St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright didn’t let the prospect of drawing Glenavon in the Europa League qualifiers put him off arranging a friendly between the two clubs.
The Perth club return for pre-season training today before heading to a week-long training camp in Northern Ireland.
During their stay in Wright’s home country Saints will face Glenavon (on June 24), two days after the draw for the Europa first qualifying round that could potentially pair them together for a July 2 and 9 double header.
Wright said: “I know our fans like a trip to Northern Ireland so having a game will be good for them and for the squad.
“There is a chance we could be drawn against Glenavon on Monday in the first qualifying round but that isn’t an issue for me.
“We could have played Linfield behind closed doors but I prefer these games to be open to the fans.
“The lads have only been off for a few weeks so the trip offers us a different environment and we have secured first class training facilities. It is also a chance to bed in our summer signings.”
Saints will also face fellow Europa competitors Aberdeen at Brechin’s Glebe Park on Sunday, June 28.
