Dunfermline boss Jim McIntyre is experiencing the worst injury crisis of his managerial career as the Pars prepare for the daunting trip to Ibrox to face Rangers.
There is a high possibility that McIntyre will only have 13 senior players available, with his bench being made up of kids. The only silver lining in the very dark cloud hanging over Dunfermline is that Martin Hardie continued his recovery from injury during a bounce game on Tuesday and will be fit to face Ally McCoist’s side.
McIntyre said: ”It is crucial we have Martin back. He is a very important player who is a great talker with a lot of experience. He has been round the block and he will be able to handle the occasion no bother.
”It is just a matter of keeping him fit and hopefully he can have a wee run of games. We really need him as we are decimated right now.
”We have lost Nicky Phinn who is feeling his hamstring again and Paul Burns has not recovered from the medial strain he suffered against Aberdeen last week.
”Steven McDougall also had to come off in our bounce game on Tuesday and he is struggling with his groin. Austin McCann has been for a scan and he has a tear in a disc in his back so he’ll be out for up to five weeks.
”Add to that long-term injured Jason Thomson, Steven Bell, Kevin Rutkiewicz and Craig Easton and it’s clear that we don’t have our troubles to seek. Without a shadow of a doubt, it is one of the worst periods in terms of injury I have known.”
Joe Cardle is another doubt, meaning what previously looked like a mission improbable now looks more like a mission impossible.
However, when asked if he thought his ravaged squad could go to the home of the reigning champions and pick up a result, McIntyre insisted: ”Why not? We went to Easter Road with a lot of injuries and got a win.
”Look, any time you go to the Old Firm it is a bonus game. I am not being negative saying that it’s just the way it is.
”They have top players and on paper should beat Dunfermline. But that doesn’t mean to say that if we do everything right and get a bit of luck on the day, that we won’t get a result.
”In the last game against them at East End Park, we never competed properly. We gave away the crucial first goal and, after that, Rangers were comfortable winners.
”The biggest disappointment from that match is that we didn’t show we are a half-decent side.
”So it is up to this group of players to go and show they are a lot better than they were against Rangers at East End Park. We are determined to give a good account of ourselves and, if we do, we definitely have a chance of winning the game.”