St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright excited for new season

Published 16th Jul 2016

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright is happy to get the new season up and running with a trip to Elgin City in the Betfred Cup on Saturday.

Saints' group in the revamped competition includes Falkirk, Brechin City, Stirling Albion and this weekend's hosts from League Two.

After a final warm-up game against Livingston on Tuesday night, which ended 1-1, the Northern Irishman is keen for the real stuff to start at Borough Briggs.

Wright told the Perth club's official website: We are looking forward to the game on Saturday - that will be the season started.

It's an early start but it's good to get competitive matches going quickly, I think the players will enjoy that.

In the pre-season games you can tend to overpass it a bit and we did that at times against Livingston.

But I expect us to be a bit more ruthless on Saturday.

It's a tough group, particularly in terms of having Falkirk in it who are one of the best sides in the Championship.

It's a difficult group but I'm just pleased to have avoided playing on plastic pitches.''

David Wotherspoon (wrist), Dave Mackay (hip) and Ally Gilchrist (pelvis) will not feature after missing pre-season matches at Glentoran and Livingston.

Midfielder Murray Davidson was taken off at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Tuesday night with a hamstring problem but is suspended.