WITH Grand Final fever sweeping the town for the first time, Saints are 'quietly optimistic' that the coveted silverware will be on the Knowsley Road sideboard come Saturday night.

That was the bouyant mood in the camp this week, as coach Ellery Hanley's squad limbered up for a mouth-watering confrontation with Bradford Bulls at Old Trafford, kick-off 6.30pm, and with it a bumper £275,000 prize for the winner.

Honours are even this season, but the gut feeling at Saints is that - with the weather forecast dry - the neutral ground and wide-open spaces of Mancheste''s 'Theatre of Dreams' are tailor-made for the speed and handling skills which have netted Saints more than a 'grand' of points this term.

Saints are expected to be unchanged from the 17 that defeated Castleford, with the only knotty problem for Hanley being whether to leave Sean Long on the bench until the time is ripe for him to weave his magic.

Mike Forshaw has recovered from a broken leg and is on the bench in a Bradford line-up likely to read as follows: Spruce; Vaikona, Naylor, Withers, Price; H. Paul, R. Paul; Fielden, Lowes, Anderson, Dwyer, Boyle, McNamara. Substitutes: McDermott, McAvoy, Forshaw, Deacon.

Despite blanket television coverage the inter-county clash has aroused tremendous interest and a sell-out is expected, with Bradford's ticket sales tipped to exceed 20,000, while local travel firms report heavy bookings, and 24 coaches will leave Knowsley at 3.30pm, fare £6 and £7.

Corporate packages, including lunch in the Alan Prescott Suite and coach travel to Old Trafford, are available by contacting Andy Foreman at Saints, telephone 758269.

Referee is Stuart Cummings, extra time will be played if necessary, and Radio Merseyside coverage by Ray French and Alan Rooney starts at 6.05pm.

Full-back Paul Atcheson is to enter hospital for a hernia op eration on Wednesday.

The official Supporters Club will hold a cabaret, disco and buffet at Knowsley Road on Friday, December 10, with tickets costing £12. More details from chairman Gerry Moore on 0151 426 8686.

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