St Johnstone

v Dundee Utd

TWO men who earlier this week had been team-mates at Celtic could line up against each other at McDiarmid Park this afternoon.

Paul Sturrock last night secured the services of highly-rated young striker John Paul McBride, while Dundee United will find out this morning if their #600,000 bid to bring back David Hannah has been successful.

McBride, a member of the Scotland Under-21 squad, became Sandy Clark's first signing since taking over the Perth club and, after completing the switch, the #150,000 addition revealed he left the defending champions because of his lack of first-team opportunities.

''I'm just glad the whole thing is completed now and I can get on with playing,'' he said. ''I have been told I will be on the bench and the next couple of weeks will be important for meeting the rest of the boys.

''I felt that I was never going to get the chance to play in the first team at Celtic so I decided it was time to move on. I was happy to move after speaking to Sandy Clark yesterday.

''I'm 20 now and this is a big move for me. It will give me the chance to play first-team football and impress.''

Saints have injury worries for this afternoon's clash, with Nick Dasovic, George O'Boyle, Allan Preston, and Nathan Lowndes ruled out.

Hannah, meanwhile, is looking to improve on a largely unproductive spell at Celtic. He was brought to the club in a #650,000 deal by Tommy Burns in 1996 but struggled to hold down a regular place under Burns, Wim Jansen, and now Dr Jo Venglos.

After a bid of #500,000 was rejected, a possible swop deal involving United striker Kjell Olofsson was also mooted, but nothing came of the move.

Sturrock, though, was handed #500,000 this week by chairman Jim McLean after the club agreed an extension to their sponsorship deal with Telewest and the new bid was immediately lodged.

Hannah, who still has one year of his current deal to run, joined United as a youngster in 1991 and a five-season spell at Tannadice ended after a row with McLean.

Scotland striker Billy Dodds, meanwhile, would love a repeat performance of four months ago.

Dodds, who celebrated his thirtieth birthday yesterday, scored a hat trick against his former club on his United debut, and after their dismal 0-0 draw with lowly Queen's Park in the Scottish Cup midweek, he is keen to make amends.

''We would love to start that at Perth and, although Saints are a good side and are well organised, we have a good record there.

''I would be delighted to get another hat trick there but I don't see that happening again. I would settle for one goal - especially if it was the winner.

''Some of the reaction to the cup result has been well over the top. For people to suggest that we could have gone out of the competition is a total over-reaction.

''Queen's Park defended well and they deserve credit for that but they didn't have a shot on goal, so how can we be lucky still to be in the cup?''

Dodds seems to have forgotten that keeper Sieb Dykstra dropped a cross ball to allow Queen's Ross Caven a close-range effort which was cleared off the goal-line.

Defender Neil Duffy faces a late check on an ankle injury and United will again be without Frenchman Bernard Pascual, who has been told to rest completely because of a knee injury.

BOOKIES' VIEW: St Johnstone 4-5, Dundee United 3-1, draw 3-4.