SAINTS boss Danny Lennon has hailed goalkeeper Craig Samson for coming back from the football wilderness.
Samson, right, had to take a summer job at a builder’s firm after he left Ayr United – before Lennon rescued him and brought the former Scotland Under-21 keeper to Paisley.
And, while he was forced to play second fiddle to Paul Gallagher in his first season at the Buddies, Sammy has gone on to play every competitive game for the first team this season.
Lennon said: “When I came in here, we had three very well-paid goalkeepers, so I had a tough decision to make in terms of balancing the budget.
“Out went Mark Howard and Chris Smith and that left us a hole to fill.
“Speaking with our goalkeeper coach Paul Mathers, I had always known about Samson and how he had been at the top but dwindled away.
“But I think when you get these boys back at 24 or 25, the nonsense seems to be out of their heads.
“I think any young player coming into the game now should understand that, if they apply themselves properly, there is a great living to be made from it.
“A few months on a building site would go a long way to focusing a player’s mind.
“And I’m looking for an extension for my house, so I’ll maybe see what he’s doing in the summer!”
Saints will be aiming to clip the wings of high-flying Ross County when the teams meet in the Scottish Cup tomorrow afternoon.
And Lennon wants his players to ensure they use home advantage to the full.
He said: “We do have the wonderful home advantage in the way the crowd have been for us this season and we’ll look to use that to its full potential.”
