Ally McCoist has agreed to guest for St Johnstone in tonight's testimonial match against Bradford City.

The former Scottish international, a close pal of City skipper and former Rangers team-mate Stuart McCall, is now more familiar as a TV pundit and team captain on A Question of Sport.

McCoist, who hangs up his boots at the end of the season, has got permission from Kilmarnock to return to the club where his career began 20 years ago to play some part of the match in aid of St Johnstone stalwart Allan Preston.

He will add some much-needed experience to a home side that has been ravaged by injuries. Their squad for Saturday's 1-0 loss at Scottish bottom club St Mirren contained six under-18s.

Among the eight casualties is former Sunderland and Manchester City striker Craig Russell and Saints will also be without ten-goal leading scorer Keigan Parker, who is attracting interest from several English clubs. He is in the Scotland team for tonight's under-21 international against Belgium at Dunfermline.

The only other familiar face will be centre-half Alan Kernaghan, the Republic of Ireland international who had long spells with Middlesbrough and Manchester City.

City will mix and match their line-up but boss Jim Jefferies promised: "We will be taking a strong squad.

"It's a testimonial and it wouldn't be fair on the lad if we didn't play our best players, although we will be giving some of our youngsters a chance."

St Johnstone's recent form has been even worse than the Bantams. City last won on New Year's Day but the home side are yet to get off the mark in 2001, a barren run now stretching 12 games.

Predictably, a crowd of only 1,500 is predicted at McDiarmid Park for a match arranged less than a month ago when Jefferies agreed a frantic request from his ex-Hearts team-mate Sandy Clark, the St Johnstone manager.

Jefferies said: "We've got another free weekend in the league so it was the ideal chance to get a game in. We were pleased to help and it keeps the players busy in the build-up to our next Premiership match."

St Johnstone have a good record against teams from south of the border and beat Norwich at the start of the season and Coventry a year ago.

Preston played for the Perth club from 1994 to 1998 and is best remembered for scoring the goal which took them into the Scottish League Cup final four seasons ago.

But he was forced to finish playing a year ago on medical advice and the testimonial money will go towards a hip operation.

City have been given the all-clear to travel through Scotland despite the foot and mouth scare that is affecting much of the borders. A club official said: "We've been told the area around the hotel is fine."