The African

The loss of Pearson and, you would think given the amount of whining from the media, McDonald will be a major issue for us. There is also the possibility that others may not make it, but with a longer break after this fixture we should not tKe too many chances with injured players. Our only option will be to see who is available and select accordingly, but please do not try anything too experimental with regard to formations and tactics. If we are going to give a couple of youngsters, then let's give them a chance of performing by playing them in positions and formations that they are comfortable with. We don't want to end up coping a hiding, but we can afford to give this one a real go and see where it gets us. A longer rest, albeit imposed by injured or suspension, for one or two of our older players, Lasley, McDonald, at this stage of the season, may pay dividends later in the run in. Right now, I'd settle for a decent performance and anything else is a bonus.

The key to his game may be who we have fit and available. If we are missing all of Lasley, Pearson, Law and Laingto injury and perhaps McDonald to a suspension, then we are going to struggle. While this is now not a fixture where we need a result, we all saw how the Hearts game arrested our promising run earlier in the season. We also saw in that game how making too many tactical changes, and dare I say tiring to be too clever for our own good, resulted in us shooting ourselves in the foot and taking a real humping. Hopefully we will have at least some of the above players available and any enforced changes can be handled without too much disruption. Right now I would take a decent performance and a point. I certainly wouldn't take any chances on the injured players. There are enough fixtures left where they can make a difference before the season's end so no need to take undue risks.

Don't remember him, though I recall MacRae. Did he get much of a chance after we lost MacRae? RIP and respectful condolences to his family and friends.

The first question for the manager with regard to the rebuilding process required in the summer is how many of the current squad will he keep? The undeniable and unmistakeable facts are that we have been in decline for the past two years and we have a squad with too many older players who are not going to be able to rediscover their past form. A such, even though there is a case for offering new deals to all of Hammell, Lasley and McManus, it would be churlish for a club with our budget and squad size to be able to keep all three. Perhaps the defining factor in the decision will be whether or not the management team can identify younger and cheaper alternatives both within and out with the current squad.

I'd keep McManus now, though may have said differently earlier in the season. I find him frustrating as a player as, when he screws the nut, he shows what he has to offer, but when he is disinterested he looks awful. If he is fit and wants to stay then he is better than anyone that we will have the money to replace him with. Having said that, if the management want shot of him it will free up a fair amount as he will be one of our higher earners, or if someone else comes in for him (doubtful) then I won't lose too much sleep.

Normally not a fan of this type of play, but the number of late goals we have shipped hopefully allows me a little hypocrisy, just this once.

A quick google throws up the fact that Colin McNair ended up in court for drugs offences in the early nineties. Looks like e was extremely lucky to avoid a custodial. I had a faint recollection that he was prosecuted for the assault on Jim Griffen, but that may be wrong, especially as the previous conviction would have stood against him for the latter conviction. Again purely from memory, I seem to recall him coming on as an early substitute in a game at Fir Park and giving an excellent account of himself, though I think we lost the game. It may have been as a replacement for Colin O'Neil who ad played on for a few minutes with what turned out to be a broken leg, but that could just be my memory mixing up events. He undoubtedly had talent and really hit the skids when things did not work out for him. Hopefully he has managed to come to terms with his demons and is in a better place today.

Only if Saints don't win on Wednesday.

Much more of a "must win" for United than us. Three points for them and they are right back in the mix. They would be five and seven points behind Killie and Accies respectively with each having nine games to play. It all comes down to how they cope with desperation. They have been awful all season, hence their league position, but are finally finding some sort of form. Right now, I'd take a point and move on.

A win and a clean sheet. That will do for now.

While I'd rather Thistle lost, this result would keep Saints in the mix. We really could do with a win on Saturday. Have to do the business ourselves, then anything that other results give us is a bonus.

Indeed.

Stevie Kirk off the bench at Dens Park in the late eighties was a turning point for a season where we were dicing with relegation and for Kirkie where it silenced the boo boys and he went on to score four against St Mirren in, I think, the next match, turning around his career with us.

Any kind of win please. Reckon a draw is the likely result though.

Happy with the win. Let's keep the run going next week.

Don't know him personally and have had no dealings with him, but, from what others have said on here he seems to be a good guy doing a decent job so what's not to admire about that? Maybe he got lucky landing the original media role with the club, but having made a success if that he has had the guts to step up to the next level. He had a tough task as we lost a lot of experience when Dempster left and seems to have grown into the job. As for being qualified for the job in the first place, it seems to me that it would be a very specialised role so hanging on for someone who ticked all the boxes could have been a lengthy and ultimately fruitless search. Yes, it may have been a gamble for both employer and employee but it seems to be working out. Good luck to him.

Only need to increase the squad size if the free agents offer something extra. Are those players out there and willing to join us? I am not saying we shouldn't be looking, but there is no reason we can't get out of the hole we are/were in with the current squad.

Looks good. If I were still in Scotland I would be up for some of these. Pricing looks reasonable so it doesn't just look like a money making exercise. The 91 cup win was one of the defining moments of my forty odd ears of following the 'well and worth celebrating. The only sadness are those who were involved who have passed on and cannot celebrate with us.

A draw would be acceptable. They seem to be struggling though, so three points are not out of the question. I suppose we have to be realistic and accept that a win won't keep us up and a defeat won't relegate us. We do not seem to cope with pressure so maybe another away fixture works in our favour.

Four games where we should be looking to get something from. Would love twelve points which would almost certainly see us safe, but would settle for eight right now.

Twelve games left to assure our survival. United being almost certainly down may be a double edged sword as our rivals for the play off spot will also still have to play them.

Last season we were not good enough to take advantage of results going our way at certain times. The situation is similar and we have to make something of it., starting at Perth on Saturday. We are in a dogfight but at least we are not on our own. If we are better than two of the five or six other teams in the mire with us, come the end of the season, I will happily take it.

Not sure about three at the back. Might be the sort of gamble that pays off once and we shouldn't over play our hand.

Tricky, but their form is almost worse than ours. Hopefully we can build on tonight and get a result.

Who do we play next?