ANDY WEBSTER is raring to go after finally completing a move to St Mirren.
The former Rangers and Hearts centre-half put pen to paper on an initial one-year deal with the option of a further year yesterday following days of speculation over a potential deal. He last played for Coventry City before being released in May. He originally came in to train with Ian Murray's team, however the Paisley manager has now managed to get the 33-year-old signed up.
Webster's international clearance has come through and he will go straight into the squad that will host Livingston today in the Ladbrokes Championship. “I’m delighted," said the former Wigan defender. "It has been ongoing for a bit, initially I was in to train and then obviously the manager asked me to come into the football club and I was delighted to make that decision.
“Hopefully I can bring a bit of experience, not just to the defence but to the group as a whole. The manager’s eagerness to get me in, allowing me to come in and train and that feeling of someone wanting you.
“I took my boys to the Dumbarton game here and the staff were like ‘come in, have a cup of tea’, all these kind of feel-good factors around the football club, these are all important things.”
Murray added: “To finally get him is good news for us. The way Andy goes about his training and the way he plays the game will be huge for us. Andy is an out-and-out centre half, he’ll certainly organise players and he’s a fantastic player for Sean [Kelly] and Jack [Baird] to learn off, he’ll help them enormously."
Meanwhile, Webster is not the only fresh face that could be lining up for St Mirren today as Aberdeen striker Lawrence Shankland looks forward to some game time since joining on a season-long loan earlier in the week. The former Queen's Park man has yet to have any game time this season with the Pittodrie club, and he is looking forward to finally getting an opportunity to show what he can do.
“It’s all about getting game time and my decision was based on where I would play the most matches,” he said. “When I heard what the gaffer had in mind fo me, I was pleased.
“Leaving Aberdeen was a big decision to make because they’re going to do well this season and I want to be part of that. However, the first-team appearances I’ll get here will help me to go back there and play for them.
“I need to develop more before I’m ready to play for Aberdeen. My opportunities to play for them this season were going to be limited and, at this stage of my career, I’ll learn more from playing than I will from watching."
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