Hallelujah,these international fortnights do my nut in. A fortnight without football-that’s three potential matchdays lost-due to a friendly and a nothing game against Albania.

No wonder the clubs go ballistic about the international calendar,although of course it is more to do with loss of revenue and injuries to highly-paid players. Anyway,we’re back. And on a Friday night too.

Bloody hell,our next game isn’t till the following Thursday,will we last that long?

i used to love a visit to Love Street. Casual saunter from Gilmour St,a few swallies in Stringfellows next door to the ground. Last beer ordered at 255,necked in two minutes,in the ground for kick-off. Happy days. I’ve not been to their new ground though. Neither has their manager,not on match day.

Stubbsy elbowed out the door for questioning the validity of a compliance tribunal overturning a Morelos red,this has given an opportunity to Oran Kearney. I know nothing about him,other than that he has been quite successful with Coleraine. He’s also the son-in-law of Kenny Shiels,a man for whom I have much respect. He was rarely short of an opinion,that’s for sure.

I wish Oran well,from Saturday onwards. Stay above Ratty’s Dundee and win your play-off and you’ll be fine.

About us,seems our only injury worry is likely to be Lustig. Playing through an injury,not your best move. Tomorrow would be ideal for a back three,but only Hendry would fit the RHS of that,add in Boyata and we have a quandary for the LHS. I can see a back four of Gamboa,Boyata,Ajer,Tierney.

Id give Scott Bain a run out too,get some game time into him.

Middle really picks itself these days. Brown,Ntcham,McGregor. With Rogic just in front,Forrest wide right,Edouard spearhead.

Id be happy for us to be comfortable after an hour or so,and for Brendan to get the subs on after an hour. Some of our bench need game time,some of our regulars need to avoid burn-out. I’ll be happy with a win,regardless. Saints know they need to get some points rattled up soon,the longer they continue with Nil Points the harder it is to break that routine.

And-whisper it-about 100 or so days till Christmas,they could do with some bonus money!!

No,not a walk in the park. And I trust we will be accordingly prepared.

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On the subject of preparation,it seems that Celtic FC and/or Police Scotland could have done with that prior to our last match. Seems they were unable to figure out how to protect 800 huns entering our ground without putting a 200-mile Exclusion Zone around them and funnelling tens of thousands of Celtic supporters into a bottleneck.

Many of us will have seen similar over the years,too many tales to tell. I recall being at Love St for,I think,a midweek match in the 80s. Very steep terraces,and a steep exit stairway awaited us. As did a locked exit gate!

it was one of those massive ones that slid on rollers along the wall,still padlocked,and the crowd still coming down,blissfully unaware that their presence was crushing their fellow-Tims at the front. To this day I have no idea how the padlock was trashed,but the gate was wrenched open,and just in time.

If you are lucky enough to be going,please stay safe. And bring us back three points!!!

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