The Ibrox playing surface bears the scars of the severe Scottish winter like every other pitch across the country, but to the St Johnstone players it will feel like a bowling green.
After enduring another home match against Dundee United on Tuesday night when the rutted McDiarmid Park underfoot conditions didn’t allow them produce anything resembling free-flowing football, midfielder Murray Davidson admitted that pulling the boots on at the home of the Scottish champions on Sunday will be a welcome treat.
He said, “It will be strange to get out on grass when we go to Ibrox. Our pitch has been like that for weeks but there’s nothing we can do. It’s not great to watch games on it and I can tell the fans it’s not great to be out there playing either.
“I wouldn’t say there is fear but you have to show common sense. There are times it’s impossible to play and the ball does take a bad bounce before it gets to you. I think we have maybe adapted to it a wee bit because we have had six clean sheets in a row, which is great going. But it doesn’t help and the lads have just got to knuckle down.”CombativeThe former Livingston man, whose combative style allows him to impose himself in these conditions better than others, added, “I just get my head down and bash on.”
Davidson added, “It started at the Celtic game when the rain was on really heavy and it hasn’t recovered since then. Even when it does dry out, I think it will just get all bobbly. It will be like that for the rest of the season.
“You have to remember it’s Scotland so it’s going to be cold and wet. You play on pitches like that from the time you’re a kid. All we can do is get the head down and keep going.
“It can make you look stupid, like when Cleveland (Taylor) tripped over one of the trenches, but there’s no point moaning about it.”
Davidson is also hoping Rangers’ Europa League match against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal tonight will help the Perth side’s cause, adding, “They have a game on Thursday so we will get a wee bit more rest than they will, so maybe we can take advantage of that.Operation”We were disappointed with ourselves last weekend up at Inverness because we have not been losing goals. We kept another clean sheet against Dundee United so the lads will want to keep that going against Rangers. We’ll go there with confidence and look to put up a good performance.”
Sam Parkin’s broken ankle will be operated on before the weekend. The big striker sustained the injury in Monday’s pre-match training session and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Manager Derek McInnes said, “It’s obviously a big blow for Sam and for us. We’ve got a tight squad as it is, and that’s one option less we’ll have up front.”
Jamie Adams turned his ankle in the United match and was brought off as a result. The extent of his injury should be clearer today.