Saints will ‘have a go’ at Rangers

ST JOHNSTONE manager Tommy Wright said his team will “have a go” at Rangers tonight.

Fourth-placed Saints meet the third-placed Ibrox side at McDiarmid Park with t h e Pe r t h s i d e m i nu s Michael O’Halloran, on loan from the Ibrox club, and suspended former Rangers defender Richard Foster.

O’Halloran has been a potent threat for Saints this season and was named Player of the Month for August. However, under the terms of his loan agreement, he can’t face his parent club.

Tommy said: “We will be positive and take the game to Rangers.

“The players are hurting after our loss to Aberdeen. We played very poorly at Pittodrie and my players are keen to go and show what they can do tonight.

“This i s a big match, there will be a big crowd and a good atmosphere.

“The game is live on TV, so it is a big stage for us to perform on.

“I want my players to go and enjoy the game and do the right things all over the pitch. They are ready to go and play their part.”

The trio of Saints players away on international duty with Northern Ireland — Alan Mannus, Paul Paton and Kyle McClean — have returned to the club and are in tonight’s squad.

While Mannus and Paton were with the senior squad, McClean was with t he U/21s.

Blair Alston has recovered from a thigh complaint and is in tonight’s pool. The former Falkirk man has been out for two months but is now OK.

Among the crowd tonight will be some members of the famous Willie Ormond Saints team of the l ate 1960s-early 1970s. They were the first Perth side to get into European football and were 1969 l osing League Cup finalists.

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright.