Ferguson must give United a net return

IAN BROADLEY

13 Feb 1993

DUNCAN Ferguson returns to the Dundee United team today after a month of controversy and confrontation which threatened to wreck his highly promising career.

The last embers of his row with the Tannadice club have still to be doused, with the SFA yet to consider his request to overturn the League's decision to reject an appeal against a club fine, but the 21-year-old striker will be back in his place at Firhill.

However, manager Jim McLean, who felt it necessary to banish his £2.5m-rated forward until he guaranteed to accept the club's disciplinary code, warned yesterday: "As far as I am concerned, Ferguson will be judged on what happens tomorrow and from there on in.

"Looking back will do him no good at all.

He must show our supporters what he can do.

"We were always going to be short of front players this season after losing Mixu Paatelainen and Darren Jackson.

The unavailablity of Ferguson has added to the problems.

"It is vital that we start scoring more goals and picking up points."

United, though, will be without influential midfield ball-winner Jim McInally through suspension.

Dave Bowman and Scott Crabbe could also be missing against an erratic Partick Thistle side still with much to do to ensure premier division survival.

Hearts have problems for their Scottish Cup dress rehearsal with Falkirk at Tynecastle.

Strikers Ian Baird and Ian Ferguson, both taken off injured in the victory over Dundee, remain doubtful, and manager Joe Jordan has Allan Preston and Wayne Foster standing by to partner John Robertson in attack.

Falkirk will not dwell too long on their thrashing at Ibrox in midweek.

Assistant manager Billy Brown maintained: "In retrospect, our cup win over Celtic took too much out of the players.

Given Rangers performance, I doubt that few teams could have coped.

We will continue to be positive."

Striker Scott Sloan is doubtful because of a hamstring injury and Gary Lennox and Brian Rice are drafted in.

In contrast to their city rivals, Hibernian have an abundance of attackers for their visit to Motherwell.

After their struggle to subdue Cowdenbeath, the team with the worst defensive record in the country, it must be hoped that the return of Darren Jackson, who missed the cup-tie with a stomach injury, will cure Hibs' scoring malaise.

Motherwell, gaining impressive momentum after one of their worst seasons for injuries, look certain to be without centre back Chris McCart, who broke down in training with a thigh injury.

Simon Stainrod, who has made his own contribution to Dundee's disciplinary record which includes seven red cards this season, returns in the derby against St Johnstone at Dens Park.

But the flamboyant player-manager, who has record-signing Morten Weighorst available again, still insisted: "I want a fired-up, aggressive display.

"I want my players to have a real go in a football sense as there is an opportunity in the next few weeks to move into a better league position.

"I believe our disciplinary record paints a false picture.

We certainly are not a dirty team and it is wrong for anyone to label us as tough."

Another player-manager, John McClelland, believes the criticism of St Johnstone's Scottish Cup win over Kilmarnock has gone over the top and that he was partly responsible.

He explained: "I admitted honestly that Kilmarnock deserved to go through at McDiarmid Park, but some people have conveniently forgotten that we should have won the first tie.

"Our objective of reaching the quarter-finals has been achieved.

My only concern now is our tough derby at Dundee."

However, McClelland, fellow defender Sergei Baltacha, and midfield player John Davies all face fitness tests today before any team selection can be made.

Taken from the Herald