The Rab C look disnae suit me
Gary hates his headband
Gary Irvine is always game for a laugh but he admits he doesn’t much like having to resemble Scottish comedy icon Rab C Nesbitt. The experienced full back hasn’t had much luck in pre-season, with separatep head knocks in fri friendlies against Nairn Co County and Alloa Athletic re resulting in a total of 18 stitches and a head ba bandage Gregor Fisher wo would be proud of. Despite spending a few da days dazed and confused, Ir Irvine is in no doubt that th the season can’t come q quick enough as Saints p prepare for a trip to S Stranraer this weekend. Irvine told Express Sport : “I’m looking forward to it. It is always t the case that you are waiting for the real games to get started. “In pre- season it is hard training and it gets you fit and that is what it is building you up for. “It is a good few miles going down there but it will be a tough game. “St ranraer have shown it isi a hard place to go to last season and I’m sure they will be looking to show that they can match us.
“But hopefully I can stay away from the stitches this weekend – fingers crossed all the bad luck is out of the way now.
“These things happen in football, and it is better doing it in pre-season than during the league I suppose, but it hasn’t been fun.
“But you can’t do anything about it – that said, I hope that’s the last of the Rab C headbands too.”
Irvine’s injury woes pale into comparison, however, with the news that young midfielder Kyle Magennis looks set to be out for three months with a knee injury.
Josh Todd is also an injury worry having dislocated his shoulder in training during the week, and Adam Eckersley remains on the sidelines.
And the full back admits it has been a tricky pre-season for the squad as a whole.
He added: “Losing Kyle is a massive blow and Toddy fell awkwardly on his shoulder the other day so unfortunately we have picked up a few injuries in pre-season, and it’s not ideal at the start of the season.
“One positive is we still have another few weeks for rest and recovery time for injuries, so hopefully we will be okay.
“Kyle’s injury is a bit longer term, and with the form he showed last season we know he is going to be missed.”