Survival Saturday

The penultimate Scottish Football Blog prediction post of the SPL season. And, as the title suggests, it's Survival Saturday.

With so much to play for at Rugby Park today, Kilmarnock and Falkirk have been promoted to the big, big SPL slot of 12.30 on a Saturday lunchtime.

This, of course, is progress. In my day you only got Saint and Greavsie with your Heinz Spaghetti Hoops. Now you get the two worst teams in the SPL battling out to discover which is less bad over your rocket and organic goat's cheese focaccia.

Kilmarnock v Falkirk

A win for either side will be enough. A loss will probably mean some new kind of financial hell visited on one of our oldest clubs. Unless there's an SPL extension in the summer. How handy would that be?

A draw would be enough for Kilmarnock but given their cavalier attitude to football this season I'm sure they'll go straight for the jugular. Isn't that right, Mr Calderwood?

Seriously though. As a football fan you have to sympathise. One of these teams, and more importantly, their fans are going to have a totally shit day. And that's not nice.

Us neutrals on the other hand. Well, we can sit back and enjoy the drama and tension. Maybe not the fitba' but certainly the drama and the tension. It'll be like election night all over again.

Prediction: I dunno. I'm leaning towards Kilmarnock. But Falkirk pulled it off last year. So I'll back them to do it again this year. Away win.

St Johnstone v Hamilton

Who needs relegation battles. This is the big one. The battle for seventh place. And the chance of finishing on more points than the team in sixth place. But still finishing seventh.

Financially that will mean a lot to both these clubs (and was probably not budgeted for) so it is not without importance.

I'd hope for a decent game. Party time in Perth. A celebration of a decent season. A home win.

St Mirren v Aberdeen

If Aberdeen win this one and Kilmarnock beat Falkirk then St Mirren will finish second bottom. That's the kind of stakes we're playing for here. I'd guess both teams will just want this to be over. Draw.