St Johnstone announce pre-season friendly at Forfar

St Johnstone have announced a pre-season friendly at Forfar Athletic.
The Station Park contest will kick-off at 2pm on Saturday, July 5.
Saints return to pre-season training on June 23, as Simo Valakari begins preparations for what he hopes will be a promotion-winning Championship campaign.
Forfar are managed by McDiarmid Park hall of famer, Jim Weir.
Weir helped them preserve their SPFL status by avoiding the League Two play-off.
Saints begin their competitive season on July 12 when they take on East Kilbride.

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The Guardian

an hour ago

• The Guardian

Tagging is nothing new in the AFL and an issue best left to the umpire on the day

St Kilda midfielder Marcus Windhager crossed a line while trying to clamp down on Collingwood star Nick Daicos. A pair of free kicks awarded to Daicos against Windhager, and a $1,000 fine later imposed on the Saint, are a small price to pay out of their running battle on Saturday night. It was all part of a two-way tussle that Ross Lyon called 'a bit of theatre' as he defended his combative midfielder after the game that the Magpies won by 34 points. The Saints' coach even queried whether there are 'two sets of rules going around' – but Lyon is unlikely to like the answer he receives, while a greater good can come from the spotlight being shined on Windhager's tagging tactics Daicos isn't the first AFL player to face a tagger. Let's hope he isn't the last. Only the most one-eyed supporters want to see the stars of the game treated like a protected species while running around doing as they please. Close-checking on a potential match-winner – whether a gun midfielder or dangerous forward – does not have to be a blight on the game. It tends to throw a pinch of spice into the contest and can add to the spectacle between two otherwise far from evenly-matched teams. The Magpies' vice-captain knows what is coming his way each time he laces up his boots. The umpires are surely aware too, while holding the keys to punishing and in turn preventing foul play. But even with the extra eyeballs of having four field umpires watching the game up close, Windhager was hardly sanctioned as he niggled, pinched, scragged and lifted his knee into the back of Daicos's leg. 'They both had their moments, Daicos had a fair bit of ball,' Lyon said after the game. 'I know we'll probably go early, look at a couple of those free kicks, I'm not sure they were free kicks. But I think we'll take that in and ask the question, are there two sets of rules going around? I'm not sure.' Windhager made his intentions clear before the opening bounce, as he bumped and pushed Daicos in the middle of the ground. These were typical tactics for someone tasked with limiting the influence of one of the best players in the game. Immediately after the first bounce the umpires put Windhager on high alert. An open-handed whack into Daicos's midriff left the Magpie searching for breath as he prepared to take his free kick. Windhager stood the mark smirking and shaking his head over the decision, but the match review officer backed the umpire's call as a fine was handed down the following day. Long gone are the days when the leading players, or their teammates, can take matters into their own hands. But Daicos turned the tables at the next centre bounce when he brought Windhager to ground in a tackle and was prepared to give away a free kick to make his own statement when shoving the Saint back into the turf. The clashes continued for the remainder of the game though Windhager would give away just one more free kick to Daicos for holding onto him without the ball. The effectiveness of giving up one player to nullify the impact of an opponent will remain one up for debate. When it works, it can be a game-changer. Though having only 17 players focused on the ball too often leaves a side competing like they are one short. Windhager tagged Daicos for 36 minutes when the two sides last met, before the shackles were released after half-time. Daicos finished with 22 disposals and three clearances on a relatively quiet day. Windhager earned two coaches votes for his 24 touches and seven clearances as the Saints pulled away to a shock win over the then-reigning premier. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion The Saints' disruptor-in-chief has become one of the best run-with players in the game. He restricted Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli to his lowest disposal count for five years with only 14 last week. Windhager played his role, but it could not prevent the Saints being trounced by 72 points. 'The job of the tagger is to disrupt, isn't it? That's his job. He's doing that within the rules, I suppose, if they don't pick it up,' McRae told Fox Footy on Saturday night. 'I'm not going to comment on the kneeing and things like that. That's obviously up to others to decide if that's a bit too far. 'I just loved how Nick got on with it tonight. One of the big things with being a tagger is, 'let's see if they can go with you?' Some weeks they can run with you, some weeks they can't. Again, I thought Nick won that battle.' Daicos was back to being one of the best afield this time against the Saints with 30 disposals and five clearances. The 22-year-old even had a final say with a team-lifting goal late in the game. Whether Windhager is sent to Daicos for round three the next time the Saints and Pies meet is something for Lyon to decide. But whether any cheap shots and underhand tactics are stamped out or allowed to run free is a question that should be left for the umpires of the day.

Leader Live

an hour ago

• Leader Live

Wrexham set for pre-season testing with one new signing

Although pre-season is not due to start officially, the members of the Reds' first-team squad will be back to undergo tests. Parkinson's men secured a third successive promotion last term and striker Ryan Hardie - brought in for an undisclosed fee from Plymough Argyle for an undisclosed fee - has been added to the ranks ahead of the 2025-26 Championship campaign. Hardie is the only fresh face for far ahead of the club's first season in the second tier for 43 years, although Parkinson does have 27 senior players on the books. Parkinson wants more new signings and some players could leave in a bid to make the numbers add-up, with striker Paul Mullin rumoured to be a loan target of League One outfit Wigan Athletic. Clubs in the Championship are limited to a 25-man squad but the Reds' boss feels he already has a lot of quality in the dressing room and he's certainly not short of bodies. With regards to more activity in the transfer market, he said: "Talks are on-going, as you would expect, at this stage of the close season. "But equally, we have got a good squad in place as well and we have got plenty of numbers to start pre-season with. "We have got some test days this week but it is not as if we are going into pre-season short on players and it is important that the ones we bring in, really add to the group we have got; both in football-wise and obviously character."

Daily Record

9 hours ago

• Daily Record

Lawrence Shankland ticks Rangers transfer boxes as Russell Martin ally baffled by Ibrox reluctance

The Hearts hero is out of contract with the Jambos waiting on an answer and one man reckons Gers should make a move Steven Naismith has urged Rangers to get a deal done for Max Aarons. And the former Hearts boss admits he's surprised the Ibrox club aren't trying to sign Tynecastle skipper Lawrence Shankland. ‌ Rangers are close to agreeing a deal with Bournemouth over a loan move for right-back Aarons. ‌ Gaffer Russell Martin is keen to bring the 25-year-old - who spent last term at La Liga outfit Valencia - to Glasgow. Naismith watched Aarons emerge from Norwich City's academy while he was a player at Carrow Road alongside Martin. And he's convinced the defender would immediately challenge Rangers captain James Tavernier for his shirt. Naismith said: 'Max has really good attributes. He's a modern-day full back. 'He's not the tallest but very comfortable on the ball, quick and dynamic - both going forward and defensively. ‌ 'But the biggest thing I remember about Max is that his attitude was spot on. As a young player, he was desperate to learn and get better. 'That's why he got into a good Norwich team in the Championship, then into the Premier League - and eventually Barcelona came in for him at one stage. 'That tells you a lot about him. His career has maybe stumbled recently but he's definitely somebody with high potential. ‌ "He would challenge Tavernier. He has good experience and has played at a high level against some top players. "He'd be a good signing for Rangers. Max is somebody who would raise the quality of the squad. 'He would come in and challenge right away. And that's probably an area that needs to be looked at within the squad.' ‌ Another player Rangers have been linked with in the past is Shankland and few know him better than Naismith. He was his gaffer at Hearts and rates the 29-year-old striker highly. He's out of contract and has offers on the table - but has yet to commit his future to a club. ‌ Naismith accepts that Martin might be looking for a different type of striker in this transfer window. But he has no doubt that Shankland would score goals at Ibrox. He said: 'In one respect, I'm surprised Rangers haven't gone for him. Because I think Shanks is as safe a bet as you're going to get when it comes to scoring goals in Scotland. 'What goes against him is probably his mobility. But for me, he's a really intelligent player now. ‌ "He's a link between midfield and attack, as well as a goal scorer. 'It would be a free transfer but it's still expensive for Rangers to sign players who are scoring 30 goals a season. ‌ 'I'm sure Shanks will have some offers because for two seasons he's been unbelievable. 'Could he play in Russell's team? I think he could. From the moment I played with Shanks in Scotland to when I was coaching him, it was always about his intelligence. 'Where he picks positions up, he's got a real finesse about his touch. Then he's got that calmness in the final third that makes him different. 'I definitely think he could fit in. He fits a lot of the criteria for Rangers. 'Getting goal scorers who can near enough guarantee you 15-20 goals a season are hard to come by. And at the Old Firm they're very good to have around."