The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
New boss Weir knows he faces baptism of fire
Three games in a row against the League One pace-setters are looming large for Forfar.
But new Station Park boss Jim Weir is viewing today’s trip to Hampden as just as big a challenge as the ones that will quickly follow.
Queen’s Park may be second bottom of League One but Weir has known Spiders’ gaffer Gus McPherson long enough to appreciate the scale of the task his side will face in trying to leapfrog them.
And it won’t be made any easier by several injuries.
“It doesn’t really matter who you play in this league,” he said. “They’re all tough matches.
“We’ve got the three top teams after this – Ayr United, Raith Rovers, then Albion Rovers – but I know that Queen’s Park will give us a hard game.
“Gus McPherson is one of my best friends in football and I’ve always found his teams to be tough to play against.”
Simon Mensing, Eddie Malone and Jim Lister all have knee injuries and are definitely out, while Mark Millar is a doubt with a back problem.
Weir won’t be rushing into the transfer market for loan signings as he wants to give the current squad the chance to stake a claim first.
“We’ll be stretched this weekend but that gives an opportunity to a couple of boys who might have been out of the picture and younger lads,” he said.
“The injuries are not ideal but that’s what we’ve got a squad for.
“I’ve seen enough of Forfar’s games to have an idea about where we need to improve but it’s only fair to give the boys here a chance to impress.
“By all accounts we were unlucky not to beat Stranraer in the last game before the break. “There’s a good squad here – players who I’ve admired when I was at other clubs and some who I’ve worked with before.
“My job is to build the confidence in the squad and put out a team which has the right attitude that will hopefully play good football and win games.”