Pre-season has played havoc with John Hughes plans to be ready for the new season. A whole team of players are unavailable to today's game.

Ajax Amsterdam visit the Falkirk Stadium for what home team manager John Hughes calls the biggest game in the Falkirk's history. The game will allow Hughes and his players to see if they are ready for the next step along the path of progress as they get ready for the SPL challenge of 200708. Hughes said: "It's maybe a friendly but this is a huge game for Falkirk. Not just on the park but for the club as a whole. It will show if we're ready to take the club forward to the next stage of its development. I'm hoping the fans turn out and make the game a sell-out and I'm looking for every aspect of the occasion to provide evidence that we're ready for the big time."

Hughes will have to find a team from a squad blighted by numerous injuries picked up during an intensive programme of pre-season games. He has 11 players nursing a variety of minor knocks and niggles ahead o f today's game. Speaking yesterday, Hughes went on: "It's the worst injury list I've known since I came here as manager but I'm confident a few of the knocks will have cleared up by tomorrow." said Hughes. Hughes decided to take in his team's Stirlingshire Cup tie against East Stirling rather than watch Ajax draw 1-1 against Rangers at Ibrox on Tuesday night. The game was a disappointing 1-0 loss for Falkirk but the Falkirk boss was pleased by the performance of Republic of Ireland international striker Graham Barrett, who has been hampered by injury since joining the club 12 months ago. Hughes said: "That's Graham's first full 90 minutes in a year. He's into the final part of his recovery programme now and I'm sure we'll be seeing the best of him very soon."

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