This piece is an extract from yesterday's McDiarmid Memo newsletter, which is emailed out at 6pm every Thursday.
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The winter break is almost over, and Saints are back in action this weekend in the Scottish Cup. Thank goodness for that.
It seems like an eternity ago when the club drew 1-1 with Livingston back on December 27, but the extended break will hopefully have been a worthwhile time for manager Craig Levein and his Perth squad.
The Scottish Cup always brings back special memories for us Saints fans and here’s hoping we can go on an extended run in this year’s edition of the tournament.
Rhys McCabe’s Airdrieonians are the opponents this weekend and here we take a look at the Championship side and what to expect from them with journalist and supporter Jack Haugh.
Jack has worked as a sports reporter at The Herald in the past and has supported his beloved Airdrie since his younger days, so I thought there was nobody better to give the lowdown on St Johnstone's cup opponents. So, without further ado, here we go!
Three key players
Adam Frizzell - One of those players best described as "diminutive", Frizzell oozes that kind of quality that is almost always greeted by an air of anticipation. Since taking on the captaincy, he has remained Airdrie's go-to man, the one tasked with bringing a bit of magic to the pitch.
Josh Rae - While his love for a short goalkick has sent more than one Airdrie fan to A&E this season, Rae has all of the qualities you'd expect from a former Leeds United and Celtic academy prospect, even if he is far from the finished article. He has stepped up in big moments for the Diamonds, including the penalty save in last season's play-off victory over Hamilton Accies.
Mason Hancock - Little was known about Hancock when he arrived in the summer, but he's since become one of Airdrie's most consistent performers. Strong, athletic, and with a cultured left foot (as all left foots are), he is equally adept defensively as he is going forward, popping up with several key assists in recent weeks.
The manager
Can you believe it's been more than a decade since Rhys McCabe burst onto the scene as a young prospect during Rangers' darker days? Now, he's a young manager, making a name for himself, while continuing to be one of Airdrie's star players. He delivered a long-awaited promotion for the Diamonds last season and, so far, has overseen a steady return to the second tier. While his League One Airdrie were free-scoring, his Championship outfit rely more on solidity, having only conceded more than two goals in a single league game all season.
How has the season been so far?
The funny thing about the Championship is that it only takes a couple of games for opinion to completely shift. After getting off to a solid enough start, just the one win in ten suggested Airdrie were about to be drawn into a relegation tussle. Three wins on the spin have changed the mood music entirely and calmed a section of the fanbase who were ready to call for McCabe's head had the downward spiral continued.
The nagging concern is the team's inability to turn decent chances into goals, with Nikolay Todorov and Callum Gallagher mustering just nine goals between them in the league.
How will Saturday’s cup clash go?
This is not a daunting draw for Airdrie. Against Premiership opposition earlier this season (Ross County), the Diamonds outplayed their top-tier rivals for much of the game, with only a few moments of naivety being the difference between the teams. While St Johnstone are the favourites, Airdrie's recent good run offers plenty of cause for optimism.
I just want to thank Jack for his time ahead of this weekend’s fixture and here’s hoping for an entertaining clash. I expect Saints to have too much for Airdrie, but it will certainly be a tough encounter, especially with the club not having any competitive fixtures for nearly a month.
Let's hope for a positive performance from the team and the new recruits too ahead of a return to league action on Wednesday, January 24.
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