Former Celtic frontman Johnstone has trained with the Ton this week and signed his season-long loan deal yesterday.

The move still requires a final rubber-stamp from the St Andrew’s outfit, but Jim Duffy is confident clearance will arrive in time for the 20-year-old to feature in tomorrow’s League Cup tie.

And Ton boss Duffy, inset, hopes Johnstone can come into the club and hit the ground running much like Declan McManus did last term during his hugely successful spell on loan from Aberdeen.

Speaking to the Tele last night, he said: “Denny has signed the paperwork and we’re just waiting on the clearance for him to be registered as our player.

“We’re keen to have him involved on Saturday and I’m confident that will be resolved tomorrow [Friday] morning. I’d be majorly surprised if that’s not done and dusted in time.

“We have brought him up here to play, so if he’s available to play, he’ll play on Saturday — that’s the bottom line.

“He’s shown plenty of enthusiasm and plenty of energy in training, but just like anything else, he’s got to get to know the rest of the boys and they’ve got to get to know how we play and what we’re looking for. But at the end of the day, as I said, we’ve brought him here to play and I think he’s a clever enough footballer to learn as he goes.

“We’re not bringing him in here to nurture him for a couple of weeks and feed him in through training.

“Ultimately, he can get up to speed and get to know the strengths of team and how he can best work within that through playing in games - and the quicker the better.” Dutch forward Romario Sabajo, on the other hand, is still awaiting international clearance and Duffy does not expect that to come through in time for the 26-year-old to feature tomorrow.

He explained: “We don’t have clearance for Romario yet. It’s been about two weeks we’ve been trying to do this.

“It’s not ideal for the boy and I feel for him because he’s obviously desperate to play and make an impact.

“It’s been frustrating but it’s not anybody’s fault. The club over in Holland basically haven’t sent the right stuff and don’t seem to be in too much of a hurry to deal with it.

“We need to get the proper information from Holland and can’t do anything about it until they do, so I’ve just got to let the thing evolve as it does.” Ton host League Two Elgin City at Cappielow in the first round of the League Cup tomorrow, and Duffy has stressed the importance of progressing in the competition.

He added: “Elgin have brought in a new manager since I was in the same league as them when I was at Clyde.

“Jim Weir went in when they were struggling last year and did very well. He turned them around into a side that were very consistent.

“I know a lot of their players – and they are good, talented players — and they have brought three guys in on loan from St Johnstone and brought one or two guys back to the club.

“In the second half of last season they were very good and they will be looking to build on that this season. But we understand we are favourites to win the match.

“If we are in a competition we want to do the best we can in it. You don’t go in a competition to get knocked out it. There’s nothing better than being in the draw and then getting a wee boost when you see who you get.

“The cup offers something a bit different from the league and I want to be in the next round, and if we can win the football match it gives us a good platform to go into the league campaign.” Duffy saw his side eliminated from the Petrofac Cup by Dumbarton last weekend, and he says they will have to cut out the sloppy defending that saw them concede three goals against the Sons.

He said: “I just want us to be a wee bit more switched on at times. I don’t think we played that badly last week and there wasn’t much between the sides, but we had lapses of concentration.

“We can improve on those lapses of concentration, and if we do and play with the same attitude and the same spirit I’m confident we can win the match and get through to the next round.”