Swankie signs for St Johnstone

Sep 26 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

GAVIN Swankie is bracing himself for a derby earful from rival fans tomorrow.

The winger joined a list of Dens defectors lured to McDiarmid Park, including Billy Dodds and John McQuillan, when he signed for Saints over the summer.

And after jumping ship, infuriated Dundee manager Alex Rae promised him a warm welcome when the teams clashed.

Swankie missed out on the draw at Queen of the South last week with a hamstring injury.

But he trained yesterday and manager Derek McInnes is hopeful the winger will be ready for derby day.

Swankie said: Ive had a lot of treatment and it seems to be okay.

It was a real disappointment to miss out last week because Ive had a stop-start career so far at Perth.

But these things happen and now, like the rest of the guys here, Im really getting fired up at the prospect of the derby.

We have taken four points at difficult places in the last two games but were back at home now and three points would move us up the table.

Swankie was often a thorn in St Johnstones side during a three year spell at Dens Park.

But he knows that will count for nothing this weekend.

Yesterday, he was sharing a car to training with another former Dundee hero, Steven Milne, who made the same move, via Plymouth.

I made good friends at Dundee but Im a St Johnstone player now and thats all that matters, said Swankie.

I read what the Dundee manager said when I left but it didnt bother me then and it still doesnt.

Neither club has got off to the best of starts in the league so its all about getting a win.

Im expecting pelters from Dundee fans but it wont get to me if I play.

Savo has given me some advice about how to handle it and weve been having a laugh with Alan Main.

He reckons hell deflect some of the flak from me!

I just hope Im playing and we get all three points to build momentum after the bad spell we went through earlier.

McInnes hopes to have weekend casualties Swankie and Steven Anderson available.

The Tayside rivals were billed as pre-season title favourites but while Saints have leaked goals and points, Dundee have lacked a cutting edge, and off-field takeover conjecture has posed problems for the management.

McInnes said: It might be early in the season but it is a massive game. We are determined to do ourselves justice.

Dundee will be fired-up after losing to Livingston last week. We can expected blood and thunder and we have to tackle it head on.

I will be good to have Gavin and Ando available. Gavin has had niggling injuries but he is a quality player.

Hell definitely be up for it. Theres always an added edge when you play your old club for the first time.

He is single-minded enough to handle it and play well.

I know what the derby means to everyone here, including the players. Its a fixture we all look out for at the start of the season, not just the fans.

There are three points at stake, the same as in any other game, but theres more to it than that.

And we appreciate the momentum that a win would bring.

McInnes has been delighted with the players input over the last 180 minutes in Dumfries and Dingwall. Now he wants confidence to build with a derby scalp.

JODY Morris and Kevin James could be ready for comebacks after the October international break. The Livi game has been pencilled-in for returns. Morris has been boosted by treatment at Chelsea and James had more injections down south to alleviate bone bruising pain. Steven Doris has returned from Montrose after a short term loan.

COLLIN Samuel has been recalled to the Trinidad and Tobago squad for games next month in Guatemala and in Port of Spain against the USA. They are CONCACAF 2010 group games. Derek McInnes said: It will be a great boost for Sammys confidence. Im delighted for him.

THE referee for tomorrows derby is Ian Brines, who booked a dozen and red carded two in the Motherwell-Hamilton Lanarkshire derby in midweek.