Dundee United’s Sean Dillon is hoping for a “pregnant pause” so he can take his place against Motherwell on Wednesday night.
His wife Michelle is due to give birth to their first child today, but he is confident the delivery will be delayed until at least later this week and that will be an “overdue” piece of good news for his manager, Peter Houston, with the United squad “down to the bare bones.”
“My wife Michelle is due on Tuesday,” Dillon said. “I do not think it will happen as the indication is that it could be a little while yet, but I could just as easily get a phone call in the next 10 minutes telling me the baby is on the way.
“However, Michelle does not think it is going to come on time, so I should be all right for the Motherwell game.
“This will be our first child and we are both thrilled to bits. We do not know whether it is a boy or a girl and it looks like I will have to wait a little bit longer to find out.”
Dillon and the rest of the United squad are still waiting to discover whether David Goodwillie will be joining another club, with feverish transfer speculation continuing to surround the sought-after striker.
The Scotland star was sorely missed in United’s 0-0 cup draw against Ross County on Saturday, but Dillon insists his side are not a one-man team.
“It was our first clean sheet in a while,” he said. “We had not kept one since we came back after the break, so it was nice to get one again but I think as a group we have to regard it as a bad day.
“We could have done better in all areas of the park. Goodie was out, but we have been missing players before and it is something that you just have to get on with.
“Obviously, he is in really top form at the moment and it was disappointing not to have him in the team, but you cannot put the performance like that down to the fact he was absent. I just think there was not enough spark throughout the team.
“There has been a lot of speculation about Goodie going to other clubs and, while we have been having a laugh about it in the dressing-room, to be honest it is beginning to get on our nerves now.Speculation”I know the press have a job to do, but until he is definitely gone, he is still a Dundee United player. We are just getting on with things and Goodie is the same there is no doubt about that.”
Meanwhile, Tannadice gaffer Houston revealed a long-term absentee would come back into contention for the Motherwell game.
“Craig Conway will be added to the squad for Wednesday night, but he is nowhere near to starting,” said Houston, who also confirmed there had been no further bids for Goodwillie. “Craig is desperate to get back playing again, but we just have to be careful that we are not tempted to throw him in too early.
“Goodwillie will be back after suspension, but Danny Swanson is still out and there is a doubt over Jon Daly, who has a groin strain. Barry Douglas picked up a head knock against Ross County on Saturday and it is touch and go whether he makes Wednesday night.
“Our squad is decimated and we are down to the bare bones. Other than a couple of young boys, there is nothing we can freshen the team up with. We do not have our troubles to seek with regard to injuries.”