Brechin Boss Jim Weir is going the extra mile to make sure he is in plenty of time for City’s Scottish Cup quarter-final replay with St Johnstone.
Weir has business to attend to in England before racing up the road to McDiarmid Park to try to lead the Angus club to glory against his former side.
At stake is a Hampden semi-final date with either Motherwell or Dundee United next month, so Weir doesn’t mind the travelling if he can eventually reach the national stadium.
“I have a work meeting in Leeds in the morning but I am hoping to get away around lunchtime,” said Weir. “Even allowing for rush-hour traffic around Glasgow, hopefully I will be in Perth with time to spare.
“Our lads are all part-timers and are used to combining work and football for midweek trips to the likes of Annan and Dumfries.
“They have various jobs for example, Craig Nelson is a delivery driver, Rory McAllister is a plumber and Craig Molloy is a social worker. As a part-time football club you deal with that. It is just the way it is. It will have some effect, but we certainly aren’t looking for excuses.”
Weir is hoping the presence of the Sky TV cameras will give his players a boost.
“This is a huge game for us, and I am hoping the lads raise their game because it is live on TV,” he added. “That will be a new experience for most of them. They don’t want to let themselves down in front of the whole country.
“I was very proud of everyone after the first game at Glebe Park but we need to step it up for this replay because St Johnstone are very strong at home.”
He added, “Obviously they are a premier league side, but if we go there with the attitude that we have already come as far as we can, then that (losing the game) is exactly what will happen.
“They are at home now and that will give them the edge, but we will go there and make it as difficult as we can for them and hopefully we can defend better than we have been doing.
“If it doesn’t click for them on the night then St Johnstone know we can cause them problems and we already know we can score goals against them. That is why it is important to keep that positive frame of mind.”
City look set to be without defender Gerry McLauchlan, who missed Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Alloa and is now a serious doubt for tonight.
Brechin fans searching for a good omen will point to the fact every game their side have progressed from in the competition thus far has been away from home.
Annan were demolished 5-2 in a third-round replay at Galabank, following a 2-2 draw at Glebe Park. City then dispatched Queen of the South 2-1 at Palmerston Park in the fourth round before travelling to Buckie Thistle in round five to seal a 2-0 win.For news from the St Johnstone camp, click here.