This weekend will see the climax of Saints preparations for the new season with a free week requested due to non availability of key players. This hastily arranged event to be attended by a significant number of players completes the set of especially recreated "actual season scenarios" meticulously planned by Manager Iain Jackson to prepare his squad for the season ahead. Always at the forefront of innovative coaching methods Jackson planned Saints pre-season to replicate as closely as possible the difficulties likely to be encountered during the season. Saints seldom play in sunshine during the course of a normal season therefore every pre-season match was played in heavy rain. Saints rarely get a chance to play any more than two consecutive games without interruption so no fixture was arranged for the weekend following the D&K Cup Tournament. In a league so competitive as this season's Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division there will be no easy games therefore a high intensity match was arranged against Greenock High School Former Pupils where no quarter was given or asked. No season is complete without at least one serious injury and Saints managed to sustain two in one game. There is always a crunch match that has to be faced without a host of first choice players so the Saints squad that took on Ashvale Victoria was missing five of last season preferred starting eleven. Every winter sees matches called off either the night before or on the morning of the game so when Tynecastle cancelled last Saturday's trip to Oban on the eve of the game this ticked another box in Jackson's plan.
Jackson is always very cautious not to reveal any of his coaching methods and has been quoted in the Oban Times as being disappointed that the Tynecastle game was cancelled, however he is believed to be secretly delighted that his audacious plans were almost entirely completed. The only missing piece in the jigsaw was for the D&K Cup Tournament to be abandoned due to bad weather but this plan had to be scrapped when tournament sponsors D&K Lafferty Contractors refused to pay for an artificial snow machine.
On a serious note the injuries sustained by Paul Kerr and Donald Campbell in the friendly against Greenock HSFP have turned out to be much worse than anticipated. Paul will definitely lose his two front teeth and Donald's broken metatarsal will keep him in plaster for several months. Paul will be able to return to action soon but Donald will not play at all this season. Donald's injury is a devastating blow for the club and of course for Donald himself. Never before having missed a single game through injury the rehabilitation period is sure to feel like an eternity for Donald but I'm sure that the Saints boys will keep his spirits up and he will be back next season raring to go.
Hands up if you thought Martin Bonar would be Saints top scorer in pre-season
#monthesaints
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