Saints to face old final foes

Across 2021 United have been belatedly celebrating their centenary, having to postpone events last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

An exhibition recently held in the town featured some of the most famous artefacts from the club’s history, a lot of them remembering Saints’ greatest moment, a 3-1 1960 Scottish Junior Cup final win over Greenock Juniors.

A friendly match between the two, originally scheduled for last year, was amongst the events called off. But the club has been able to rearrange and will now host Greenock on July 3.

The club said: “ We are hoping a decent crowd will again watch the teams in action next month since Fife has dropped to level one restrictions.

"We are also hoping that surviving members of the 1960 cup final will attend from both teams and we'll throw in some other wee treats as well.

"This will be the first game where fans will be allowed to watch live football at the Rec since 2019, but Saints will play a couple of friendlies behind closed-doors between now and then.”

Two metre social distancing is likely to remain in force at the time of the game and details of entry prices plus procedures will be announced nearer the time.

The Scottish Junior Cup final was played at Scotland’s national stadium, Hampden Park in front of just under 35,000 supporters.

Romeo Borella famously hit twice with Willie Penman also getting his name onto the scoresheet.

Charlie King’s Saints have this week confirmed the signing of former Dundee and Montrose defender Jack Rollo for next season.

Kyle Sneddon has agreed terms, too, after being loaned to Saints last year from Cowdenbeath.

Rollo will be part of a Saints squad who now also know the opposition for two of their cup games of the new domestic season.

In the South Challenge there’s a Fife derby to look forward to with King’s men drawn away from home to Glenrothes.

In the King Cup, United will make the journey to play Ormiston.

Dates for both games have yet to be confirmed.