Temple Of Saints - 2008 Archive News From The Oracle
April
April 30th - Confirmation today
that Goran Stanic has joined East Fife
signing a 2 year contract with the newly-promoted 2nd Division side. No
doubt he'll do well in the 2nd Division and best wishes to our favourite
Macedonian for the future. The other departures and frees are apparently
set to be announced tomorrow along with some contract news with
Jody Morris rumoured to be set to
extend his stay with Saints.
No more updates on Andy Jackson
although Tay FM was apparently reporting last night that the striker was
set to possibly be released from hospital today.
Elsewhere and the SFL have confirmed that a decision about Gr£tna or
their possible replacements will be made by the start of July which is
possibly just as well with the new season set to start on Saturday
July 26th with the first round of the Challenge Cup.
April
29th - Del is in the Courier
today talking about completing the signing of
Stuart McCaffrey(right). "It’s
been a frustrating time for Stuart and myself because he was brought here
to play and injury prevented him from doing that. But I still think the
signing paid dividends in that his arrival at the club made others play
better. It’s disappointing only to have had a game-and-a-half out of
him so far but he’s worked hard with the physio and is back running
now. Stuart is a very good user of the ball and he’ll be an asset to
us. "
Paul Sheerin is expected to give an
answer in the next 48 hours over the offer of a 1yr deal and the manager
went on, "We’ve offered Paul a further year during which he
would also work as a youth coach. He’s been taking the under 19s
since I became manager and has a good way with kids. The idea would be for
him to combine playing with overseeing our under 17s next season."
He also talked about the preparation for next season and the plans are
underway for pre-season. "I want to go away for a week right at
the start of pre-season and we’ll be finalising that this week. The
plan is to go down south and concentrate purely on training. There won’t
be any games. It’s vital to get the work done in pre-season and I
have a lot of boys who travel from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Rather than have
them spending three hours a day travelling in a car, we’ll get away
so we can focus all our time and energy on training, putting in three
sessions a day. We’ll have them in here for a couple of days then—if
things work out—we’ll be off to Wolverhampton University where I
trained when I was at West Brom before they got their own training
facilities. And we’ve got the use of a pitch at West Brom’s
training ground which has since been built adjacent to the university. We
don’t want to leave anything to chance as far as preparations are
concerned. The last three seasons St Johnstone haven’t made the best
of starts. Next year we want to be Hamilton, the team that sets the
standard from the off and is up there to be shot at. I believe I have the
players to handle the pressure of leading. It’s just about ensuring
we get there. We must start well and I’m setting up pre-season in a
way that’ll hopefully ensure we do that and then go on to handle
whatever the rest of the campaign brings. ". There is a chance of
a home game this year as well with Burnley possibly coming to McDiarmid
for a visit.
April
28th - Not much by way of a post-mortem from Saturday's final game.
Savo was glad to finish the week on a
high with two goals. He said in the Courier, "It’s been a
tough week. To go from the low of losing at Hampden on penalties to have
to play Stirling Albion in midweek was hard for the boys and hard for me
personally, to be honest. On Wednesday, playing a game was the last thing
on my mind. It was the first time I’ve really felt like that. I felt
drained and didn’t really want to think about playing. I was very
low. I probably wasn’t fit enough to play against Livingston because
of a hamstring strain which was affecting my sprinting, but there was
nobody else available really. I’m glad I did now, though. I’ve
been playing deeper and I hadn’t been scoring regularly lately so it
was great to get those two goals and for the team to get a victory. Now we’re
all looking forward to next season and getting off to a good start, which
we haven’t managed to do in the last two seasons. "
For his part, Del singled out
Kevin Moon and
David Weatherston for their parts
in the win. But he wasn't too happy about the defence and said "There
was a vulnerability about us and we conceded two soft goals. That’s
the side of things we’ll need to improve on if we’re to win the
title next season."
In terms of rumours and departures, the latest is that
Daniel McBreen has apparently been
offered a one-year deal. Goran
Stanic(right) looks set to leave with East Fife believed to be his
next destination. And Utd keeper Euan McLean is being lined up for
a summer move to Saints.
2.30pm - Latest news is that Stuart
McCaffrey formally signed a 2-yr contract today after his loan
spell. Meanwhile there's not much more to report on
Andy Jackson. The Saints striker is
still in hospital, after moving from Stirling to Falkirk Royal Infirmary
on Friday and is set to see a couple of specialists this week.
April
26th - It's the last game of the season today and Saints go into it
boosted by the news that Kevin Moon(right)
has joined the ranks of those signing new deals with a 1yr deal for next
year. Del has high hopes for him and
told the Courier, "I liked Kevin from the very first training
session I had here, when I was impressed with his energy and attitude, and
I still feel the same. He’s got a great chance of having a really
good career in the game and I’m delighted he’s staying with us.
We’ve signed Liam Craig and
Martin Hardie has extended his
contract. There’s also Chris Millar coming from Morton and hopefully
Jody Morris and
Paul Sheerin will sign new deals. So
the challenge is there for him to force his way into the team, but if he
gets better at certain things we’ve identified then he has a great
chance. I know that he’s delighted to stay, as he’s a St
Johnstone supporter, and I think it’s really important to have a
couple of people at McDiarmid Park like that who have real affinity for
the club. "
As for today's game, the manager wants to end the season on a high and
said, "I’m desperate for us to win this match because we don’t
want the season to just peter out. “I feel like we owe it to the
supporters—who were great at Hampden on Sunday—to send them away
after our last game of the campaign with a win. It’s a shame for
Kevin James because we felt he needed
games at the end of the season. “The one saving grace is that he’ll
be available at the start of next season. ". With
Kevin James suspended, both
Allan McManus and
Kevin Rutkiewicz are in the squad.
Andy Jackson seems to have suffered a
nerve injury to his back and Del
continued, "They think it’s a nerve in his back. It was a
real worry because he was in agony at the time and was screaming in the
ambulance with the slightest bump it made.". And he also spoke
out about the decision to free Allan
McManus after the player had a go at the chairman during the week.
"In an ideal world I would have liked to have kept him but that
wasn’t possible. Kevin Rutkiewicz and Allan were out of contract and
I had to make the choice. Kevin has been my best player since I took the
job so I made that decision. It was my decision, not the chairman’s.".
Paul Sheerin has been offered a 1-year
deal.
6.30pm - So much for the tame end-of-season affair as Saints
clinched third place with an excellent5-2
win over Livingston the goals coming from
Kevin Moon(right), two penalties courtesy
of Paul Sheerin and a couple of lovely
finishes from Savo. Elsewhere Morton
clinched survival and sent Clyde into the play-offs by a single goal.
April
25th - Andy Jackson spent a
second night in hospital last night after an inconclusive CAT scan.
Del said in the Courier, "He
will be kept in overnight at Stirling and be moved to Falkirk Royal
Infirmary tomorrow for a further scan. This will hopefully give us a
better idea of what is wrong with him. We were very concerned about Andy
during the game on Wednesday. He came off complaining about pins and
needles and that quickly developed into numbness and then severe pain. He
was better today but we just want to get to the bottom of what is wrong
with him. "
Kevin Rutkiewicz(right) agreed a 2-year
deal to stay at Saints yesterday. The manager said, "Kevin has
been great for me. He’s had his injury problems, and the start of the
season was a bit stop-start for him as he struggled with his fitness, but
arguably he has been our best performer over recent months. Kevin is the
right type— a great lad to have in the dressing room, someone with
real leadership qualities—a winner who cares. He’s also quick,
strong, good in the air and in the tackle and organises things. He has a
lot going for him, and I can only see him getting better the more games he
plays now and the fitter he gets. "
The player himself was happy to tie up his future. He commented, "It
was an easy decision for me because I like everything about the club and
everyone about the place. When the gaffer took over from Owen Coyle he
asked if I wanted to stay, but at that point I felt I should concentrate
on staying fit and staying in the team, so we put things on hold, but I’m
glad to now join the other lads in re-signing. I believe we have the
nucleus of a very good squad here, and it’s great that it looks like
being retained with big hitters committing themselves to the club. A lot
of other teams are facing turmoil, but we should have continuity over the
summer. ". The defender is hoping to see someone else pledge his
future to the club as well. "Jody
oozes class and keeping him would be something special. I know he is keen
to stay, so hopefully something can be sorted out. The club did a shrewd
bit of business in getting Andy Jackson
on a new deal earlier in the season. Now I suspect some big clubs—maybe
even the Old Firm—will be sniffing around trying to find out what it
would take to shift him, but I believe he would benefit from another year
here. "
5pm - Saints have confirmed their first frees of the summer with
Allan McManus and
Jamie McCluskey set to leave. While
McManus had a decent season and an excellent performance at Hampden last
weekend, age is against him and we're not short of centre-halves. As for
Jinky, the 20yr old's spell was blighted by metatarsal problems and it's
sad to see him go - certainly he's one of the most skilful players we've
had at the club. Best wishes to both in trying to fix themselves up with a
new club. Del said "With Kevin James returning to fitness I am
happy with my centre halves. Allan knew the situation and he goes with our
best wishes. He's been a good servant to the club. Jamie has been injured,
but he is talented and works hard so he's capable of playing elsewhere."
. One player definitely not leaving though is
Kevin Moon who today signed a 1yr
extension to his contract.
Paul Sheerin meanwhile is in the PA
talking about his future. He has still to sort out a deal beyond the
summer and the midfielder said, "I was talked out of going
part-time last year by my wife. I am glad she made me think again. You
can't get your time back in football so I?m trying to make the most of it.
After this game is out of the way I'll speak with the manager and see what
his thoughts are. I want to hang in there and play a part next season. The
Stirling defeat in midweek was disappointing and the squad is really
stretched. Obviously it was flatter than at Hampden but the fans who made
the trip were the real diehards. It would be good to reward our supporters
with a win in the final game of the season. And a wee bit extra spending
money for the lean summer months would come in handy!"
Del will announce the remaining
departures next week but is still working on his team plans for tomorrow
and lifting the team after the midweek defeat at Forthbank. "Some
of the lads looked mentally tired in midweek after the Scottish Cup
defeat. It's not an excuse but it is understandable. However, the boys
deserve credit for battling away and should have had more reward. I don't
often say this, but I thought the referee had a really poor game.".
Jody will again miss out tomorrow but
both Goran Stanic and
Allan McManus may play.
Kevin Rutkiewicz and
Mad Mental Martin will sit out but both
Stephen Kerr and
Adam Monaghan are in the squad. The
manager said, "We have beaten Livingston three times this season.
It would be nice to complete the set".
April 24th - Last night's result
has been firmly put into perspective after Saints revealed that sub
Andy Jackson (who himself was replaced
five minutes from time), ended up spending the night in Stirling Royal
Infirmary. Nobody seems to be sure what caused the problem and the club
are awaiting the results of a scan today. Del
told the Official Site, "We were very concerned about Andy last
night. He came off complaining about pins and needles and that quickly
developed into numbness and then severe pain. He left the stadium in a
neck brace and wearing an oxygen mask and was detained overnight. I
believe some of the feeling has returned this morning but we are still
very worried about him."
Meanwhile Allan McManus is having a
go at the chairman in the Sun today. The defender, who looks like leaving
the club in the summer, has said that Del
has stated he wants to keep him but is being overruled by the Saints
chairman with Geoff Brown stating that
4 central defenders should be enough at the club. Chalky hasn't given up
hope on being able to stay at the club so it's just a matter of wait and
see.
April 23rd - Loads of changes
tonight for the trip to Stirling. Kevin
Rutkiewicz, Allan McManus and
Mad Mental Martin are all out because
of their flirtation with a ban. They'll be joined on the sidelines by
Jody Morris and
Goran Stanic who are ruled out through
injury. A decision will be made today on Gary
Irvine and Peter MacDonald.
That all means Stephen Kerr might be in
line for a first team debut. Daniel
McBreen should also play. The striker turns 31 today and has still
to convince Saints that he's worth a deal for next season after spending
most of his Saints career on the sidelines. He told the Courier, "It
might be a dead game in many ways, but not for me because I need to get a
couple of matches under my belt and hopefully amass a few more goals. The
injury has been a real pain. Every time I thought I was getting through it
I just seemed to break down again. But the last injection seems to have
taken, I’m getting better every day, so hopefully I can get through
these two games then we’ll see what happens. I haven’t spoken to
the gaffer yet about next season. We’ve decided to leave it till the
end of the week to sit down and have a discussion but I really like it
here. "
Finally, Del has confirmed Saints
interest in Scumdee pair Swankie and Dixon along with Arabs keeper
Euan McLean but that's all.
10:45pm - A dire performance from Saints saw us
lose 3-1 at Stirling.
Kevin James gave us the lead but then
was sent off for handball as the home side got two penalties within a
minute or so - he'll miss out this weekend and may have played his last
game for the club given his contract is up. As for their third - it
doesn't bear thinking about. The result leaves us still needing a point to
cement third place although with potential suspensions looming, God knows
what defence we'll put out on Saturday.
April
22nd - There will be plenty of changes for the last two games of
the season. Kevin Rutkiewicz,
Allan McManus(right) and
Mad Mental Martin are all going to sit
the games out since they're one booking away from a two-match suspension.
Gary Irvine is one booking away from a
one-game ban and is in the same boat. Peter
MacDonald is also needing a groin op so may have played his last
match for the season.
For his part, Allan McManus(right)
thinks last weekend might have been his last Saints game with his contract
up in the summer. He told the Courier, "I think there’s
every chance I’ll be on my way, so Hampden was a good shop window. I
feel I’ve been pretty consistent over the past two years and I’d
love to stay, but I don’t make the decisions. I can’t force the
club to keep me. I won’t play against Stirling or Livingston because
I’m one booking away from suspension. The manager is doing me a turn.
He says I don’t have to be involved in case I am elsewhere next
season. This way I’ll have a clean slate. It looks as if the
semi-final was my last match for the club, but I feel I can leave with my
head held high, and we’ll see what happens over the next few weeks "
Despite denials from his agent, the Gavin Swankie rumour is still
doing the rounds. His Coagey teammate Paul Dixon is also thought
to be a target along with freed United keeper Euan McLean.
Meanwhile, Mad Mental Martin says the
league is the main target next season. "Looking back on two
semi-finals last year and Sunday it seems we don’t get any luck at
all. We were the better team and should have beaten Rangers. But the
better team isn’t in the final against Queen of the South. Last year
we became known as a good cup side, and we’ve beaten most of the SPL
teams now. The boys here have proved they can play at a higher level. Now
we have to recharge the batteries over the summer and come back ready to
hit the ground running. We must win that title next season, there can be
no more seconds and thirds—we have to go out and grab it "
April 21st - More reaction from
yesterday's loss. Del has spoken to
the Courier and freed Jody Morris of
any blame and said of the penalties, "Jody had been struggling
from about 65 minutes but he felt fine to take one. He hadn’t missed
one all week in practice. I can’t speak highly enough of all my
players and I really feel for them ."
Liam Craig was also gutted and
commented, "It’s the worst feeling I’ve had in
football, I can’t really describe how bad it is. We were so close to
getting to the final, against a team going for four trophies, but we let
it slip away. We didn’t really start well, but I thought the lads
were excellent in the second half. I’ve signed a deal to stay here
three years and the reason I did was because I want to work with the
manager and Tony Docherty. With them in charge there will be more days
like this one. I wouldn’t have signed unless I genuinely felt there
was a chance of winning the first division and getting to cup finals. It
would’ve been a waste of my time and the manager’s time if I
didn’t think it was possible. We’ve got a good bunch of players
and that’s three semi finals this club has been in over the past two
seasons. Next season we’re going to make a huge push for the title
and hopefully get back to Hampden again. "
Elsewhere man of the match Alan Main
said, "We’re devastated,” he said. “To lose on
penalties is really disappointing. How we played in the second half, I
thought we’d go on and win, especially with big Dan coming on and
scoring. “But we could not hold on as long as we wanted. We played
well but now we have to move on. We probably matched them. Good luck to
Rangers, we’ve got next year. “The goal came at a decent time
and maybe if we’d held on in the first period it might have ended
differently . "
7pm
- Some good news for Saints with the Tully reporting tonight that
Kevin Rutkiewicz is close to signing a 2yr
deal with talks described as being at an "advanced stage".
And in the same paper apparently we've made a done deal for the services
of Scumdee's Gavin Swankie, quarantine regulations, nit-nurse
inspection and rabies tests permitting of course.
10.30 - More good news for next season from the Official Site,
with Saints announcing that season ticket prices will be unchanged for
season 2008-09. Added to that the final home game of the season will have
admission pegged at a fiver for non-season ticket holders as a reward for
supporting the club last weekend. Geoff
Brown(right) said, "We received magnificent backing at
Hampden Park yesterday and I only wish we could have given the fans a
Scottish Cup Final to look forward to. We more than matched the UEFA Cup
semi-finalists in every department but we must now put that behind us and
turn our attentions to the main target of everyone working at McDiarmid
Park – a return to the SPL. Derek McInnes is doing a great job and I
hope that the announcement of the signing of Liam Craig and the retention
of Peter MacDonald and Martin Hardie sends out a message to supporters
that we are determined to get back playing our league football at the top
level of the game in Scotland. We have an incredibly loyal core support
but the better the atmosphere in the stadium, the more it helps the
players and I would appeal to the people of Perthshire to come and support
their team on a regular basis next season. The £5 admission to this
week’s game and the freeze on Season Ticket prices is a gesture of
thanks from the club and I hope we get a good turn out against Livingston."
April
20th -The big day is finally here. Kevin
James is the interview in Scotland on Sunday and he said, "It's
not about learning from defeat in a semi-final, it's about appreciating
everything that comes with it. Players should be using that experience to
give them the hunger and desire to get back there again. It'll be a great
occasion on Sunday, especially as we're a First Division club. Nothing is
expected of us against Rangers. It was the same last year when we faced
Celtic. So the young guys should have no fear – I'll be telling them
to just enjoy it. The build-up before the game and during it is something
to savour even if you're getting beat!"
Del meanwhile is in the Sunday Times
talking about facing his old boss Wally. He said, "There is no
sentiment in football. You go out and win for the team that pays your
wages.". Elsewhere there's not much coverage of the game - most
TFOD-related articles are treating us as a wee obstacle before their Euro
game. As it is, this is the biggest game for Saints since oooh the last
cup final. To make an all-SFL final at the end of May would be great -
just do us proud!
9.30pm - As cruel as last season was today just rubbed salt in the
wounds as a heroic performance wasn't deemed good enough by the Fickle
Fates of Fitba. Saints ended up losing
on penalties to TFOD after normal time finished goalless and
extra-time one-all after sub Daniel
McBreen(right) had a diving header cancelled out by one of those
annoyingly soft penalties that crop up all the time when you're playing
one of the Bigot Bros. The manager was down after the game and said, "It's
hard to take. There's not much you can say to make the boys feel better.
Thinking what could have been I felt the boys were desperately unlucky,
and I'm proud of how gutsy they were. We just need to use this
disappointment to spur us on to be successful in the future "
April
19th - More on the contract renewals from yesterday and
Liam Craig(right) told the Courier, "I
love it at Perth and as well as having this massive game coming up against
Rangers things are looking good for next season, when I want to play a
part in taking the club back to the SPL where it belongs. The timing is
perfect, not just for me but for the fans. By signing myself, Peaso and
Martin they can see how ambitious the club is going forward. I’m
delighted I’ve got my future sorted out. Two SPL clubs came in with
offers and Falkirk had offered a new deal. But Derek McInnes and Tony
Docherty are great guys to work with and I believe they can take me where
I want to go. "
Jody Morris managed to train yesterday
boosting his chances of at least a place on the bench.
Del said, "He’s been
with the physio up till now because he’s taken longer to recover than
we thought but I’m still hopeful he’ll make it. We’ve got
enough experience if he doesn’t but were that the case it would be
disappointing all round as we are better for having him in the team. He’ll
relish the big occasion, which is made for him, and be looking to show he’s
the best player on the park. Kevin James
played 70 minutes of the reserves in midweek because he wanted the match
practice under his belt. I had also given Martin
the option of playing but he’d got the 90 minutes last weekend and
preferred to train all week instead. Like Jody,
Martin and Kevin
can be influential for us but obviously we have to assess the risk of how
many of them we can play given their fitness situations. "
Meanwhile Kevin Rutkiewicz reckons we've
got a big boost with TFOD losing their keeper. He said, "I
remember Allan coming to St Johnstone and he was really looking for
first-team games after being out of the picture at Ibrox. You could see
then that he was a good goalie but now he is definitely one of the best
keepers in the country. He even seems to be putting pressure on Craig
Gordon in the Scotland set-up and that is an achievement in itself. I know
him quite well and he will be so disappointed to be sidelined at such an
important stage of the season. It’s been a terrific one for him and
Rangers so far, but the injury will be a big blow. I was hoping Allan
would have one of those days against us as he is long overdue a bad game,
but now he won’t even be involved and that’s bad news for
Rangers. " As for our chances he continued, "There is no
way we will be negative because all that happens is you end up under the
cosh if you try to defend. And we have players who can score goals. We
will be massive underdogs and there have been better teams than St
Johnstone who have lost to Rangers this season. But every dog has its day,
as Queen of the South proved last Saturday against my old club Aberdeen. I
think 90% of the nation thought that would be an easy win for the Dons,
but I watched most of that game and Queens were really hungry and deserved
their victory. We need to show the same desire and enthusiasm as they did.
The key thing is self-belief and we have that at St Johnstone. We won’t
just be going to have a day out because we have too many players who know
all about semi- finals and are experienced enough to handle the occasion.
"
The defender is happy just to be taking part after missing out on both
semis last season. "It was frustrating not being involved but
this year I have a chance of making it and am thrilled. It is a great
achievement for the club to get into another semi-final and here’s
hoping we do ourselves proud. "
6pm - Congratulations to Accies who beat Clyde tonight to clinch
the Division One title.
April 18th -
Steven Anderson's turn in the papers
today and he told the Courier (after some stuff about his Tannadice
connection), "When you are the underdogs you are free to just go
and express yourself. And if we do that then maybe we can cause Rangers a
problem, although they are flying at the moment. We certainly aim to give
a good account of ourselves. And if we did win it would be the high point
of my career. No doubt about that. "
There
was not much else happened yesterday as the players enjoyed a day off
ahead of the weekend. Jody Morris(right)
was continuing his rehab at the stadium but there won't be a decision made
about him until the weekend. The midfielder is keen to make the game
though and told the paper, "This is a game I’ll relish. It
will be my first ever match at Hampden Park and everyone knows that it’s
one of the most famous grounds in world football. I was there as a
spectator at the CIS Cup final when I went along with a few Gers fans.
They were happy that day—eventually—but I thought Dundee United
were very unlucky. They’ve said I can give them a wave on Sunday but
I know what to expect in return! Chelsea are my team but I always follow
the other British sides in Europe and cheer them on. Rangers have done
very well in the UEFA and could win it. I might even be at the game with
Fiorentina next week. It promises to be a great footballing event. But all
I’m thinking about is Sunday. I’m absolutely buzzing at the
thought of a cup semi-final. The older you get the more you appreciate
these big games and given where I’ve come from in the last two years
it is something very special. It will be brilliant experiencing Hampden at
the weekend. I’ve played in a lot of glamorous games but this is up
there with any one them. It’s what you strive for in football and
because of my injury problems in recent seasons it gives it an added edge.
I’m loving it just as much as any of the younger boys here. My last
semi-final would have been back in 2000, the year Chelsea went on to win
the FA Cup against Aston Villa. So having the chance to play Rangers in
the Scottish Cup has come as a welcome surprise. When I signed I knew the
club was up against St Mirren in the quarter finals. We were the underdogs
but I quickly realised the lads believed in their ability and knew they
could progress. Obviously this Rangers team is a tougher challenge as they’re
going for four trophies and re-writing club history. But it would be nice
if we could make sure they had to narrow it down to three! "
He managed some rehab time at his old haunt of Stamford Bridge as well
during the week and went on, "Chelsea have always been my club
and I’m still made welcome there. Guys like Frank Lampard were about
the place and wished me well for the weekend. I’ve also had a few
messages from friends in the game down south. They know how much I’m
looking forward to it and I’ve been doing everything in my power to
make sure I’m fit. “I don’t really know how to judge it
because it’s not an injury I’ve had to deal with before.
Hopefully it settles down in time for Sunday. I’m still a bit worried
but fingers crossed I’ll be fine and ready to play "
Looking ahead and one set of rumours doing the rounds is that
Liam Craig has agreed a 3-year deal to
join Saints permanently - as you'd expect, there's nothing official about
it though, although Saints have confirmed they've made the player an
offer.
For "Them", it's been confirmed that as well as Weir's
suspension, goalkeeper Allan McGregor is out for a fortnight and Lee
McCulloch has also been ruled out. Bummer eh?
6.45pm- For once it seemed the rumour mill had something right and
there was some good news for Saints fans with a contract announcement from
McDiarmid this afternoon. Liam Craig has
signed a pre-contract agreement for a 3 year deal starting in the summer.
This is despite a 1yr deal being offered by his current employers (who
will get some compensation for losing his services). And elsewhere
Peaso and
Mad Mental Martin have signed two-year
extensions to their deals.
Del "Mr Happy" McInnes told
the Official Site, "I'm delighted to get these players' futures
sorted out. Obviously it is a nice wee boost ahead of Sunday but as always
the priority is the league and to know that these three have committed
their future to Saints is fantastic news. Liam had an offer to stay with
Falkirk and interest from other clubs which would have been more lucrative
but he feels his footballing interest is best served by staying at
McDiarmid Park and that speaks volumes for him. Fans will be aware how
important Martin and Peaso have been to us in recent times and to have
them pen two year deals is a great boost as well. We have been working on
all three deals for some weeks now and I would like to thank the Chairman
for his support in making them happen."
April
17th - The reserves lost 3-0 to Meadowbank yesterday but
Kevin James got another hour under his
belt while Daniel McBreen played the
full 90 minutes.
The Courier today is carrying an interview with
Liam Craig(right). He's out of contract
at Falkirk next month and said, "I’ve got an offer from
Falkirk and a couple from elsewhere. And if I play well I might have
another couple of offers to consider! However, I’m really only
thinking about the game at the moment because that’s enough for all
of us to concern ourselves with. It’s going to be a fantastic
experience for everyone and hopefully we can get a result to match it. We
certainly aren’t going there just to make up the numbers. We are
going there looking to win. And if Rangers have one eye on that massive
game they have in Europe next week then maybe we can catch them out. I don’t
think there’s ever a good time to get either of the Old Firm but
because they are going for another three trophies as well as this one and
Fiorentina are coming up next week maybe they won’t put as much into
Sunday as they might. But it’ll still take a huge performance from us
as well as a bit of luck in order for us to win. But you look at the FA
Cup this year where Barnsley beat Liverpool and Chelsea before losing out
in the semis, and take belief from that "
"I could have still been playing in Falkirk reserves and watching
this game on the tele. But I’ve come here and the gaffer and Tony
Docherty have been brilliant. They’ve given me the belief to get my
career back on track and hopefully I’ve repaid them with some of my
performances. I had hardly played for Falkirk and if the right team came
along I wanted to go out on loan. And I knew from the very start coming to
St Johnstone was the right move. I arrived on the Friday morning and it
was immediately clear that I was going to enjoy it. OK we got beat by
Hamilton but I came back in the next week and loved the training. It was
disheartening at Falkirk training all week knowing I’d not be
playing. But the gaffer here made clear that if I was doing well I’d
be in the team. And under him and Tony I’ve gone from strength to
strength. "
Elsewhere and the indiscipline at last night's OF match mean TFOD don't
have their problems to seek with an injured keeper and red cards galore
after a post-match fight in the tunnel, which looks like ruling David
Weir out of Sunday's game if his red card was deemed to be for violent
conduct.
April 16th -
Del's turn in the papers today and the
manager has told the Courier about how he didn't expect so much after
taking over from Owen last December. "You are never really
surprised in football. But if someone had said to me at the start of the
season I’d go on to be managing a team in the semi- finals of the
Scottish Cup final I wouldn’t have believed it. It wasn’t
something that was in my thoughts. But then things can change so quickly
in this game and I had always wanted to become a manager. Football has
been good to me and I didn’t want my involvement to be over when my
playing career ended. I wouldn’t have wanted to get into broadcasting
or journalism, although that does look easy! I wanted to be a coach or
manager and I’ve been fortunate that my first opportunity has come
with such a good club. And I’m determined to make the most of it.
Getting St Johnstone promoted remains the priority. Cups are a bonus here.
But we’ve tended to do well in these competitions and to reach the
last four of a national tournament three times in two seasons is a great
achievement."
He's off to watch TFOD in another Battle of the Bigots tonight and went
on, "We are fortunate to have a full week to prepare for Hampden.
Rangers don’t have that luxury. But they do have the luxury of having
fantastic players and being on a good run at the moment. Rangers have made
good use of their squad in the domestic cups. So it is difficult to second
guess the team they’ll put out against us. But whoever plays, knowing
the management set-up at Ibrox as I do, will be determined, focused and
motivated to get the job done. People talk about how tiredness might be a
factor for Rangers given the number of games they’ve played but I’ve
seen no sign of that. And when you are on a run like they are, you don’t
feel tired. You can’t wait for the next match. Since Walter Smith
came back the improvement in Rangers has been drastic. Hats off to them
for the fact they are challenging on four fronts They are probably a year
ahead of where they might have expected to be and are definitely a tough
nut to crack. But I feel we can cause any opposition, them included,
problems, although when our chances come along we’ll have to be as
clinical and ruthless as we were in the last round at Love Street. "
April
15th - Another day, another interview and
Martin Hardie(right) is in the Courier
today talking up our chances at the weekend especially compared with the
Sellik match last year. The midfielder said, "Celtic had scored
through Vennegoor of Hesselink’s penalty but I was fortunate enough
to draw us level with about 20 minutes gone. However, we were playing
really well against Celtic even before I scored the equaliser. I remember
Jason Scotland having a great chance and when I watched it back on TV I
recall thinking that he would have scored on any other day. In the second
half Celtic were dead on their feet because, like Rangers this season,
they had played a lot of games. We felt we were the side on top. That was
Celtic’s best starting 11 but we matched them in every department and
they were very, very lucky to win that game. I do think this semi-final
will be even tougher for us because Rangers are stronger throughout their
side than Celtic were last year in my opinion. We are massive underdogs
but I don’t think we have anything to be scared of. "
"I don’t think many lower league teams have reached three
semi-finals in quick succession like we have done. Last season we made the
last four of the Scottish Cup and CIS Cup and are there again this time in
the Scottish. Also, let’s not forget that we won the Challenge Cup
too. I don’t think I have lost, as a first division player, to a
Premier League team other than in a semi-final. SPL teams find it
difficult against us—that’s a matter of record. You look at how
Queen of the South did on Saturday. They just played their normal game and
Aberdeen couldn’t deal with it—plain and simple. And we showed
against St Mirren in the quarter-final how to close them down early in the
middle of the park and then take your chances when they come along. So we
have plenty of experience and won’t be worried about anything. ".
He's still hoping to take part and went on, "It was good to get
90 minutes and, more importantly, we got a much-needed win to take into
the weekend. I am still short of match fitness compared to the rest of
boys, but am looking forward to the semi-final as it’s another chance
for our players to show they are capable of playing at a higher level "
Rocco Quinn is looking less and less
likely to make the game.Del said, "Rocco
is struggling. He had a scan and there is a tear in the hamstring so he
won’t make the game unless he has a remarkable recovery. That’s
a pity because I think it’s his type of occasion and the bigger the
game the better for him. ". Saints have a reserve game tomorrow
to keep the fitness levels up but the manager continued, "I feel
I have players who can score against them, if we get chances. I believe we
can create openings against most teams but we need to be clinical, just as
we were away to St Mirren in the quarter-final. We will get pats on the
back for just being in a semi again, but I recall being part of the team
last year and losing was so disappointing. We had played well in both the
CIS match against Hibs and the Scottish against Celtic but just fell
short, with our concentration levels costing us goals. There was a belief
last year, though, and we need that again this time around. Whoever starts
or is in the 16 for Hampden needs to go in with the mentality that we are
going there to win and not just to enjoy the occasion. I saw what it meant
to the Queen of the South boys and I know what a fantastic day lies in
front of them. I want that for my players. "
8pm- The bad news is that as we expected,
Rocco Quinn is definitely out this
weekend and the scan on his hamstring has ruled him out for the rest of
the season. Slightly better news for Jody
Morris who was back running today and both
Kevin Jamesand
Martin Hardie(right) have come through
unscathed after their efforts against Morton. Saints have confirmed a
rearranged reserve match against Meadowbank tomorrow at McDiarmid with a
1pm kick-off. Trialist Nick "The Real" McKoy is set to
get another run out in an effort to win a deal.
April
14th - Rocco Quinn(right) is
already a major doubt for next weekend but Jody
Morris will hopefully be back in training tomorrow.
Kevin Rutkiewicz should also be back after
missing out at the weekend with an injury. And, while not underestimating
the task, Derek McInnes reckons we've
got as good a chance as ever of winning the cup. He told the Courier,
after the semi opponents were confirmed, "We’ll be more than
ready for next weekend. “Like Queen of the South we’ve got a lot
of experienced players who will be able to handle the occasion. “No
disrespect to Queen of the South— whether it was Partick Thistle or
Rangers we had to face in the semi, the club and the players for
themselves will never get a better chance to win the Scottish Cup. “It
would be a great opportunity for us if we got to the final. "
Despite his comeback at the weekend, Kevin
James isn't expecting to start on Saturday. The skipper told the
paper, "I’ll not be playing next week. I only played this
match because Kevin Rutkiewicz was
injured. The gaffer has said he’ll give me games before the end of
the season because that’s what I need. This season has basically been
a write off for me and I’d asked to go out on loan to get games under
my belt. So it was great to get a game and to score at the end was a nice
bonus. I’ve been training for the last three or four months without
playing so I really don’t expect to be playing next weekend to be
perfectly honest. As a professional I’ll prepare as if I’m
playing but my match fitness isn’t there. I’d like to think I’ll
be on the bench but we’ll see what happens.". He was happy
with his contribution to the morale-boosting win though. "We
needed that to give us a boost for what is a massive match. We didn’t
want to be going into it having not won in five. Nobody pulled out of
challenges, which was pleasing to see, and boys were playing for their
places. The victory and the confidence it brings was the most important
thing and it was also great to see Andy
Jackson get two goals for his own confidence ". There was
praise for the striker from the manager as well who said, "Jacko’s
been off the boil a wee bit recently by his own admission but he’s
had a fantastic first full season at senior level (he now has 19 goals)
and I’m delighted he got on the scoresheet ahead of next weekend’s
game. I also wanted a clean sheet but in the second half I felt we didn’t
approach it in the same manner. "
6.45pm - The interviews are coming thick and fast and now we know
our semi opponents, Steven Milne spoke
to the Official Site about the last encounter with the Forces of Darkness
when Saints won at the Death Star. The striker said, "It was a
great night for me and the club but it was a long time ago now and Rangers
are unrecognisable from the side we played that night both in terms of
management and players. They are going for what would be a remarkable set
of four trophy wins this season and they will be determined not to be
shocked by the underdogs the way Aberdeen were on Saturday. A number of
the players who played in the League Cup and Scottish Cup semi-finals last
season are still here and we have to use that experience to good effect on
Sunday. Last season's Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Hampden
will be particularly helpful in that respect. Hopefully we can help the
players for who a game at Hamden will be a new experience.". As
for the form book, he went on, "Whoever won yesterday deserved to
be in the semi-final against us. Queen of the South have done brilliantly
to get to the final and it would be great to make it an all First Division
final. You only have to look to England where none of the 'top clubs' have
been involved in the FA Cup semi-finals to see that it is a season for the
less fancied teams and there is no reason we can't emulate Portsmouth,
Cardiff or Queen of the South."
The squad are off to St Andrews to train tomorrow and
Del said, "Our preparation
won?t differ too much from a normal week but a change of venue for one or
maybe two days will keep the players fresh and focussed." Finally
confirmation that both sides will be wearing their away kit this weekend -
'mon the Yellow Army!!
April 13th - The semi-final
opponents have finally been confirmed with Partick dropping out after
failing to beat TFOD. So expect sod all fair play next Sunday and
a more poisonous atmosphere than there was at Hampden yesterday.
April 12th -
Savo has admitted in the Courier today
that all the players need to put on a good performance at home to Morton
this afternoon to ensure their places are safe for next weekend's cup
semi-final. He said, "We’re all playing for our places
tomorrow and we also want to be going into the semi-final on the back of a
win and with the confidence that brings. I’ll be looking to get a
goal as well because I haven’t scored for a little while now.
Possibly the semi-final has been in the back of our minds in the last few
weeks. We’ve gone four games without a win and if we’d still had
a chance of winning the league I’m sure we’d have picked up more
points than we have done. The incentive is clear for everyone because we
all want to be playing at Hampden next Sunday and will be going all out to
try and get into the semi-final team. I went in for my operation before
the CIS Cup semi and, although I’d trained for a few days before the
Scottish Cup one and was in the squad, I always knew that I wouldn’t
be involved in that one either. So I really want to play in this one. "
Derek McInnes echoed that saying, "To
be fair, I was really pleased with the performance against Dunfermline two
weeks ago but against Hamilton we were very poor. I do think that, as much
as I’ve been at pains to stress how important it is to go into the
semi-final in good form, maybe sub-consciously the semi and staying clear
of injury for it is in the back of their minds. But they can’t afford
to do that. You’re more likely to get injured if you’re holding
back. First of all the players have to cement their place in the
semi-final team. If you’re off form your place is in jeopardy. They
need to make my mind up. I feel as if we need a really committed
performance against Morton. As a team we need to get up to speed. If we’re
not competitive and aggressive we don’t win games. Very few teams can
win games half-cocked and we’re not one of them. I know how hard
Morton have worked to get into the first division and the first division
is better for them being in it. “From a personal point of view I want
them to stay up and in an ideal world that’s what will happen and we’ll
win tomorrow."
There are no new worries for the injury list which makes a change with
the comeback trio of Kevin James,
Martin Hardie and
Daniel McBreen all looking like
they'll play some part. It's also been reported that trialist Nick
McKoy who impressed for the reserves on Monday is coming back north
for another game next week.
6.30pm - Two from Andy Jackson
were cancelled out as Saints went for the shoot-themselves-in-the-foot
tactical approach today but a late winner from returning skipper
Kevin James saw us run out
3-2 winners at home to Morton leaving
Davie Irons team firmly entrenched in the play-off slot. Elsewhere and
Queen of the South did the SFL proud today with a 4-3 win over Aberdeen to
book their place in the final - congratulations to them on a job well
done. Unfortunately it does mean the media arseholes like
Chic the Pric have managed to drag out
the farmer cliches in an attempt to sound like a man of the peepil.
April
11th - After a quiet week for Saints, there is not too much for us
to get excited about with the visit of Morton tomorrow, although the Davie
"Jinxed" Irons-managed side still have a lot to play for to
avoid a play-off slot. Saints though need to get our morale boosted after
a pretty depressing fortnight and Derek
McInnes(right) is looking for a much improved performance after last
weekend's mess. He told the Official Site, "I have stressed to
the players that I am looking for a great deal from tomorrow's match. I
want individuals to play well, I want the goalkeeper and defenders to keep
a clean sheet, I want the midfielders to be competitive and confident and
I want the strikers scoring goals. When we come together on Monday morning
I want us to do so with a win behind us a bit of a spring in our step -
not having to have a post-mortem about Saturday's game as we have had to
do the past couple of weeks." So despite asking for the near
impossible, it looks like it won't be a first string side on the park
tomorrow with the emphasis on the cup semi next weekend. He continued,
"Much as I want to win tomorrow - and make no mistake about that -
our season comes down to one game now and that is at Hampden Park next
Sunday. That is what makes tomorrow so important for us even if the league
is not the priority any more. Morton have worked hard to get into this
league and will fight hard to stay here. They will be aggressive, full of
running and will show plenty of effort. If we don't at least match that
then we will lose. We must show the same determination to win this
game as they will."
It looks like Jody Morris and
Rocco Quinn will both miss out but after
the reserve game, Kevin James,
Martin Hardie and
Daniel McBreen are back in contention.
The manager said, "These three are in my thoughts more than they
were a week ago because all three have come through varying degrees of
involvement in last Monday's reserve game and training with no
ill-effects. However, the bottom line is that none of the three are ever
going to attain match-fitness in what remains of this season so I have to
work out whether it is taking a wee risk with them. All three are
very influential players who I want to have at my disposal."
April 7th - Saints have another
reserver game lined up tonight away to East Fife.
Kevin James looks set to get the full 90
minutes with Martin Hardie also getting
an hour. There's also likely to be a new face in 21yr old former Cardiff
and MK Dons midfielder Nick McCoy. Derek
McInnes said of the new face, "Nick has been recommended to
us and as well as getting a game tonight he will train with us for two or
three days."
Elsewhere on the Official Site, the manager was still angry after
Saturday's performance. "For me, it was the poorest display of
the season. We didn't play well individually or as a group but what
I was most unhappy about was that there seemed to be an acceptance that it
wasn't going to be our day. We are a good team when we are pressing and
dictating play but we were lacklustre throughout on Saturday and we are
not a good enough team to win games in that mode. I told the players
before the game to hit the ground running and play on the nerves of the
Accies players but then we lost a silly goal after five minutes and we are
never really at it after that. We were slightly better after the break but
still nowhere near good enough. The players have got to realise the
opportunity that is going to be presented to them and this football club
in a fortnight - the chance to make a Scottish Cup final and be in with a
great shout of winning that final. However, for now we get over Saturday
by concentrating on Morton's visit here this weekend. They are a club
fighting for their lives and if we play the way we did on Saturday we will
lose another game. That's not acceptable."
Jody Morris and
Rocco Quinn are still suffering calf and
hamstring injuries and neither will be risked this weekend if they're less
than 100% fit with the semi-final deemed more important.
Alan Main had a thigh strain as well thus
explaining the appearance of the Cat
in goal and the manager said, "Cat has been a terrific
professional this season. He is disappointed not to have been the number
one choice but he never lets it show in training where he sets high
standards. Alan Main has a wee thigh
problem but Kevin was there on Saturday because he deserved it."
April 5th -
Martin Hardie is already looking to
next season's league campaign but he also knows there is a semi-final
place at stake as well. After most of the year was spent on the sidelings,
the Mad Mental One is back into contention for a place at Accies today and
he told the Courier, "The reason I came to this club was because
there was real potential to get into the SPL under Owen Coyle and I still
believe that we can do it with Derek McInnes in charge. And we have shown
over the last couple of years, albeit in the cup competitions, that we can
compete against, and beat, teams from the Premier League. It has been
frustrating to miss out on promotion when, every year, we have been either
favourites or second favourites to go up. We have to do something about
that. During my time here we have finished second to a strong St Mirren
team and last year we were the strongest team in the league, only to not
get enough points on the board and lose out to Gretna. This time we have
had to chop and change things a bit, with Owen leaving and Derek taking
over. However, I am sure that next term, when the gaffer has made the
changes he wants to make, we will be ready to challenge for the
championship. "
"The most disappointing thing is that our away form hasn’t
been as good as the home form. We have had a really good home record but
when away we have not pushed the boat out and done enough to get
victories. It is not for the want of trying, it’s just that we have
not had enough guile and experience to see matches out. Any team knowing
St Johnstone are coming to play them should be a wee bit wary because we
have good players. I think it will be a good game. Hamilton are at home
and have made the most of that advantage but we’ve done well when we
have played them. A player should always want to do the best for his club
and for himself and that’s how our lads will be looking at it. An
example of a team showing the right approach came in midweek when Dundee
played at Partick. Most people expected them to turn Thistle over but it
wasn’t to be and that says a lot for the Partick players. There are a
lot of people at this club out of contract, including myself, so that’s
another incentive to do well. We are also playing for places in the
Scottish Cup semi-final. "
The manager is still hoping that Steven
Milne will be back after his bout of gastric flu while
Rocco Quinn should also return.Stuart
McCaffrey has been ruled out of the rest of the season with his heel
injury.
6.15pm - Worst performance of the season by a mile saw us
lose 2-0 to Hamilton. Not even worth
bothering about as that seemed to be the attitude for too many of the
players for long periods of the game. Every single one of them needs to
improve their attitude or else we'd be as well playing a youth side at
Hampden.
April 4th - With his Accies
counterpart apparently in for Manager of the Year,
Derek McInnes was being oh so
diplomatic in the Courier today. "Billy has done so well and
deserves to be there. Over the last couple of seasons he has been building
a team. This year they have shown real consistency and have been so hard
to beat. Their home record is fantastic. They have only lost three league
goals there all season, and that’s unheard of really. If he gets
promotion for Hamilton then that will add a lot of weight to his record.
If they don’t go up he could still be seen as a failure, but the
progress his club has made is a great credit to him. So anybody who has
constructed a side the way Billy has deserves enormous credit. He has had
the luxury of quite a settled squad and that always helps. Any team that
wins promotion or titles does not use too many players, so there has been
that element to their season. He has a good squad, including a lot of
young talent but also a couple of experienced ones. They are difficult to
beat if you go behind when playing them and (they) are resilient. "
As for tomorrow, he went on, "I really want to beat them and we
have done all right against Hamilton in recent times. I also think they
will be wary of us given our record against them. If I were in their shoes
I would be saying, 'Win this one and it’s a big, big step towards
clinching the title.’ Whoever wins the championship will deserve it,
be it Dundee or Hamilton. From my point of view, though, we are trying to
get back to winning ways and have a massive match—a Scottish Cup
semi-final no less—coming up, and whether it’s against Rangers
or Partick I want to go into that one on the back of some league
victories. I have to play the best team available to me and that’s
what I will be doing. I don’t like the plastic pitch, but we’ve
done well on it in past so if we lose the game it will be because we have
not played well enough—not because of the surface."
April 3rd -
Derek McInnes reckons Saturday's trip
to Hamilton is a bit of an anti-climax with Saints out of the title race.
The manager said in the Courier, "It is a bit annoying that we
are not involved in the title race at this stage but we still feel the
need to go there and win the game regardless. For us, it is not about what
happens to either Hamilton or Dundee but about keeping our season going.
We want to have an edge to our play right up to the semi-final and beyond,
so we will be doing all we can to get the three points. "
Steven Milne hasn't trained due to
sickness but should be fit while Rocco Quinn
is set to return from his hamstring injury.
Meanwhile the SFA have confirmed Dougie
McDonald as the man in charge of our semi-final. All we need to sort
out are the opponents.
April
1st - A quick reminder first of all that the tickets for the
semi-final go on sale to season ticket holders today with the ticket
office opening at 09.30. Full details on the
Official Saints Site
There are some players hoping to feature in that game who have hardly
kicked a ball under the new manager. Yesterday's closed doors game at
Cappielow finished 2-2 with Martin
Hardie(right) playing 45 minutes and Kevin
James getting the full 90. Derek
McInnes told the Courier, "They both did well. I’d
like to have played Martin a bit longer but we’ve got to be sensible
and not rush things. In the 45 minutes he played he did a lot of good
things. It was also really pleasing to see Kevin get 90 minutes under his
belt because he really needed it. "
Top Of News
March
March 31st - After another good
performance on SaturdayLiam Craig says
he's not made up his mind about next season yet. The on-loan star has been
offered a new contract by Falkirk but said in today's Courier, "I
just want to play as well as I can for St Johnstone. I’m
concentrating on playing well for them every game and that’s all that’s
on my mind. Once the season finishes that’s when I know what I’ll
be doing next season. It’s a boost for me that Falkirk have offered
me a new deal, but it says a lot for St Johnstone as well, them bringing
me here, and the players I have round about me helps me play better as
well. If it wasn’t for them I probably wouldn’t be in the
position where Falkirk are offering me a contract. "
Despite Saturday's draw, there is still a semi-final looming but the
midfielder knows we should have done betterin the league. "The
semi’s going to be a massive day, but if you’re not playing well
on a Saturday you’re not going to get a look-in for the semi final,
that’s what the players have got to realise. It’ll be a great
day out at Hampden, but we’ve got to do well in the league or we’ll
not be picked. I hope that’s the way the other players are looking at
it because that’s the way I’m looking at it. I thought we were
excellent in the first half but we’ve got to learn to finish teams
off. The gaffer says that’s why we’re third in the league,
because we’ve not learned to do that yet. I didn’t think
Dunfermline put us under any real pressure at all but we just didn’t
take our chances. "
Derek McInnes said, "I felt
we lacked conviction with our chances but the play to get up into their
last third was very pleasing. There was a lot to be pleased about but we’ve
been here before and we’ve ended up losing two points. We should have
dealt with the goal better but today’s why we’re third in the
league. What we need to do is make sure when we’re on top and in
charge of games we put teams away the way we should have done today. The
approach was great. We came out of the traps quickly, created a number of
chances and put a decent team on the back foot for long periods. I was
delighted with the response to a poor result the other night. "
Not too much happening otherwise today. Saints played a closed doors game
against Morton this afternoon with several fringe players featuring.
Meanwhile Barry Wilson has returned
north to Caley Thistle at the end of his month's loan.
March 29th -
Allan McManus got us a goal but poor
defending meant a 1-1 draw with the Pars
which summed up our season more than anything. After the game
Derek McInnes told the Official Site,
"I said at half-time that I wanted them to concentrate and
ideally go on to make it 2-0 or 3-0 but that if we had to tough it out for
a 1-0 win then so be it. Instead we have lost a bad goal – the ball
has travelled the best part of 80 yards – and we have ended up
dropping two points. Today sums up why we are only third in this league. I
was delighted with the response of the players to the Clyde defeat and we
played some great football, particularly in the first half. There was
plenty to be pleased about. We were quick out of the traps, our approach
play was excellent and we played some lovely long and short passes which
really stretched a good opposition side. However, instead of heading away
from here pleased with a good days work we are looking at another draw
scenario. I’m fed up saying it but we have to learn how to put teams
away when we are on top – it is a mentality rather than a performance
issue."
March 28th - With the gloom set
to hit us tomorrow in the first nothing game of the season as the Pars
visit, Derek McInnes has made the
rallying call to the players to get them to at least finish the season as
strongly as possible. He told the Courier, "We can’t afford
to let standards drop. We aren’t good enough to turn it on and off
like a tap and, to be ready for the cup semi-final, we must continue to
train and perform at the right level. I don’t want the players
falling into the trap of thinking there is only the cup left for us. We
need to retain the right sort of edge around the club. We aren’t up
to winning games at half-pace. For me any chance we had of promotion was
ended by the result at Firhill. But we still have to finish as high as
possible and go into the semi with that winning mentality. "
Jody Morris is back in training today
but Rocco Quinn faces a fitness test.
Goran Stanic should be back as well and
Peaso looks like starting although
seems set for hernia surgery in the summer.
4pm - The Official
Saints Site has announced details of the tickets for the semi-final.
They go on sale to season ticket holders next Tuesday priced at 18-25
smackers. We've got an initial allocation of 4,500 briefs, but more can be
requested apparently.
March 27th -
Greg Cameron's season looks to be
over after he was stretchered off with a knee injury on Tuesday night.
Better news though is that Jody Morris
will be available to play against the Pars on Saturday.
March 26th - The loss of the
unbeaten home record has left a real cloud of gloom hanging over McDiarmid
this morning. Derek McInnes was just
as depressed after the game last night and told the Courier, "I’m
gutted at losing the unbeaten home record. There was no excuse for the
opening 25 minutes and that meant we left the game to chance. We threw
caution to the wind at the end and credit to Clyde, they stood up to it,
but when you miss penalties and the chances we did, it is hugely
disappointing. In the second half we showed we had the players and had the
appetite for it and there is not too much we can criticise them for this
season. "
Congratulations to Jody Morris whose
wife gave birth to a baby boy yesterday.
Finally, the Stirling game has been rearranged for Wed April 23rd at
7.30pm
March
25th - Saints take on Clyde tonight in the first rearranged fixture
with realistically, only cup places and new contracts to play for (unlike
our visitors who are fighting to avoid a play-off).
Savo(right) says that the determination
is still there at the club to finish the season on a high though as he
spoke to the Courier. "It felt like a defeat on Saturday, not
because we had outplayed them and really deserved to win but because we
needed to win every game. Since the manager took charge we have had a good
record. To be honest, the damage was done early in the season when we had
too many draws. We didn’t get off to a good start and were playing
catch-up. “That’s been the case too often during my time here.
We just couldn’t get ahead and stay there for any period of time. Our
home record is really good and we’re unbeaten here but we need more
consistency in our play over a season. It’s now looking unlikely that
we’ll be involved in the title race but we will still be trying to
win every game and keep our form going ahead of the Scottish Cup
semi-final next month. "
He didn't rate the Firhill pitch either and went on, "I don’t
think there have been many worse than that one at Partick. In fact, I was
driving home the other day and looked over at games being played on the
public parks and thought the pitches looked a lot better than the one we
played on. ". Derek McInnes
echoed that saying, "I was disappointed with the result on
Saturday but not with the application of players as it was impossible to
try to play football on that pitch. It did not suit us because we are not
the type of team to play from back to front. There was a lack of
creativity from both teams, due mainly to the surface. It is probably the
worst I’ve seen. It was ridiculous and there’s no point trying
to hide that fact. "
Expect some changes tonight. Jody Morris
is down south pacing the labour wards while Rocco
Quinn's hamstring looks like keeping him out as well.
Goran Stanic is also still rated
doubtful but the manager expects a good finish from the players. "There
is no way there will be any let-up. We will be up against a team fighting
against relegation and I know their manager well and he will have them
fired up. It might also be a good thing that we will have to make changes
because the people coming in will have a point to prove. I am really
excited about this game and the boys will be, too. We have four home games
left—plus a couple of difficult away games—and we want to win
the lot. "
11pm - A poor performance including missed penalties from
Paul Sheerin and
Liam Craig saw us lose the unbeaten home
record in a poor 2-1 defeat to Clyde
with Barry Wilson notching our
consolation. Greg Cameron was taken
off with an ankle injury but on the plus side,
Martin Hardie came off the bench for
the last five minutes.
March
22nd - Saints head through to Partick today for their cup
semi-final dress rehearsal. Paul "Penalty
Miss" Sheerin is expecting a tough game but is hoping we meet
the Firhill side in the semis. In the Courier, he said, "It would
be nice if we could meet again in the Scottish Cup. I got excited for all
of 30 seconds on Wednesday when Thistle took the lead against Rangers. I
had Sky Sports News on and saw the goal come up for 1-0, but by the time I
was able to switch the radio on Rangers had equalised. The way the
Scottish Cup is working out maybe it will mirror the FA Cup and Thistle
will beat Rangers in their replay so that three lower league clubs are in
the semis. Obviously, quietly we would prefer Partick to win, but we’re
really not that bothered who we play in the semi-final. As far as tomorrow
is concerned, hopefully the extra day’s rest we’ve had will help
us. By all accounts their pitch is worse than the last time we were down
there, which is hard to believe! We’ll have to adjust our playing
style because of that, but we’re on a good run so we’ve nothing
to fear. We know we have to win every game. I know it’s a tall order
but we’re still believing and we want to take it on as long as we
can. "
As for his spot-kick miss midweek, he was philosophical about it. "The
run had to come to an end some time. I changed my mind about where to put
the penalty, which is something I don’t usually do. It was probably a
good time to miss one, if there is such a thing, but I then managed to try
my hardest to give them another chance. It was a nightmare. I’ve
missed plenty of penalties in my time but I’m not used to giving them
away at the other end. Fortunately we defended well after that.
Liam Craig scored his penalty in the
first St Mirren game and Peaso is
always quick to try and grab the ball as well, but I’m still happy to
take the penalties. It will be up to the gaffer ". He's also been
covering at left-back (and might do so again today if
Goran Stanic loses his fitness battle)
and said of his new role, "I’ve actually enjoyed playing
there. I’m just happy to be involved in the team with the competition
for places we have here."
Steven Anderson is back in the squad
while Greg Cameron has also been
added as he recovered from his hamstring injury.
Derek McInnes wants the players to
forget about the cup today and said, "Looking at our fixture list
for the run-in, I always felt that this would be as hard a game as we
would have. We’ve got to try and pick up three points and, as I said
last week, there’s no room for error. It’s important we maintain
our momentum. The pitch is a bit of a concern. It cut up badly the last
time we played there. I watched Thistle recently and it was dreadful,
there’s no other word for it. But both teams will have to try and
play on it. We now feel that we’re playing with confidence and that
we have a great chance of winning any game, no matter the opposition, if
we play well. "
6.30pm - An absolutely dire borefest ended out title hopes today
with a 0-0 draw at Firhill with
little real action and the only worry being Rocco
Quinn's early substitution with a possible hamstring injury.
March
21st - After getting his 50th goal for Saints midweek,
Peaso(right) is out to add to that
at Firhill tomorrow. The striker is close to signing a new deal with
Saints and told the Courier, "It didn’t even come into my
thinking when I scored it that the goal at St Mirren was my 50th. I forgot
about it until the end of the match. It was certainly a good way to
celebrate it with that sort of strike, but I can tell you that the tap-ins
are still the best. You can’t beat the feeling you get from one of
them. All three of the goals we scored at Love Street were very good ones
and I didn’t actually realise how good until I watched them on the
television last night. I’ve been played on the left at lot this
season so I’m enjoying playing up front just now because it’s my
preferred position, and at the moment the movement of the three of us is
killing teams. "
He doesn't underestimate the task tomorrow with our recent record at
Firhill a poor one and the opposition coming off a draw at the Death Star.
"It was a surprise that they got a draw at Ibrox but they played
really well and it has reminded us it will be a hard game on Saturday. “As
for the semi-final, we’ll look forward to Rangers or Thistle. It
doesn’t bother me who we face. It will be great to go back to Hampden
after last season’s semi-final against Celtic. Although we lost, we
caused them problems and it was a great occasion. "
Meanwhile assistant boss, Tony Docherty
was still full of praise for the win on Tuesday. "The boys were
excellent. Everybody has been talking about the goals we scored, but it
was our work ethic that pleased me most. We signalled our intent straight
from the first whistle and I don’t think they could cope with it. The
boys were brave in possession and a perfect example of that was
Liam Craig. His first two cross-field
passes went straight into their keeper’s hands, but he kept doing it
and his third cross picked out Rocco Quinn
for his goal. Our cup run can only be positive for our league campaign
because everybody will now want to play in the semi-final at Hampden."
5.30pm - Latest team news is that Goran
Stanic is a doubt for tomorrow still. And
Gordon O'Brien has joined Berwick on
loan until the end of the season.
March
20th - Looks like chaos rules this morning after Partick Thistle
got a 1-1 draw at the Death Start against TFOD last night. The result
means another Quarter-final replay has to be squeezed in to Rangers'
crowded fixture list and talk in the aftermath of the game last night was
that it would take place on Sunday April 13th at 3pm - sound
familiar? Yup the organisation means that the date clashes with the one
scheduled for our semi-final clash with the winners (also set to be live
on Auntie Beed). Worse though is the knock-on effect which means that it's
more than likely that the semi-final would be rearranged for a no-doubt
dreich midweek night thus depriving a lot of Saints fans of the chance to
make the clash as well as the associated revenue. No doubt the SFA will
manage to sort the mess out - after all it's what they're paid for -
especally given the rule which has applied in the past that the cup takes
priority over the league.
Meanwhile, Derek McInnes is still
basking in the glory from Tuesday night's win and he told the Courier,
"Other people may have thought our chance had gone when we drew
the first game at McDiarmid Park but that was never our thinking. That
initial game was a missed opportunity but we still believed we could go
there and win the replay, as I think was evident in the way we set the
tone from the off. The guys here can handle the bigger games no problem.
Our problem in the league has been drawing too many matches, but in doing
that we’ve shown how difficult we are to beat—I think we’ve
only lost five games over 90 minutes all season, and that’s a quality
which serves you well in cup competition. Last year Owen took the club to
two semi- finals; this year we’ve won the Challenge Cup and are now
through to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. That shows how strong we
are in knock-out tournaments. The great thing about Tuesday night is that
it keeps everything bubbling and ensures the feel good factor at the club
continues. We haven’t given up on promotion either and the challenge
now is to keep on winning all the way up to the semi-final and see where
that leaves us placed. "
After his performance on Tuesday, Alan
Main(right) is looking for Saints to go one better than last year.
The keeper said, "I just hope we can go one better than the club
did last year, when they lost out to Celtic. Everyone involved with St
Johnstone will be looking forward to the occasion. It’s a massive
lift for the club. I’m really pleased I made the decision to come
back to Saints. It has been a really good season. We won the Challenge
Cup, we are still in with a shout in the league and the Scottish Cup is a
bonus. When I left Gretna they were getting ready for the Premier League
but I knew I was coming back to a stable club and one I knew really well.
I have a great rapport with the fans and it’s nice to know they’ll
be backing us at Hampden. I owe a lot of people at St Johnstone."
Rocco Quinn was the only one who was
doubtful after the win when he was subbed due to suffering from stomach
cramps but he should be fit for the weekend.
6pm- Confirmation tonight that the semi-final will now be on Sunday
April 20th at 3pm. That means the Morton game on the 12th goes ahead
as usual but we'll have to find a new date for the Stirling game due to be
played on the 19th. Pity the earlier suggestion of playing the semi-final
on May 3rd after the league was over for us was ignored but common sense
isn't exactly in abundance in the offices of power these days.
March 19th - Plenty of coverage
in the papers today although there are a lot of "Celtic loan star"
and "ex-Rangers youth player" tags for a couple of our
goalscorers last night. It's also been confirmed that the semi-final
against Partick or The Forces of Darkness will be on Sunday April 13th
at 3pm. Not much in the way of new comments but the manager told
the Courier, "It’s Rangers or Thistle now and we’ll
deal with that in due course. The cup run last season built momentum in
the league and hopefully that will happen again. I was absolutely
delighted with the boys. They put so much into the game. The standard and
quality of the goals was magnificent. "
March 18th - Saints look set to
take over 600 fans through to Love St tonight and the club have announced
that tickets will be available at St Midden's ground up to kick-off.
Derek McInnes reckons we've got a good
chance though and the manager told the Courier, "I know that
people say that if you don’t win when you have a Premier League team
at home then you’ve lost your chance, but I don’t buy into that.
It’s a different game but it’s more or less the same players and
the prize at stake is still the same. Hopefully the committed performance
that we gave in the first match will be the same as well. If it is then we’ve
got a great chance. Personally, I can’t wait to get to Love Street
tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it, and the players are as
well. It’s cup football and we’ve got a real chance to progress.
Hopefully we’ll make the most of our opportunity. "
"We’re going there on the back of a couple of good wins
against Queen of the South and Livingston. The boys have shown a great
attitude since they lost to Dundee. We’ve always been a good home
side but I feel as though we’re getting better away from home as
well. You have to give St Mirren every respect as a Premier League team
and in most people’s eyes they are the favourites but I feel that I’ve
got Premier League standard players here and hopefully they’ll want
to show that tomorrow. Last season’s cup success has really whetted
the appetite of the players. We showed what can be done by running the
eventual winners, Celtic, so close and we want to get to that stage again,
and maybe even the final itself"
Goran
Stanic and Kevin Rutkiewicz should
return to the side tonight but Steven
Anderson is suspended.
11pm - We're going back to Hampden!!!!!!!!!!! An amazing Saints
performance saw us slaughter the Buddies 3-1
at Love St courtesy of a cracking volley from
Rocco Quinn, an
Andy Jackson(right) goal and a curling
effort from Peaso. Even
Paul Sheerin was able to miss his
first penalty in 36 years - we were simply that good. Elsewhere and the
Sheep gubbed the Forces of Evil at Parkhead to set up their semi against
QoS, while we await the outcome of the Rangers v Partick game tomorrow.
Our semi-final will be on Sunday April 13th which means the Morton game
the day before will be rearranged. Speaking to the BBC after the game,
Derek McInnes said, "The boys
put so much into the game and the standard of the goals we got was
magnificent. We started the game on the front foot. We had a few chances
after that if I'm being greedy and nit-picking. It was too frantic for my
liking in the second half but in general terms I was delighted with the
players "
March 16th - Despite the win
yesterday, Derek McInnes still had
some criticism of the performance. He told the Sunday Mail, "We
might run out of games to catch them but credit to Hamilton as it was a
fantastic result for them. But things can tighten up a bit in the run-in
so we have to concentrate on our jobs and keep winning. I don't want to
take anything away from our display but we were a bit wasteful with
chances and it took two great pieces of individual skill from Rocco to win
it."
March
15th - Liam Craig is set to
return to action for Saints after his suspension today and the midfielder
told the Courier, "Missing the match at Dundee was a really sore
one for me. If we’d won it would have been disappointing not to have
been a part of it, but obviously we lost and it was frustrating not to be
able to do anything to stop that from happening. I had to watch the Queen
of the South game on Tuesday from the stand as well and thankfully the
lads did really well to come from behind and win 2-1. It was good that we
had a midweek game, as I wouldn’t have wanted to wait until next
Saturday to play again in the league. If selected, hopefully I can help us
win tomorrow. Hamilton are playing Dundee and we have a game in hand to
play as well, so it’s possible that the gap could soon be seven
points behind the two of them. We’ve got eight games to go and we’re
aiming to win them all—we can’t do any more than that and we
will see where that takes us. "
He's out of contract in the summer and is still to decide where he wants
to play next year. "A lot of people have asked me about next
year, but I just leave it to my agent. I’m just enjoying my football
at St Johnstone just now and I’m grateful to the club for giving me
the chance to play regular first team football. If I’d been playing
for Falkirk reserves I’d be struggling for next season, but luckily I’ve
done well and it will be interesting to see if anyone comes in for me in
the summer. I’m not ruling out staying here—I’ve loved my
time at St Johnstone and really enjoyed working with the gaffer and Tony
Docherty. This is a club that should be in the Premier League—
everything is geared up for it. All I’m concentrating on at the
moment, though, is playing football and hopefully helping us claw some
points back on the teams above us and keep our cup run going. "
Goran Stanic should return to the side
for the trip to Meadowbank today although that's the only improvement in
the injury situation. The manager has still to decide on
Andy Jackson but
Derek McInnes told the paper, "On
their day Livingston can be a terrific team, and that’s what we
always need to be aware of. They are a good passing side and, if they get
on top, can punish you. They need the points as much as we do for
different reasons, so we can expect a tough game and we’ll give them
the respect they deserve I thought it was a great response from the
players to win on Tuesday night after going a goal behind. They kept
trying the right things. We have to concentrate on beating Livingston and
we’ll see afterwards what has given between Hamilton and Dundee. "
6.30pm - Another good solid performance from Saints saw us run out
2-0 winners against Livingston with both
goals coming courtesy of Rocco Quinn(right),
the second probably a candidate for goal of the season. Both
Goran Stanic and
Kevin Rutkiewicz failed to make the side.
March 14th -
Andy Jackson is set to start tomorrow
after getting the all-clear following his wee trip to hospital on Tuesday
night. The striker told the Courier, "I was actually knocked out
cold when I was playing under-19s against Falkirk and I was kept in
overnight that time. That was a lot worse and I can’t remember
anything about it to this day. I can remember the incident happening on
Tuesday but I got two doses of morphine and after that I can’t
remember being taken off the pitch. I didn’t lose consciousness when
it happened but my neck was numb, which was quite scary. When I was going
into the ambulance I heard the crowd cheer and I said to the ambulance
guy, ‘Did we score?’’ and he said, ‘At least we know
you’re still with us!' I didn’t know we had won 2-1 until
Liam Craig told me later."
"Strikers take a lot of knocks and all the centre-backs I play
against are bigger than me so I’m used to taking a bit of a
battering. I’m going to train tomorrow and I’ll be available for
Saturday. If I could get 20 goals it would be beyond what I expected at
the start of the season when I wasn’t even near to playing. I’m
definitely looking to get there."
Derek McInnes meanwhile knows we
can't afford to slip up. "We’ve got eight games left and I
feel we have to win all eight of them. As soon as we lose one I would
imagine that would be it all over, if I’m being honest. There are 24
points to be won and that’s what we’re looking for. We just have
to take each game one by one, starting at Livingston, and if we win we can
see what gives in the match between Hamilton and Dundee. “Then we’ve
got the cup replay coming up on Tuesday, so there’s plenty still to
play for. "
March 12th - Saints have
announced details of the ticket arrangements for the replay against St
Mirren next Tuesday. Season ticket holders can get their briefs
tomorrow and Friday at the club either in person (with voucher 25 from the
season ticket) or over the phone on 01738 4555000. After that there will
be a general sale on Saturday in person only from 10-12 or on Monday and
Tuesday from 9am to 5pm. Prices are £16 for adults and a tenner for
concessions. Although there are reports from St Mirren fans that tickets
will be available via a kiosk at Love St, there is no confirmatiion of
this on the Saints site so I reckon it's best to play safe.
March
11th- Kevin James(right) has
spoken to the Courier of his willingness to help Saints no matter what's
asked for him -including being an emergency striker as he turned into at
the weekend. He said, "I’m not fit enough to start a game.
The gaffer and I have spoken about it a few times recently and I only
started the match away at Queen of the South a few weeks ago because of
injuries and suspensions. I’ve been out for six months and only
played four games since then and my last one was two-and-a-half weeks ago,
so I’m well short of match fitness. The only way I’ll get that
back is through playing but because we’re Saturday, Tuesday and then
Saturday, Tuesday again there are no reserve matches for me to play in. So
I’m only really able to help out by going on the bench and coming on
if required. It’s not a perfect scenario but I’m delighted to
just be involved after my knee injury. The manager wanted to go for it on
Saturday and I managed to get a couple of flick-ons. It was a gamble that
didn’t quite pay off but we didn’t lose anything either. I can’t
say that striker is a position I particularly enjoy. I prefer to have the
game in front of me. Sometimes for 10 minutes it can create a bit of havoc
though. When you are going all out for the win you need to just get the
ball in the mixer, shall we say. I helped out at the back against Morton
when there was an injury to Kevin Rutkiewicz
and I’m happy to help out whenever and wherever needed. "
As for the season he's not given up on the league yet and continued, "Yes,
it’s a slim chance but it’s still our priority. People will say
we’ve no chance but we’ll keep fighting, and obviously it’s
great to still be involved in the Scottish Cup as well. We need to win
tomorrow night and do our best to put some pressure on Dundee and
Hamilton. We’ll take a lot of positives out of Saturday’s match.
An SPL team came here and we limited them to one chance. "
The Courier reports that Steven Anderson
and Liam Craig are suspended tonight
although that doesn't seem to tie in with reports from elsewhere.
Derek McInnes is looking for a
committed game tonight and he told the paper, "There are still 27
points to play for and Queen of the South turned us over the last time we
played them. In my time as manager it’s probably the only game that
we haven’t deserved anything. There’s also the fact that there
are places to play for in the cup replay, so there shouldn’t be a
problem with motivation. I was pleased with the performance and commitment
at the weekend and we’ll look forward to the replay when it comes
round. Individually and as a team we were excellent and I want us to
continue with that form against Queen of the South "
11.30pm- Good and bad news tonight. A
Peaso brace saw us come back from
losing a soft goal to beat Queen of the South
2-1., but the game was marred by what seemed to be a serious head
knock to Andy Jackson which saw play
held up for five minutes as he was stretchered off the park. He's reported
to be okay though and was conscious when leaving the ground, but he's off
for an overnight stay in Ninewells (no doubt picking up a multitude of
coagie bacteria into the bargain). After the game, the gaffer told the
Official Site, "They showed a real mentality to keep going
tonight and get the win. That wasn’t our best performance in recent
weeks – not by a long way – but there was a resilience and trust
amongst the players that carried them through when it looked like it might
not be our night. We have had to come back from being a goal down a few
times recently and shows a good character. All the players played their
part tonight including the substitutes. It was a heavy pitch so guys like
David Weatherston and Kevin Moon were able to inject a little bit of
freshness when they came on. Barry Wilson also swung over some great
crosses in the second half."
March
10th - Jody Morris(right) has
revealed he didn't know Saturday's game was going to a replay and was all
set for extra-time. The midfielder told the Courier, "I wasn’t
sure if it was going into extra time or not, but I was feeling fine and
ready to go. I only discovered it was all over when all the other lads
started walking off and shaking hands and stuff. I would have been able to
play on, although I still need to get a bit sharper and am not yet 100%
fit. The conditions were very Scottish like—it was really windy—but
I still enjoyed it and it was a good cup tie. I thought we could have won
and even when they got goal back I hoped we could still nick it. While
there is a feeling of disappointment in the dressing room that we are not
through, we still feel we can go there and get the right result in the
replay. For me to get into a semi-final would be unbelievable and if we
get past St Mirren we could be facing a massive club like Rangers. I have
played against top players before and would relish the chance to do so
again,"
"My wife is pregnant back home and the baby is due on March 24.
Ideally she would like me to come back for couple of days, but I want to
stay up here for as long as possible and get settled in. I have been
sitting by the phone most of the time and, don’t get me wrong, if it
all starts I will be back down like a shot, but I want to stay here for as
long as I can. The gaffer said I could go back for a couple of days and I
might do that but I will not be taking liberties and want to do the right
thing by the club and the manager. "
6.30pm - With the usual fantastic planning, the St Mirren replay a
week tomorrow has for some strange reason been made an all-ticket
encounter. Prices are £16 for adults and a tenner for concessions. No
word yet on when exactly you'll be able to get your briefs but they should
be on sale by the end of this week - so hopefully there will be no
problems with postal delays for those of us in far-flung parts of the
country. Finally, one game that has been confirmed is the re-re-arranged
league match with Clyde. It's been moved to Tuesday March 25th with a
7.45pm kick-off.
March 8th - With old rivalries
and grudges apparently being hyped up for the cup match today,
Peaso is trying to keep clear of it
after more bad blood was remembered with his clash with Andy Millen at
Love St three years ago which earned him a red card. The Saints striker
told the Courier, "I was a bit younger then and it was a bit of
stupidity on my part. I tackled Andy when I should never have done so. He
was an experienced pro and played me like a piano and I couldn’t take
it. I lost my temper and saw red. I am definitely not proud of that
moment, but we learn from our mistakes, don’t we? Now I have a lot of
respect for him. To still be capable of playing in the Premier League at
42 is something to be proud of. Last year it was such a good achievement
to get to the semi-final against Celtic at Hampden. We were always
confident going into the cup-ties, be they against SPL teams or not. After
giving Falkirk a drubbing at their own stadium we then went on to beat
Motherwell in the quarters. I remember scoring the goal that set us on our
way at Fir Park. It all happened so quickly. I didn’t connect
brilliantly with the ball and the only thing I could do was guide it
towards goal and it was great to see it go in. I think after that game a
lot of people thought we could do something. We gave Celtic a wee shock in
the semi-final and I think they thought it was going to be easy when it
wasn’t. "
He
reckons we have as good a chance this season giving a quick rundown of the
side for the benefit of the BBC reporters, "We have a good
mixture of experience and young talent and everybody believes in their
team-mates. We have a few winners in the team and that’s always a
bonus. Paul Sheerin is there and he’s
magic, while the arrival of Jody Morris
has added another touch of class. Watching Jody in training you can see
his quality and all he needs is match sharpness. His CV is certainly good
but he’s not come here for money—he’s come here to play
football and loves it. He has a wife and kid and his missus is pregnant
and due to give birth in a couple of weeks, so he has taken a risk to come
up here at this time. His attitude has been spot on. Sometimes people who
have been at bigger clubs disrespect some boys, but he’s come in and
shown us all respect and joined in. It’s good to have him around.
Barry Wilson is here, too, and he has a
fair strike on him and has shown that over the years.
Andy Jackson is another possible match
winner who has been on fire this season. Wee Jacko has been brilliant and
has been hard to shift from the forward line.
Jason Scotland was a big loss and has
since proved his quality at Swansea, but Andy has hit form at the right
time for us. Once he learns his trade here I think, like Jason, he will go
on to bigger things. His form has forced me to play a wide left role but I
have been in the team every week and would be happy to play in goal if
that meant starting matches."
Derek McInnes is looking for us to
bounce back from the defeat at Dens and he told the paper, "There
was a disappointment at the club after that defeat but we have had the
post-mortem and it’s in the past now. As difficult as this tie will
be, we see it as a great opportunity to get to Hampden. If we are right
and given our fantastic home record—three defeats in three years—we
will have a good chance. We need to start well, though. We didn’t get
going until the second half on Saturday and in the last three games we
have lost the first goal "
6.30pm - Liam Craig(right) gave
us the lead from the spot after Goran
Stanic was upended but Dornan scored a barely deserved equaliser for
St Mirren as we drew 1-1 in the Scottish
Cup Quarter Final to go to a replay on the 18th, which means the
Clyde game will be rearranged. After the game,
Derek McInnes said, "There is
a real sense of disappointment in the dressing room at the moment but I
cannot fault the players. I felt they did everything we asked of them
before the game – they were winning headers, second balls and tackles
and they showed a real appetite for the game. It took a penalty to give us
the half time lead but I thought we deserved it because we had a few
half-chances and had loads of possession, free kicks and corners. We spoke
about trying to deny them possession and although they started the second
half strongly we got back into it again. It was a soft goal from our point
of view which was disappointing but credit to St Mirren who changed their
shape in a bid to stay in the cup. Overall, I’m delighted with the
response to the defeat at Dens Park and we still have every chance of
progressing to the last four"
March 7th -With
another game against St Mirren, it's no surprise that
Alan Main(right) is the centre of
attention with the Saints keeper not exactly the favourite opposition
player of the Paisley mob. He told the Courier, "It seems as
though I have a bit of history with fans of most clubs and that certainly
includes the St Mirren supporters. I think that particular game against
Dundee United is where it all stems from. We were winning quite
comfortably but then Paul Hartley got sent off in the second half and
things started to go wrong for us. From what I can remember, there was a
cross that came into the box and Jim Hamilton got his hand on to it to
deflect it. I may have been partly to blame but I don’t think any of
the other goals were anything to do with me. I went out to win that match
against United just like any other one, but it wasn’t to be. We then
played St Mirren in a friendly at Love Street the following season and
they were laying into me for being a United fan—the mascot included.
Basically, I was getting stick for something that wasn’t my fault. I
thought a season was based on more than one game anyway. To be honest, as
a keeper you are always going to get stick— win, lose or draw. I am
quite prepared