First Team
MATCHWORNSHIRT | CHAMPIONS
7th May 2024
At the end of a difficult week and with an injury crisis on his hands, Manager Alex Smith was stressing the need to re-focus on league business. He declared: "After Wednesday's disappointing Scottish Cup exit at Ayr, we really have to bounce back tomorrow in the league match at Tynecastle. It was obviously a very sore one to take when we consider that we originally had the advantage of playing a home tie, in which we drew, and then had to go to a difficult place like Ayr to get a result. We lost a penalty in the first few minutes of the match and never quite managed to get into the game. Out of the Scottish Cup, we now need to concentrate on League points. Tynecastle never is an easy place to go, but if we work hard and play as we can then I am hopeful we can bounce back from the mid-week disappointment."
With many first team players unavailable, the Manager has to call upon his young players and their ambition to feature regularly on SPL team sheets: "At the moment, we have several injured key-players at the Club which is causing us problems, amongst them four of the most experienced players we have, namely Stephen Wright, Jim Hamilton, Jim McIntyre, Jamie Fullarton. Added to the list today are Jamie McCunnie, Stephen Carson and Jim Paterson - which makes it quite a long injury list to contend with. Also, Derek Lilley is suspended for tomorrow's match. Having said that, this situation allows us to go to Tynecastle with young players like Stuart Duff, David Winters, Stephen McConalogue and others around that age group and give them the opportunity to play first team football. Hopefully, their enthusiasm and their will to win can help us on the day. As I said, it's been a disappointing week, but we have to try to recover and get back on an even keel and start to take the Club forward." And, as the Manager intimated, this may mean new signings: "At this moment in time, we are negotiating with two other Clubs for new players to come in and unfortunately I cannot name the players concerned or the clubs in question but I will do so as soon as it is feasible and appropriate."
With many first team players unavailable, the Manager has to call upon his young players and their ambition to feature regularly on SPL team sheets: "At the moment, we have several injured key-players at the Club which is causing us problems, amongst them four of the most experienced players we have, namely Stephen Wright, Jim Hamilton, Jim McIntyre, Jamie Fullarton. Added to the list today are Jamie McCunnie, Stephen Carson and Jim Paterson - which makes it quite a long injury list to contend with. Also, Derek Lilley is suspended for tomorrow's match. Having said that, this situation allows us to go to Tynecastle with young players like Stuart Duff, David Winters, Stephen McConalogue and others around that age group and give them the opportunity to play first team football. Hopefully, their enthusiasm and their will to win can help us on the day. As I said, it's been a disappointing week, but we have to try to recover and get back on an even keel and start to take the Club forward." And, as the Manager intimated, this may mean new signings: "At this moment in time, we are negotiating with two other Clubs for new players to come in and unfortunately I cannot name the players concerned or the clubs in question but I will do so as soon as it is feasible and appropriate."
