IRVINE MEADOW supporters are not to be found lacking in festive cheer with their side boasting a 100% league record and leading the Super Premier Division by nine points.

A further reason to celebrate comes with the news that talismanic striker Paul Maxwell is due to go under the surgeon's knife today seeking to put right the knee problem which has sidelined him since early August.

And fans' favourite Maxi, who turns 31 in late February, is hoping happy returns will mean he is back on the playing front.

He said: "The guys have performed magnificently without me, but it's been really painful to watch from the sidelines knowing I cannot play a part.

"Now, at long last, there is light at the end of the tunnel and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the damage to the knee is not as bad as first feared and I can take the first steps on the road to recovery.

"I'm a positive person and, all going well, my sights are set on pulling the boots on again in six to eight weeks from now and doing my bit for the team and our fans, whose encouragement over the past five months has been fantastic."

A green light for Maxi would undoubtedly be a welcome Christmas present for Medda gaffer Stevie Rankin, who does not have his forward line problems to seek ahead of his side travelling deep into the Ayrshire heartlands to face Glenafton on Saturday.

Chris Hall's hamstring pull is likely to keep him out of action for at least another fortnight, while one-time Celtic and Livingston talent Paul McLaughlin could have played his last game in the Ayrshire club's colours after being placed on the open-to-transfer list at his own request.

Robert Halliday is also suspended, and Rankin admitted: "People might look at our squad and think we are a bit threadbare with only one recognised striker in Willie Sawyers, however Gary McCann is more than capable of playing through the middle and we also have a fully-fit Josh Flood banging on the door.

"His desire to prove himself could be exactly what's needed because there's no getting away from the fact our recovery from the Scottish Cup blip against Auchinleck has been helped by the introduction of Mark McLennan, Grant Evans and Tony McParland.

"Their freshness has provided a shot in the arm and we are in decent fettle for the trip to Glenafton, which is maybe just as well as Tommy Bryce has put together a team capable of beating anyone on their day."

The Glens are themselves desperate to get back on the rails following last weekend's shock West of Scotland Cup exit away to Ardrossan Winton Rovers and it's difficult to believe gaffer Bryce will be glad to see the back of 2014 given his players were beaten Scottish Cup finalists and Ardagh Glass Cup winners in the past 12 months.

The former Senior ace said: "Going out of the two main cup competitions in the past month is a blow and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.

"We thought the Scottish was a one-off, but the players were every bit as dire against the Winton, and anyone looking at us would have thought the guys couldn't get themselves up for taking on lower-league opposition.

"I don't believe that's the case, but all you can do in those circumstances is look to prove a point in the next game and it certainly doesn't come much bigger than going up against the unbeaten league leaders."

Bryce refused to comment on transfer speculation linking Glens wing ace Adam Strachan with a January move to Clyde, whose manager Barry Ferguson is also reported to be nearing agreement on a deal to sign Auchinleck Talbot and Junior Scotland striker David Gormley.

He has not figured as a Beechwood Park regular of late due to the outstanding form of attacking trio Graham Wilson, Dwayne Hyslop and Keir Milliken.

Troon's youthful defensive prospect Ross Fisher, previously of Arbroath, is believed to have put pen to paper for Clyde.