one game at a time. I scored on my debut and got injured in the same game. Then I suffered knee ligament damage which kept me out for seven months so I'm taking nothing for granted. We can look forward to going up to Aberdeen next week. They've got a great record at home but have to lose sometime and hopefully we'll be there when they do."

November 24th - Nick Dasovic(right) has been praising the fans for their backing in recent weeks. "The crowds that have followed us recently have been absolutely fantastic. To have that kind of support, in the position we’re in, has been really good for the players. We’re always reading in the national Press about how we haven’t got the biggest support- and we don’t. But the fans we do have are great, and it’s time to start winning for them." . He is certain of one thing today - we need the win. "We’ve put in some good performances of late but we have to get some points now and gain ground on the teams above us before Christmas. We’ve talked about the good aspects of our play in the last number of games, and we say that because it keeps us positive. But the bottom line is that we’ll be far more positive when we see that we’re catching up with the teams above us. We’ve got to be careful about this game though. I think Kilmarnock have had a bit of trouble with their home crowd, but they seem more relaxed on the road. And games against them in my five or six years here have always been settled by the odd goal, so I’m sure this will be another close one."
As for the future, he might not be returning to the land of the lumberjack straight away. "I think I’d like to get more years out of my career here, be it at Saints or elsewhere, before going home. Football in Canada has taken a bit of a nosedive so it’s not the time to go back, either for coaching or playing. So I’d like to prolong my career here. The only thing on my mind just now, though, is helping the club stay up, then we can look further to the future."
Meanwhile despite the makeshift defence set to be fielded today, Starkers isn't making any excuses. , "I don’t want to build the situation into an emergency. It isn’t ideal but it’s not a crisis. Things are sent to test you sometimes and I think that’s what’s happening just now. If teams feel sorry for themselves and think that things aren’t going to happen for them, they won’t. But if they keep believing they’ll definitely get their rewards. I don’t sense any anxiety amongst the players-that hasn’t shown in our play over the last few weeks- and we’re going into this match with confidence."
7.00pm - After dominating for the 90 minutes only to miss plenty of chances Saints still managed a 1-0 win over Killie thanks to a 12th minute Craig Russell(right) drive in front of a noisy and loyal home support. Starkers was happy as well especially with the makeshift defence. "We didn't create as many chances as we have done in the past. We don't look anxious though, except when we get the ball into the box. We're defending reasonably well and that will be the base for any success.". He also revealed that both Tommy Løvenkrands (called "Peter" by his manager) and "Flash" Forsyth both just passed late fitness tests to play. Unfortunately results elsewhere mean we're still 7 points behind the pack.

November 23rd - It's looking more and more like a back 4 tomorrow with Stuart McCluskey and Cap'n Jim having only done light training this week. Neither has been completely ruled out but it's certain that Grant Murray(right) will partner Benito Kemble in defence. If we are sticking to 3 centre-backs it could mean that whoever joins them won't be a recognised defender. Starkers said "We could change our shape or bring in players to that part of the team who are not recognised centre backs. This is far from ideal."
Saints are looking for a decent crowd tomorrow with 1000 free kids tickets already distributed to try and boost the crowd. With defensive changes being forced upon Starkers, both Darren Dods and Free Wullie (who looks set to get an even longer ban soon as his points tally up) are set to be disciplined by the club for causing the problems. The manager said, "From a manager's point of view it's disappointing. Discipline is going to be very important as the season progresses We had anticipated that Willie would be dealt with further down the line and would be available for Saturday. He was reported by the referee rather than shown a red card. But there's nothing we can do so we just have to forget it." He's also expecting a different game from the one a fortnight ago but is looking for at least the same amount of effort from the lads. "There will be personnel changes on both sides and this is a completely different game. I wouldn't read any positives or negatives into the fact that we're playing each other again so quickly. I'd like to think our recent performances have instilled some belief in the supporters and while I know it's sometimes easier to make themselves heard away from home I can't underestimate how important a role they have in games. I know they can point to eight months without a win at home but it's my job to make sure the effort and commitment which went into games against Rangers and Celtic is repeated against Killie. They aren't being allowed to step off the gas. In fact, if anything we are looking for even more from the players."
Tommy Løvenkrands(right), who scored a double last time we won at home is full of confidence though. "It's definitely too long for supporters to wait. But we have been producing good and consistent standards recently and I'm confident we can reward them for their loyalty. We have to stop the stupid mistakes which have been costing us goals but the fans have stood by us for a long time now and they deserve a reward. I believe we will win this game against Kilmarnock. Winning at Rugby Park was a huge result for us and three more points on Saturday would give us another boost. We believe in ourselves and we're all working hard for each other. It was disappointing to lose the derby because we felt we deserved a point. Maybe it was silly for Willie to let his frustration spill over. But it shows just how disappointed we all were. It shows the commitment and passion that's driving us forward."
Finally, Rachid is on Algerian duty again in 10 days time. He won't miss any SPL matches though with the fixture coming between the Aberdeen and Dundee games.

November 22nd - More bad news for Starkers(right) today with the news that Free Wullie has picked up a ban and will miss this Saturday's game creating what could be summed up as a defensive nightmare. Originally the manager believed that the player was being reported for dissent and would only pick up a yellow card but the referee's report reveals that he's been charged with using offensive language and gets an automatic red. He said, "This is not the news we expected to hear and I must say I am very disappointed indeed. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do about it now, we just have to abide by the decision and get on with things as best we can."
Meanwhile Starkers is looking for more goals from the front men to take the pressure off the defence. "We've been creating decent chances but we have to show some more composure in the final third. The way we've been playing is encouraging but the players have to believe in themselves a bit more. Hopefully confidence will soon return if we start to knock in a few goals."

November 21st - Nick Dasovic has rushed to clarify his comments about the great club vs country debate. Despite earlier reports the midfielder has made it clear that before he even considers going to the Gold Cup it will all depend on Saints' league position at the time and if he can be spared.
Stuart McCluskey and Cap'n Jim are still rated "very doubtful" for the weekend but there is some better news with Paul Kane(right) coming through his first training session yesterday. Starkers said he "came through training with no adverse reaction. We’ll take things from there." . Also on the injury front is the news that Goalden Graeme is targetting next week for a resumption of training.

November 20th - Starkers has finally spoken out on the Tannadice Tunnel Incident believing it was nothing really. With Willie Falconer in trouble and likely to occur a booking for dissent, the manager said "I was there at the time and all that happened was that Willie was five or 10 yards away from the linesman going up the tunnel and turned round and made a comment which the linesman chose to make something of".
Darren Dods is definitley ruled out through suspension this weekend and is more than likely to miss the trip to Pittodrie on December 1st. Even worse is the news that Stuart McCluskey has picked up a groin strain so despite his ban being over may miss out. Starkers is still optimistic though saying "The players gave us everything and if they keep doing that they’ll get their just reward -something I don’t think they’ve have from the past six games"
There was no U-21 match yesterday. New Broomfield was waterlogged so the game against TFOE was postponed.
Alan Freeland has been appointed ref for the game this weekend.

November 19th - Nick Dasovic(right) could be set to add to Saints problems. The Canadian internationalist is likely to be called up for the Confederations Cup which runs from January 18th to February 2nd. He said "The Gold Cup is like your European Cup (Championships). It’s a big event because you’ve got teams like Mexico, Ecuador, the USA and Costa Rica, who have all qualified for the World Cup, taking part. We won it not too long ago and that was terrific for us. Canada don’t get that many games so it’s a huge thing and getting called up for your country is a great honour. It’s a difficult situation if your club has vital games to play at that time and are maybe involved in a relegation battle. If I get called up I will decide then what to do but a club versus country situation is a tough one to be involved in."
No word on the fate of Willie Falconer although he's likely to be in deep brown stuff after being called to the referee's room on Saturday accompanied by Starkers. Nobody is sure about the incident but it's reported that he "verbally abused the assistant referees" as they left the pitch.
Finally, for the older fans, there's a new site detailing St Johnstone Memories from the days of black & white.

November 18th - Little in the papers today although there are reports of an alleged incident in the tunnel after the game with Willie Falconer reportedly called to the referee's room. Starkers has tried to play it down saying that "football is an emotional game". As yet we don't know if any action will be taken.

November 17th - No new team news today but the match previews quote Paul "JR" Hartley(right) as saying that the players want to win this one "for the chairman". The winger, enjoying a return to form is also grateful to Starkers. "Under Sandy Clark I'd lost all my confidence but the new boss has given me a chance and I want to repay him". As for the manager his pre-match talk will apparently be limited. "All I'll do is remind the players what that winning feeling was like last week. That should be enough."
Meanwhile druggie George O'Boyle is apparently "opening his heart" on Sportscene at lunchtime today. Expect plenty of laughs.
7.00pm - Saints lost a bad-tempered derby match 2-1 at Tannadice with Darren Dods also given a straight red card for pulling the Elephant Man's trunk. To add to his misery he was probably at fault for the 2nd Arab goal due to an inability to change his boots in less than 5 minutes. It was a good performance by Saints backed by a massive travelling support who saw Paddy Connolly get our goal. After the game the manager said "Over the context of the match I feel we should have had something out of the game. We hit the woodwork twice and had the better of the first half. At the time they scored the first goal, they were enjoying a good spell but it was our poor defending which caused it. For the second goal, Dods had a problem with his boot and it's always a difficult decision whether to change it. He changed boot a couple of times but it's unfortunate that the cross came into the area he was defending. But even at the death we were creating a few things around their goal so it's not desperate." . He refused to comment on the red card.

November 16th - Starkers, after surviving the Game of a Thousand Deaths last week is out to keep the unbeaten run going as Saints get their tetanus jabs updated prior to entering the fleapit of Tannadump tomorrow. As well as that there is the small matter of revenge for the CIS cup defeat a month ago to be dealt with. "We played well in the cup tie and if that game had finished two minutes earlier giving us a 2-1 victory then I don’t think anyone could have quibbled. Because there’s going to be quite a difference in personnel between those involved then for us and the side that’ll play Saturday-Benito Kemble, Willie Falconer, Mark Lynch and Alan Miller for example didn’t feature in the cup-you can’t automatically assume that we’ll perform as well this time. But we have added bits and pieces to our play since that night and if we do these things on Saturday and play the way we did last time then I’d expect us to win."
The Arabs have confirmed that keeper Paul Gallacher has passed a fitness test and will play. For Saints, Nick Dasovic will face a late fitness check after returning from international duty.
Starkers doesn't think our problems will be sorted purely on a result tomorrow though despite the players' confidence. "That winning feeling should be fresh in their minds and it's good to take it into a derby. But unfortunately it's only the beginning. We're in for a long, hard season. I'm afraid I don't see us winning 15 games on the trot and being able to cruise towards the end of the campaign. We have to recognise that and be ready for it. This could go right to the death but we're all looking forward to rising to the challenge."

November 15th - Little in the way of team news. Rachid has returned from international duty where he played in Algeria's 2-0 win over Burkina Faso. He goes into the squad for the Tannadump trip and is likely to feature at some point. The injury list meanwhile contains the usual suspects.

November 14th - Latest news on the injury front is that Cap'n Jim won't be fit for the trip to Tannadump on Saturday but should be back in full training next week. Paul Kane is another who will have to be patient with a flare-up of the calf injury ruling him out for at least another week.
Geoff Brown(right) has been speaking for the first time since his surgery for prostate cancer. Recuperating at home after being given the all-clear it looks less and less likely that he'll return to McD in any capacity as chairman in the future with plans to sell the club, he's helped thrive over the last 15 years, being put in motion as he makes his health the number one priority. 'The surgeon actually explained to me that, such have been the medical advances, if my problem had occurred five years ago they probably couldn't have done anything for me at all. Now things have to change because I simply can't get myself into the state I was in before. When your family are rallying round you feel overwhelmed by the response and it makes you think. I used to sit in the chairman's seat asking myself: "Why am I getting myself so uptight?" I had everything going for me - both as a businessman and in my personal life. When you've grown up in a tenement flat there's no reason to get uptight over a game of football, but I couldn't help it. The only reason I got involved in St Johnstone was because they were my local club and they were about to go bust - it was as simple as that. Maybe now it's more important than ever to step back because of my health. But I won't sell the club to just anybody. The person who buys St Johnstone must prove to me they have the interests of the football club at heart. But I'm not holding my breath. In the last 15 years no-one has chapped at my door yet.'
Geoff also denied any of the media speculation that ex-TFOE director and Livvy shareholder Willie Haughey was set to buy a controlling interest in the club.
I'm sure all Saints fans would like to send on their best wishes to Geoff at such a time.

November 13th - Starkers reckons the team talks will be easier from now on. , "There was obviously a big difference in the dressing room after that match than at other times so far this season and I’ll be telling the players to think back to how good it was, so that they want to feel the same way again. I’d guaranteed the players that if they kept working as they had been in the last few weeks, they would get their reward. Hopefully now we can build on the first win and our first clean sheet."
The U-21s lost 3-0 last night to Aberdeen. Youth striker Nathan McConnell(right) appeared on the bench as a trialist - he was released by Saints at the weekend. Best of luck Nathan.

November 12th - Confirmation today that the match against TFOE on Jan 19th in Wegieland won't finish until after 7pm. Apparently the game won't kick-off until 5.35pm to allow for Sky to clear 24 hours from their coverage to ensure sufficient injury time is added on for the tinks. It also means the Saints fans will have the delights of the London Rd on a Saturday night in the dark to contend with - no doubt Strathclyde Police will be as understanding and mindful for our safety as Tayside's finest.
The news from Goalden Graeme is that despite some rumours, the player has not broken his leg. There is bruising on his fibula but with only a sprain or minor ligament damage the diagnosis is that he will be back in action in a month.

November 10th - Despite the manager all but ruling him out of today's clash at Rugby Park, Goalden Graeme is more than keen to get back into action after 14 months of sitting on his arse being injured. A goal and 90 minutes on Monday night have boosted his chances of playing today but he'll probably have to be a bit more patient. The striker said, "The first injury basically happened from over-use. I had played a long time and the fluid had built up. It was the same injury as Alan Shearer had. But I was back playing in two reserve games in February and even scored in one of them, against Falkirk on the Friday. I was feeling good until my team-mate Mark McCulloch kicked me on the knee in training the following Monday and I ended up with a hole in the cartilage. Every time I trained the knee would blow up and I needed an operation, which kept me out for 16 weeks. Again, I played two reserve games in August and this time hurt my Achilles tendon. I was out for three weeks before coming back again - only to hurt it all over again in my first match. That was my lowest point - I came home and told my wife I was really worried about my career. I didn't know what I was going to do because I've known nothing but football for so long."
"It was a real relief to get through the St Mirren game. I lasted the 90 minutes but, more importantly, I felt great the next day and I still do. I think I could play against Kilmarnock but maybe that is my heart ruling my head. I would like to play at least 20-30 minutes but it is up to the gaffer." ....to say the least we could do with some of his goals.
6.30pm - A first-half Willie Falconer(right) header gave the SPL the shock result of the day as Saints doubled their points tally with a 1-0 WIN at Killie. "The game of a thousand deaths" is how Starkers referred to it afterwards (with his best TFOE leprechaun impression) saying, "I am delighted, and I have been dying to say that instead of saying that I'm disappointed not to win. I thought we started poorly and I was concerned going into the game because we had been given praise for the way we played against Celtic last week and Rangers a couple of weeks ago. I tried to warn the players that we had to show the same quality in this game but in the early stages we didn't do that. I am delighted for the team - it was always the type of performance that gets you the three points and we showed great resilience to get the win. I've told the players that if they work hard they'll get their reward." . No change in the league position but a lot of happy Saintees tonight.
Not so happy is Goalden Graeme whose comeback today from the sub's bench lasted all of 3 minutes before he went off with an ankle injury. The manager said it didn't look too bad but X-Rays were being taken to confirm this.
Away from the SPL and Rachid played in Algeria's 2-0 win over Burkina Faso.

November 9th - Starkers has singled out the born-again Paul Hartley for praise ahead ot the Killie match. "Sometimes players like Paul put a pressure on themselves to play well in every single game and if they don’t they aren’t contributing to the team. But as a manager you are never going to get 11 players all playing well at the same time and what I have asked for from the lads here is only that they work as hard as they can and, first and foremost, contribute to the team performance. I’ve been quite happy with Paul because he has been as consistent as anyone over the last few games. "
Meanwhile Darren Jackson(right) is blaming "Ambitious" Meadowbank for his current back injury which rules the veteran out for a few more weeks. "It's a nightmare. I've been seeing a physio twice a week and I've even had acupuncture. I've never had a back problem before and I'm wondering if it could be a hangover from training day after day on astroturf while I was at Livingston. I'm not having a pop at Livi but maybe at my age I could have done without it." ......Aye that's what all that training does for you....
Elsewhere on the injury front and Kiegan undergoes an exploratory op on his broken foot today which could see him ruled out for 2 and a half months. Currently on crutches, he's expected to get his broken bones pinned and screwed. He's keen to get back into action though and said "I want to get back to the form I know I am capable of. I haven't been at my fittest and I am disappointed I've not done more this season. The manager has been playing me so he must have been pleased with me".
Looking ahead to tomorrow and keeper Alan Miller reckons we're due a shutout. "We're going into a run of games where we believe we can pick up points. The mood here has been very positive since I arrived. I was at Coventry last year while they were struggling but I had only one game so this is a unique situation for me. But morale has been excellent from the day I first came through the door and playing like we did against Celtic we know there will come a turning point in our fortunes. Naturally we're all looking for the win this weekend."
And finally it seems that a certain ex-Saints player now plying his trade by gesturing to his old fans during warmups for a bunch of bigots was warned by the police last weekend. Chief Inspector Alex Raeburn confirmed: "The player was interviewed by police officers and was given a formal warning as to his future conduct." It's understood that police action followed complaints that the Celtic substitute, who was warming-up on the track, had gestured towards Perth fans.

November 8th - Despite an optimistic hope that Cap'n Jim(right) would be able to return to the first team this weekend he looks set to miss out again. Starkers has confirmed he's ruled out of the squad to travel to Rugby Park and is "very doubtful" for the trip to Tannadump next week.
The manager is out to attack on Saturday with attack the best form of defence in the current squad. "We have a lot of offensive players such as Paul Hartley, Paddy Connolly and Tommy Løvenkrands and you have to adopt a style that suits them. We've had a go against both halves of the Old Firm and could have taken something from them with more composure. I just hope the players show the same appetite at Kilmarnock and not just raise their game against teams such as Celtic."

November 7th - Graeme Jones(right) could be in line to return to first team action on Saturday after his runout for the U-21s with the striker scoring one of our goals. There were no injury worries from the game but Starkers isn't going to rush him back. , "As that was Graeme’s first match in almost a year and Paul Kane's first since the opening day of the season both will need another game or two before we could consider them for the first-team."
Rachid has left on international duty but an early release from the squad means that Saturday's game is the only one he'll miss. Nick Dasovic is also off to Malta on Sunday morning with the Canadian squad. He's not going to miss any games though.

November 6th - Confirmation today from Starkers today that the Bellymight miss Saturday's trip to Rugby Park thanks to international commitments. The manager is praising him still though after his performance at the weekend. : "There is a doubt over their match with Burkina Faso so he could end up travelling for no real reason. It's a real dilemma for Rachid because he's just broken through into the team. He hasshown that he has something to offer but, because he has never been coached in terms of team play, he still has a lot to learn. Obviously it would have been good to have him available for the weekend but that is the only game he’ll miss."
Rachid himself said, "I'm in a very difficult position - I am torn between club and country. The timing is very bad for me. The Algerian manager showed faith in me when I wasn't getting a game for St. Johnstone by playing me against France. But Billy Stark has said he would be giving everyone a chance. I enjoyed playing against a team like Celtic in my first game in front of the Saints fans. But I need regular games to improve and I know I can score goals. That's why I have a big decision to make. The game against Kilmarnock is important for the club but I also feel loyalty towards my country and the international manager. I don't know what I'm going to do - it is very upsetting."
Meanwhile the 2 fans arrested on Saturday appeared in court yesterday charged with breach of the peace and "removing their clothes" at the ground on Saturday. According to reports from some of the home fans, there was no racial abuse. And if as reported the fans only resorted to sectarian abuse(ie a Red Hand of Ulster gesture aimed at the North Stand) then as yet that is still not illegal - otherwise the entire away support should also have been lifted. As for removing his shirt - how else is he meant to display his club tattoo, which at least shows a degree of loyalty strangely absent amongst many players. Anyway both fans have strenuously denied the allegations and the case will go to trial in February with Sylla expected to be called to give evidence - be interesting to hear his explanation as to why he was recalled to the dugout on police advice in the 2nd half or do the gestures he was making not count?
Elsewhere in court and Jim Weir was up for giving an unofficial driving lesson to chief executive Stewart Duff. The club skipper was charged with driving without 'L' plates whilst Duff was up for driving without a licence.
The U-21s lost 4-3 last night to St Midden but the good news was that Graeme Jones played for the full 90 minutes and Paul Kane managed 70 minutes as well.

November 5th - Starkers(right) is still angry about the weekend (like the rest of us) but is calling on the players to channel it to get a result this coming Saturday. "We deserved to take something from the match and it hasn’t happened. People who saw the game will feel sorry for us and I am sure some of the players will end up feeling sorry for themselves at some point in the next couple of days if they are not already doing so just now. It is a waste of time though unless the disappointment makes them all the more determined to go out and make sure we win out next game."
One player set to possibly take a more active role in the Saints line up is the Belly with the manager saying "Rachid has not had much of a chance with us really up until now but he may be involved more from now on because he did some good things out there. While there are some rough edges we have to work on, there is definitely promise there."
6.00pm - Latest on Kiegan is that he has a double stress fracture of his foot and will be out for 6 weeks.Starkers is still optimistic though and dipped into his copy of The Topical Times Book of Manager Cliches to say "We'll get there. Things even themselves out over the season. The spirit in the club is good and the boys are trying hard to get away from the bottom of the league. If the spirit was any different I'd say we had problems, but the squad are working hard and are desperate to get good results to go with their good performances. Some things may have gone against us but we' re not downhearted and we have Graeme Jones coming back from a long term injury in the Under-21 game away to St Mirren tonight. There's also a chance Paul Kane will make his comeback, and Craig Russell is fit enough to play."
Finally, Bobby Orr has possession of the Mickey Mouse TimePiece this weekend at Rugby Park.

November 4th - Anger all round at McD with Nick Dasovic in the papers accusing (correctly) Sutton of taking a dive to get the free kick yesterday.
Meanwhile off the park and 2 Saints fans are reported to have been arrested for dishing out racial abuse to MoMo Sylla as he warmed up before the game. Hopefully the club will ban them from the ground if the accusations are proven to be true. This sort of shit we can do without. And at the same time it would be nice to see our local constabulary be just as vigilant at the other offences being committed in the car park after the game - TFOE fans blatantly drinking their carry-outs and even better the unofficial flag and souvenir sellers flogging their bigoted rubbish to away supporters.

November 3rd - Starkers is still optimistic of getting a miracle today despite the odds stacked against him. "Although we haven’t managed a victory yet, we have played very well at times as anyone who saw the game against Rangers here will testify. I think the last half-hour against Dunfermline proved we are still a bit fragile which is something we have to work on as a team. We have spoken to the players about it and stressed the need for strong minds and stout hearts this weekend. Celtic may have beaten Juventus a few days ago but that isn’t to say they will do the same to us. The Old Firm have an unfair advantage when it comes to resources but in a one-off match anything can happen. We will go out to be positive, give it our best shot and see what happens."
Meanwhile "former Celt" (so he's not daft then) John Paul McBride(right) reckons the player's shame will help them. "I was embarrassed when Sandy Clark lost his job as team manager eight games into the season. He was the one who went out on a limb two years ago and paid pounds 200,000 for me before I'd played 90 minutes in Celtic's first team. But I let him down along with rest of the players at St Johnstone. We didn't do him justice on the park with our displays. There were games that we should have won but didn't and that still disturbs me. The only way we can make up for it is to do better for Billy. So it might even be better for us to be the underdogs against Celtic. We won't be expected to win against them and that might relieve the psychological pressure we're feeling at the moment. If we go a goal up, as we did against Dunfermline last Saturday, the thought of that first win starts to build in your mind. The problem is that when you're playing the Old Firm, it's essential for a club like St Johnstone to get the opening goal or else there's no chance of winning."
No new team news for Saints but TFOE look set to play John "Big Welsh Git" Hartson and Stilian of the Broken Leg. Also in line to make a return is former Saint MoMo Sylla - something Nick Dasovic is looking forward to. "I acted as interpreter for Momo when he first got here and got pretty friendly with him through that so I am looking forward to seeing him again. It was a big move for him and I like to see him do well, though obviously not too well this weekend."
7.00pm - Anger doesn't even begin to describe the feelings of the Saints fans after we were robbed 2-1 by TFOE following what has to be the best all-round Saints performance of the season. Even better we can see it all over again as the main game on BBC Sportscene at 11.10 tonight. Both Billy Stark and Billy Kirkwood were as angry as the fans after the game and Starkers summed up the performance saying "There wasn't much in it. I think the defeat was undeserved and a real kick in the teeth and I'd like to see what the criteria are for calculating the amount of injury time to be played. The Old Firm go right to the death and beat us but it's a hard one ot take. We showed plenty of spirit and commitment and we'll get the breaks we deserve. I'm taking a lot of encouragement from our performance. We don't want people to feel sorry for themselves. Setbacks like that make us even more determined to get it right next time."
Finally, let's hear it for 2 heroes from last season. MoMo Sylla showed his undying affection for the club by graciously giving the finger to the home fans (well he has to keep himself warm on the touchline somehow) and on the radio after the game Sandy Clark showed some touches of Totten paranoia by slagging off Tommy Løvenkrands as being "all that we can afford given the restrictions the club put on the finances in the last couple of years". Strange how he's playing better since the change of manager eh?

November 2nd - Starkers is under no illusion of the task required to get anything from the visit of TFOE tomorrow. "It’s one we’re looking forward to. Celtic have steamrollered everybody in the last year and they certainly got back to form against Juventus. Obviously they’ve got one or two really special players but it’s their work ethic which has got them through so many games. Their attitude is always spot on. Even the best teams go through sticky spells though and they aren’t always on the top of their game. I don’t want it to sound as if we’re just hoping for Celtic to perform poorly, because we have to go into the game looking to make things happen ourselves.We need to improve on one or two things that have caused us problems in the last few games-for which we’ve been heavily punished-but there have been big parts of games that we’ve performed well in and we have to build on that." ....so optimistic isn't he.
Usual injury list for the weekend withCraig Russell definitely ruled out. As for Stuart McCluskey(right), Billy Stark said "Stuart is a worry and it will be a last minute decision. He is suspended for the next two games but we have to decide whether he can play against Celtic without causing longer term problems. Benito Kemble has trained and seems to be okay and Ross Forsyth is fine now." . So "Flash" Forsyth and Benito Kemble are back in the squad although neither has trained much. Meanwhile the Belly is rumoured for the umpteenth time this season to be set for a spot on the bench before heading off on international duty next week as Algeria play Burkina Faso with the Saints star set to play as a striker.
J.R. will play on the left again, a position he seems to like. "I feel my form has been pretty good and that's down to getting a regular game. My personal confidence is on the up and I'm feeling good about my game again. I had a game or two in left midfield before coming to Saints but it's relatively new to me. It means I can cut in from the wing and have a go. I'm not picked as a striker but any player likes to weigh in with goals and hopefully there are more to come. No one outwith McDiarmid is giving us a prayer but we want a win to kick start our season and give our supporters something to shout about."
Finally, and the Official Saints Site has announced an "exclusive" Internet-only polo shirt offer in a bid to check the feasability of making more Saints gear available over the net - as modelled by Nick Dasovic. The official notice reads The perfect opportunity to support your Club - even if you are on the other side of the world! With a view to launching a leisurewear range in the future St Johnstone FC present this unique, limited edition, high quality polo shirt for only £22.50 plus postage and packing (£16.50 plus p&p for kids sizes). Placing an order could not be easier - simply visit the Shop section on the official website, and look under the SPECIAL category. Please note - all orders must be received no later than 12 noon on Monday 19th November 2001. A perfect Christmas gift for family and friends across the globe.....go on you know it makes sense.

November 1st - Saints have teamed up with Perth and Kinross Council to offer 1000 free tickets to local schools for the home game against Killie on November 24th in an attempt to attract more fans to Gods Chosen Pasture.
Elsewhere and Jim Weir's recovery is apparently on target with the player possibly able to return to first team action for the Killie game next week (just in time for Stuart McCluskey's suspension then). The manager said, "Jim’s not far away now. Kilmarnock a week on Saturday might just be too soon for him but it’s not out of the question. The week after, though, is probably more likely."

Top Of News

October

October 31st - Despite the player's comments yesterday, Starkers has ruled the Goalden One out of this weekend's game. "Graeme would have played if we’d had an under-21 game this week but unfortunately there wasn’t one so, if all goes well, he’ll take part next week."
Stuart McCluskey is doubtful for this weekend's game due to a groin strain - no doubt the Celtic-mad player will be so disappointed.

October 30th - Starkers is quoted today as saying he see's Craig Russell's best chance of making the Saints side on a regular basis is by switching to a left midfield role. "We have eight strikers at the club but not a lot of left-footed players and it wouldn’t do Craig Russell any harm, fitness wise, to fill other positions for us. He has had a hard time of it since coming here and is a bit of an unknown quantity (having made only eight starts in 19 months) but from his background in England he would, on the face of it, offer us some reasonable experience."
Starkers meanwhile is still optimistic despite the defeat last weekend. "It was a sore one to take but we remain positive because there is a long way to go. You could argue we're getting closer and closer to that elusive victory. Having had the weekend to think about it, I really feel sorry for our supporters. They must have enjoyed about 55 minutes of the game, only to see us lose. They've endured that for almost a year now so I know how hard it is for them to take. We were by far the better side in the first half but we should have gone for the jugular. Given our record stretching back months I can understand stand why that didn't happen. Self-doubt arises in the minds of the players and we need that first victory to settle us. But they have to be able to sense when the opposition is fragile. Dunfermline fans were on the backs of the players 10 minutes into the match and we should have rammed home our advantage. Obviously individual errors are proving costly but their first goal was a fluke. Of course it was disappointing but I firmly believe that the nature of the Premier League means that another team will suffer a run of defeats. We aren't taking hammerings and we are competing well. As I said at the weekend, there's a fine line between success and failure and I've seen enough since I arrived to remain confident about our prospects."
No word on any new signings (a defender is the target this time) but both Flash and Benny are back in training. The big shock of the day comes with the news that Graeme Jones(right) might be in line for a return to first team action this weekend. The striker, who's been out for ages with various injuries has been training but lacks match fitness. He said, "I know I'm not match fit at this stage but I feel good and the important thing for me is to get back into first team football. The manager knows how keen I am to get back into the fray and if he needs me for this weekend then I'm ready to answer his call."
Meanwhile let's hear if for Jack de Gier of the Pars, who having finally bettered Stuart McCluskey has naffed off home to Holland. Still it spares us from hearing that crappy song at East End Park

Finally the SFA have appointed Dougie McDonald as ref for the weekend.

October 29th - Well if it's a Monday morning it must be time for some quotes from the players designed to let the fans feel that first win is just around the corner. This week's optimist is Paddy Connolly who said "It’s very disappointing to lose the game. Because of the way things have been going maybe we sat back in a bit after scoring early on. Certainly that happened in the second half. What makes it so frustrating is the fact that Keigan had a wee half chance and I had a reasonable one to make it 2-0 and the goals we lost were soft ones-but when you are sitting bottom of the league things go like that. We’ve just got to keep the heads up and get on with it. The fact that here we are at the end of October and still without a first league win isn’t causing us a psychological problem. But we’ve definitely got to knuckle down and get a victory under our belts. I think we can turn this around. And we’ve got to believe that as a team. In spells in games we are playing quite well but today isn’t the first time w