Saints are minus long-term injury victims Kevin Fotheringham and Peter MacDonald, while Mark Campbell and Kieran McAnespie are also out injured. Kevin Rutkiewicz is back in training following his sickness bout and it’s hoped David Hannah will recover to play.

Jason Scotland is due back today from World Cup duty with Trinidad and Tobago and player-boss Owen Coyle will assess his fitness before deciding if he starts or not.

As he looked towards the game, Owen said, “Brechin will be well organised. I know Ian Campbell and Bert Paton and know they’ll put out a team to come here and win.

“Bert is one of the nicest men I’ve met in football. He was assistant manager to Alex Totten at Dumbarton when I was there as a player and I have a great regard for Bert and his ability.

“I’m looking for our fans to give us a lift tomorrow.

“And I’m hoping to repay them with a win and a few goals.”

Brechin’s visit to McDiarmid Park is in the first of two away matches against promotion hopefuls.

Next week, the trip is to Hamilton and the chances of Brechin reversing their current form has been made even more difficult with the loss of half a team to injury and suspension.

“It is disappointing,” said manager Ian Campbell. “We are trying not to changes things too much, but, when you get injuries, there is not a lot you can do.”

Almost certainly out of the reckoning for the trip to Perth are captain Paul Deas, Darren Smith, Craig McEwan, Steve Hampshire and Alex Burns, who are all injured, and Stuart Callaghan who is suspended.

“This is why we have a strong squad,” said Campbell, whose side have lost six goals in their last two matches.

Last week’s break was a chance to get in extra training and closed-door matches against Stenhousemuir and Aberdeen, talk through the inidividual errors that have cost City dear, and run the rule over players who will step into the starting line-up.