Captain Grant Returns: Caley v. St. Mirren Preview

By: Ian Rose | September 12th, 2008

We will have a very welcome face back at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium this weekend for the Caley’s fifth SPL match of the 2008-09 campaign. Grant Munro, Caley’s captain, will return to the lineup for the home match against the Buddies of St. Mirren, a game that we should enter with a lot of confidence.

More familiar faces:
It won’t just be Munro returning to Inverness this weekend. Basically the entire St. Mirren offense is made up of prolific ex-Caley Jags. Dennis Wyness and Craig Dargo will get warm receptions from the fans they once entertained in Caley shirts. As much as I wish them well, that wish does not apply on Saturday.

The Back Line:
The return of Captain Grant, who hasn’t played since the great opening win at Aberdeen, does cause a bit of a headscratcher for Craig Brewster – who does he choose to play alongside him? According to the Inverness Courier-Times, the fans are favoring a pairing of Munro and Jamie Duff, which I must say is my preference as well.

Let’s check in with Doddsy
Before this season started, BBC Scotland’s Billy Dodds predicted Caley for the drop. He also called Falkirk to beat us two weeks back, and has predicted a 1-0 win for the Buddies. At this point, Dodds is providing us with plenty of locker room material. Let’s win this one and throw it in his face, and those of all the pundits calling for us to drop.

The last time we met ‘em:
The last competitive match we had with the Saints was the very last game of last season’s SPL campaign, on May 17, 2008. They came to Tulloch Caledonian Stadium in what would prove to be Marius Niculae’s last match in a Caley shirt, and managed a 0-0 draw in a tepid end to the season. Early in the second half, referee Eddie Smith sent off David Proctor, tying Caley’s hands a bit and giving some excuse for the lack of a goal. Still, we’ll be looking for more today.

Squads:
Caley Thistle: (from) Fraser, Tokely, McBain, Munro, McGuire, Hastings, Black, Cowie, Wood, Barrowman, Duff, Vigurs, Imrie, Rooney, Wilson, Esson, Djebi-Zadi, McAllister.

St Mirren: (from) Howard, Ross, Miranda, Mason, Haining, Cuthbert, Potter, Dorman, Brady, Robb, Wyness, Mehmet, Dargo, O’Donnell, Smith, Murray, McAusland, McGinn.

Prediction
I’m going to reverse Doddsy’s pick and go for a 1-0 Caley win. I’ve given up on trying to pick who will get the goal. St. Mirren has only managed one goal in their first four SPL matches, and I can’t see them getting another here. Mon the Caley, and I’ll talk to you all after the match.