Former Scotland striker Derek Riordan will travel with Brechin City as he strives to resurrect his footballing career.
The ex-Hibs and Celtic hitman has been training with the Glebe Park club in recent weeks and appeared as a trialist during City’s 2-1 defeat to Stranraer last Saturday, coming on as a substitute for the last 13 minutes of the League One clash.
Boss Ray McKinnon confirmed yesterday that Riordan is once more expected to link up with the squad ahead of today’s game at Ayr United, although he has warned the 31-year-old former internationalist he will have to prove his fitness if he is to win any sort of contract with the Angus club.
Since ending his second spell with Hibs on 2011, Riordan has had short spells with Chinese side Shaanxi Chan-Ba, St Johnstone, Bristol Rovers, and Alloa all of which have not worked out.
“Derek came in last week to get his fitness up and perhaps do us a turn because we were short of bodies,” he explained.
“Nothing more than training and playing as a trialist which he can do for three games has been discussed, but it is an opportunity for him to show what he can do.
“He’s been great he’s obviously lacking match fitness and he’s not up to speed with our guys because they’ve been training hard week in week out.
“He’s a bit behind but he’s got every opportunity to impress me here.”
City’s injury list may have partly contributed towards last weekend’s 2-1 loss at home to Stranraer, but McKinnon will have on loan Rangers defender Kyle McAusland back in the squad for the trip to Somerset Park.
Fellow defender Darren McCormack is also back, but Callum Tapping, Alan Trouten and Craig Molloy remain sidelined through injury.
Centre half Steven Jackson will also be unavailable after going out on loan to Glenrothes Juniors.
Seventh-placed City can reduce the gap between themselves and their third-placed hosts to just one point with victory today, and McKinnon is keen to do just that.
“We were missing five key players last week who probably would have started the game, but I thought we didn’t deserve to lose the game,” he commented.
“After probably our worst performance in two years at Airdrie, I thought the response was great and we should have taken something from the game last week.
“We’ve just got to keep that going and, although it will be a tough game because Ayr are a good side, we’ve got a strong side as well even with the three guys we’ll have sitting on the sidelines.”