JASON NAISMITH hopes to help Gary Teale land the St Mirren manager's job on a permanent basis to repay him for all the help he has given him over the years.

The full-back has leaned heavily on Teale's expertise and experience since the former Scotland winger joined St Mirren in 2011, and believes he would be the ideal chose as the next permanent manager of the club.

To be in with a shout of succeeding Tommy Craig, however, Teale would have to help steer St Mirren away from the bottom of the SPFL Premiership, starting with a win over Motherwell at home today. Naismith hopes he can make that happen.

"It would be great to do well for Tealey," said the 20 year-old. "He has done a lot for me, personally, since I was a young boy and not only since I broke into the first team.

"He has played at the highest level and is always willing to give me advice. I play in a similar position to him - I was playing behind him when I first broke in - and he was always talking to me and helping me after training.

"He's always been a big inspiration to me and it would be nice to pay him back a bit. You could always see he had it in him to step up. He was always helping the young boys and passing on advice. He's got vast experience in the game and it was always good to listen to him. He's got a golden chance just now of getting the job and if we do well, he'll have a good chance of getting it. Hopefully it will all go well."

St Mirren have yet to record a home win in the league this season, something Naismith hopes to put right this afternoon.

"That's disappointing. Last season we were probably stronger at home and disappointing away from home. It has been the other way about this season.

"For us to do well, we have to do it in our home games. We have to make this place a fortress again and start getting up that league. This is such an important game for the club. We need to get out this mess we are in and it is a good opportunity to put right some of the games that have gone wrong this season. We are looking forward to it."