MORTON boss Jim Duffy believes his new players will know all about the Renfrewshire derby by the time they kick-off against St Mirren.
The Glaswegian learned quickly about the rivalry himself when he moved from Celtic to Morton to kick-start his playing career in the early 1980s.
And he claims there is no escaping the importance of the fixture in Greenock.
Ahead of today’s Championship clash at Cappielow, Duffy said: “The players really look forward to this game. They’re fired up for it and they know there’s an extra degree of importance to the supporters.
“When you’re not brought up a Morton fan or a St Mirren fan, you don’t quite understand the rivalry until you walk through the doors at Cappielow and the first game comes up.
“The whole build-up to the game and people talking about it and saying: ‘You have to get a result this week’.
“Whether they’re local or not, the players certainly become aware of it, so someone like myself learned that it’s a proper derby, a football rivalry. When the match starts that intensity is there for everyone to see.”
St Mirren could have Darryl Duffy in their squad after the 33-year-old former Rangers, Falkirk and Bristol Rovers striker joined on Thursday following a four-year spell in India.
The Linwood-born forward said: “I’m ready to play if the gaffer needs me but the team is playing so well at the minute so initially I’ll need to be patient, work hard and then take my chance when I do get in the team.”
Elsewhere, Queen of the South could hand Chris Kane a debut against Dundee United at Tannadice after the St Johnstone forward joined on a season-long loan.
Inverness travel to Dunfermline without Ross Draper following the midfielder’s transfer to Highland rivals Ross County.
Falkirk host Dumbarton and have given two fans the chance to watch the action from an unusual vantage point in the basket of a raised crane.
And the two promoted sides, Brechin and Livingston, go head to head at Glebe Park.
Falkirk received a boost yesterday when they re-signed talented midfielder Craig Sibbald.
The 22-year old had been on trial with Luton earlier in the summer but a minor injury hindered his chances of securing a move, and a transfer elsewhere was made difficult because of the compensation factor.
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