KILMARNOCK v DUNDEE UTD
CLEVID DIKAMONA is Kilmarnock’s only absentee for the visit of Dundee United.
The defender will miss another five to 10 days of training with a hamstring injury.
Alan Power returns from suspension for Tommy Wright’s side, who sit 11th in the table.
Terrors midfielder Peter Pawlett is suspended as he completes a two-match ban following his red card against Livingston.
Midfielder Chris Mochrie is out with a hip problem but should be available next weekend. Last season: No corresponding fixture. Last five league matches: Kilmarnock LLLLL; Dundee Utd LLWWL.
Referee: David Munro.
There is a need to appease the fans with a name who will sell season tickets but they also need a manager capable of a rebuild. Brighton’s Graham Potter would be interesting. The Seagulls have struggled this term but he has a growing reputation.
Eddie Howe ticks a lot of the boxes. He’s available, has operated at the top level in England and his brand of football would suit the Celtic fans.
FORMER Livingston manager Gary Holt insists no one will be more delighted than him if the club triumph tomorrow at Hampden.
The 47-year-old guided the Lions to four group wins in the Betfred Cup before stepping down in November after a league defeat by St Mirren left them just a point clear of the relegation zone.
Holt’s former assistant Davie Martindale, also the club’s head of football operations, took the reins and masterminded a remarkable 11 wins in an unbeaten 14-game start to his stewardship.
Even though it did not work out for Holt in the dugout in West Lothian, he’ll be supporting the team from afar as they take on St Johnstone.
Holt, now Falkirk’s sporting director, said: “It’ll be a great final. Both sides are in a good run of form but I hope my old team come out on top.
“What I achieved there, with the relationships I built with Davie, the coaches, the office staff and players, there will be nobody with a bigger smile on their face come Sunday afternoon if they win.
“I still keep in touch with them, I spoke to Davie last week on a few different matters.
“Some of the players I keep in contact with, the office staff I keep in contact with. I had a great time, really enjoyed it and I can’t thank them enough as well for the opportunity when I was out of work.
“You can be grownups about these things and it doesn’t need to get bitter or horrible, I don’t see the point in that.
“It’s something that worked really well and I just knew the time was right. Come Sunday I’ll be cheering them on. Hopefully they can cross that line by winning the Cup.”
Martindale, who served time in prison more than a decade ago for drug and money-laundering offences, had his position as manager ratified by the SFA on January 26 when he was deemed a “fit and proper person”.
And Holt admits he is delighted the 46-year-old is now getting the chance to fulfil his ambition.
He said: “Davie has talked openly and honestly about what has gone in his life and it has been taken in the right vein.
“The powers that be have seen what he’s trying to do and how he’s gone about it – and rightly so.
“He has the opportunity now, which is what you want in football.
“Some people like being coaches or assistants but sometimes you want to be a manager. It’s giving him the chance to follow that dream.”