THISTLE BOSS FACES MORE INJURY WOES

PARTICK Thistle manager Alan Archibald has been dealt a fresh injury blow ahead of the visit of St Johnstone tomorrow after Stuart Bannigan was ruled out for a month.

The midfielder j oins a lengthy i njury list after undergoing minor surgery on his troublesome knee, which kept him out for the whole of last season.

Thistle’s campaign has already been beset by injuries, with Christie Elliott, Abdul Osman, Callum Booth and Mustapha Dumbuya all out with long-term problems.

Bannigan, who suffered knee ligament damage in March 2016, has been restricted to just six league appearances so far this season but has now been ruled out for at l east a month after having more surgery.

Andy McCarthy suffered a knock ahead of the 0-0 draw with Hamilton on Tuesday, leading Archibald to name just six substitutes, and the Jags boss lamented his side’s bad luck.

“Young Andy McCarthy started the Dundee game and picked up a knock, so we were back down to six on the bench,” he said. “That’s been a regular occurrence with the amount of injuries we’ve got, it’s happened a few times.

“The injuries have gradually got worse.

“Dumbuya went for an operation in July and we’ve had horrific i njuries t o Callum Booth, Christie Elliot and Abdul Osman. Gary Fraser is just coming back and Bannigan is out.”