Lappin relishing McFadden reunion
St Johnstone midfielder Simon Lappin says he is looking forward to reviving his 18-year-old partnership with James McFadden.
The duo - both now aged 31 - first met as teenagers while playing for Motherwell's youth ranks.
Now they have been reunited after Saints boss Tommy Wright clinched the signing of former Scotland, Everton and Birmingham playmaker McFadden on a deal until the end of the season.
While McFadden started off his sparkling career with a dazzling two-and-a-half year stint at Fir Park before winning his B#1.25million move to Goodison, Lappin had to move to St Mirren before earning his breakthrough.
But the winger - who has also played for Norwich, Cardiff and Sheffield United - is just glad to be teaming up with his old friend once again.
He told Press Association Sport: "I have know James since I was 13 years old when we were both playing for Motherwell's youth teams.
"You could seen even then that he was a special talent and he's proved that with the career he's gone on to have, playing at the highest level with Scotland and down south in the Premiership.
"He's the same guy now as he was back when we were teenagers. You find in football that some people change over time but James is still very grounded.
"He's just a humble guy who wants to play football. He has a confidence about him but it's not arrogance.
"Hopefully he can come in and do what he has been doing for the last 15 years, which is creating chances and scoring goals."
But there will not be too many old faces for Lappin to recognise when he comes up against former club St Mirren on Saturday.
He spent seven and a half years with the Buddies and was part of the Paisley outfit's 2006 First Division-winning side.
However, the only figures still at the club from his spell are chairman Stewart Gilmour and a handful of directors.
Even so, Lappin insists sentimentality will not come into his thinking as the Perth Saints look to pick up just their second home win of the Scottish Premiership campaign so far.
"There aren't too many familiar faces left," he said. "The only people still there from my time will be the directors and the chairman I think.
"Everything has changed - they don't even play in the same stadium. It's a completely different club now.
"It would be nice to think I would be lining up against a few familiar faces on Saturday but there won't be.
"I will always be grateful to Saints for giving me my opportunity in the game. I had seven and a half great years there and we had a lot of success under Gus MacPherson and Andy Millen.
"But I got a great opportunity to move down south which no one would have knocked back.
"Come Saturday, though, it will all be about St Johnstone for me. There will be no sentimentality to it."
Loan striker Brian Graham returns for Saints after sitting out last weekend's defeat to his parent club Dundee United, but Chris Millar is a doubt with a groin strain.
Meanwhile, Jim Goodwin is enjoying life as part of the management team at St Mirren but remains happy to keep taking stick from his team-mates.
The 32-year-old Irishman, along with winger Gary Teale, joined Tommy Craig's backroom staff as player/coaches when he took over from Danny Lennon in the summer.
However, Goodwin stressed that he did not want "any special treatment" in his new role and the rest of the players have been happy to oblige.
Ahead of the trip to St Johnstone, the defender told Press Association Sport about his first few months in his dual role.
"There is a lot more thinking to be done in planning training sessions and everything is running along nicely but the boys have made it easy," he said.
"The first couple of weeks I was apprehensive as to how the players would react to it, as was Gary, but they have been great to us.
"I still believe I am very much part of the playing side but learning a lot on the coaching side of it with Tommy's experience.
"But one thing I was really keen on maintaining - if I make a mistake then I expect to be told.
"When I am a player I come in for the same criticism as the rest of the boys and Tommy is not afraid to give me some either at half-time or full-time if I need it.
"That is part of the bargain and I don't want that to change. I don't want any special treatment.
"At training particularly, the boys are able to get tore into me and at times I just have to take it."
Adam Drury returns to the St Mirren squad having recovered from an ankle injury but Jeroen Tesselaar (hamstring), Ellis Plummer (groin), Teale (knock) and Isaac Osbourne (shin) remain out.
Source: PA
