“We’ve been fortunate enough that we’ve managed to train at the Sports Village, which is a godsend for us anyway in having an indoor facility.

“A more pressing concern was if the boys could get into training, which everybody’s managed to do so thankfully conditions have relented a little. Although it’s still difficult out there and it’s not ideal, it’ll probably have some affect on the crowd tomorrow.

“It’s great we’ve managed to get the game on. There’s been a huge effort from everybody with the ground staff and maintenance lads to get the stadium and pitch ready, so all systems go. Training hasn’t really been affected. The game being called off on Wednesday morning, we managed to get up before the motorway was closed and Wednesday was their day off by the time they got back and then back in Thursday and Friday to prepare for the game. In terms of affecting preparation it hasn’t really. If anything, it’s maybe been of a benefit the game never went on Wednesday night, so it was important the players got their training in and we look forward to the game.

“Like everyone else you still have some thoughts will it go ahead, and we’ve assured from people I know at the club that both ourselves and Kilmarnock are keen to get the game on. Hopefully everybody’s happy enough for the game to go ahead, but obviously safety’s the real importance and we wouldn’t want supporters from either club to be put at risk. If that can be satisfied and Police Scotland are satisfied, then hopefully we can just get talking about the game, but I’m aware it’s all systems go for the game.

“It’s two good teams and Kilmarnock, if I’m right have only been beaten twice in their last seventeen games and that’s against ourselves. They’ve played a lot of good teams in amongst that and I think they deserve a lot of credit for that and it suggests how difficult a task it is for us.

“It’s a Quarter-Final and an opportunity for us, especially being at home, to try and get ourselves and the club into the Semi-Final. We’re looking forward to it and it’s a fantastic opportunity for us. It’s a tough game and you should expect a tough game at the Quarter-Final stage, but it’s a game we’re looking forward to.

“The pitch hasn’t been perfect for a long time. I think it’s been highlighted a bit more from the Celtic game, but for those who have been coming here since the winter break really, it’s been in poor condition. It doesn’t help matters for either team. The conditions will be tough tomorrow, but that aside regardless of surface and conditions it’s an opportunity to get ourselves into a Semi-Final and we’re one game away from the national stadium and two games away from a cup final and hopefully that’s the most important thing, regardless from what we have to put up with.

“The nature of it is if your team don’t win you’re disappointed. You can be frustrated, but the team picked (last Sunday) was the right team and there’s nothing that make me think otherwise. The stats back that up and we were close to getting a result. Having watched the game back we had more shots and more shots on target than we’ve registered against Celtic in all the games we’ve had against them.

“We were in their box more often, so I understand totally when the result doesn’t come the frustration supporters can have. That’s just the way it is and I’m here to manage the club and I’m not going to please everybody. The players have been reminded they were close to getting the result that people would have looked at differently if we’d won the game. We didn’t, we tried to play with a front two and we were trying to be as positive as often as we could and the stats back that up.

“We’re a good team and I think we’re a tough opponent. I think they’re a good team and have lots of good players on show. We’ve shown for the majority of the season against the majority of opponents how good a team we can be and hopefully we can be that tomorrow. It hasn’t been easy.

“We went down there when they were on a decent run when Steve first took over and managed to win the game and managed to win here when they were on a good run. It’s the sign of a good team to bounce back and go on another unbeaten run as they’ve done and for ourselves we’ve scored some very good goals against them and some of the play was good. Hopefully we can get a complete performance and it will help us get the job done. I think we’re a good side and I’m not totally surprised we managed to beat teams.

“Graeme and Ryan are back. Andy Considine and Sam Cosgrove are suspended as with the game being off during the week Sam now misses this one automatically. Andy’s accumulation of his two bookings rules himself out, but everybody else is fit and available.

“It’s an incentive (Hampden). When you go through the rounds in the cup you’ve got to look at the bigger picture and the end game for us is hopefully lifting the trophy, but there’s stages within that you’ve got to work towards. Trying to get to the Semi-Finals as we did last year on a couple of occasions and that’s the reward for the winning team and hopefully it’s us. We’re certainly looking forward to the game.

“Delighted that’s it’s going ahead after being in doubt over the last 48 hours, so there’s plenty incentive to try and get everybody back to Hampden and get a winning performance there.

“I totally get it’s not easy for everybody to get here tomorrow especially in the rural areas and the central belt. I can understand people have the decision to make whether they come or not. For those that do it’s important we get a winning performance for them and we can look forward to a Semi-Final together, but I’m sure there will be enough here and a strong support from Kilmarnock, which will only add to the atmosphere. Hopefully from our point of view supporters are seeing a winning performance and we can send them home happy as a reward for turning out in such difficult elements.”