Sean Dillon is set for his first league start since August when St Mirren are Christmas Eve visitors to Dundee United today.
The club captain has not been in the line-up for a Championship match since the 2-2 Tannadice draw with Raith Rovers four months ago.
With Lewis Toshney suspended after his red card in the away trip to Raith last weekend and Dutchman Frank van der Struijk still out with a torn calf muscle, the 33-year-old is the obvious stand-in at right back.
And while manager Ray McKinnon will not confirm his team until an hour before kick-off, he knows he can rely on his long-serving defender to do a job.
“I put Sean on when Tosher went off last Saturday and he did well but we have a couple of options there,” he said.
“Sean is a great professional and he trains hard. He probably has the lowest body fat of anyone at the club and he is always ready to play.
“Whether he’s in the team or not, he prepares for every game in the same way and that’s as it should be.
“He’s not been starting games but he is still a big influence on the dressing-room.”
As well as serving a ban on Saturday, Toshney has been struggling to train over the past few days because of a toe problem.
“He missed training the other day because someone stood on his toe at Raith and he’s had to have an injection in it.
“It’s nothing too serious and he has the ban anyway. He’ll be OK for Dumbarton next week.”
On the other side of the defence the manager faces a choice between the experience of fit-again Paul Dixon and teenager Jamie Robson.
Robson, who turned 19 at the start of the week has been an able deputy for Dixon while he’s been out injured over the last six games.
Equally, Dixon had hit top form before his injury and his influence down the left-hand side in an attacking sense as well as defensively has been missed.
Meanwhile, tickets for United’s final fixture of 2016, at Dumbarton on Hogmanay, are still available from the club shop at Tannadice.
Fans can also get their briefs for the top-of-table clash at Hibs a fortnight tonight.
St Mirren are hopeful they will have new signing Craig Storie available for today’s game.
The 20-year-old midfielder is set to join the Buddies on loan from Aberdeen after the Paisley club beat competition from fellow-Championship sides Queen of the South and Dumbarton.
The Scotland U/21 cap has played 14 times for the Dons since joining two years ago and has spent time on loan at Forfar and Brechin City.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.