ST JOHNSTONE supporters never really saw the best of Sam Parkin.
All things considered, they would probably rather not glimpse it today either.
The Clydesdale Bank Premier League version of All Saints' Day pits two of the league's form sides together, although Parkin bears no grudges about his departure from the Perth club after 18 months.
Still, the St Mirren striker hopes to remind his former employers of what they are missing when his side arrive in Perth this afternoon. Injury restricted the striker to only a peripheral role at St Johnstone but he has the chance to seize a lead role in the St Mirren attack in Perth this afternoon.
"I am looking forward to going back, although it isn't so much happy memories that I have," said Parkin. "Early on it went quite well, but unfortunately an injury again cost me dearly and I missed a lot of football. I think in the first year I showed glimpses of my best, but I missed a hell of a lot of football. The last few months were difficult because I was well down the pecking order.
"A new manager came in, Steve Lomas, and to be fair to him and to me, I was coming back from a long-term injury. I had been out for 10 months and I was hardly pulling up trees at that stage. He couldn't guarantee me regular football so I went to Queen of the South to get that, and thankfully my career seems to be on the up again. That spell ended up with me getting a move to St Mirren, so it couldn't have worked out any better."
While Parkin came off the bench to score a goal in the chaotic 5-4 victory against Ross County last week which kept the Paisley side riding high in fourth place, St Johnstone have now won four games on the spin and Parkin knows all about their strengths. "They are in a rich vein of form so it is going to be a very tough game, probably a very tight game," said the 31-year-old.
"I was at St Johnstone for 18 months so I know what they are all about, they are hard working and a good unit. They have a strong squad this year so it is going to be a difficult game."
Parkin is not the only one with the inside track on their opponents today. Nigel Hasselbaink made the opposite move from Paisley to Perth in the summer and has few regrets about his decision. Indeed he feels he has decamped to a "bigger club".
Such a statement is unlikely to gain him a warm reception from the visiting support. "I have motivation," said the Dutchman. "It isn't as if I am out to prove them wrong, because it was me who made the decision to leave. If I scored against them of course I will celebrate as I am happy to score any goal but I wouldn't do any crazy celebrations.
"People were asking me why I left St Mirren, but things are always changing in football. Obviously one of the main things was getting to play in the Europa League. St Johnstone are a bigger club with a bigger squad although St Mirren is a good club. They looked after me when I was there but I wanted to take a step forward."
Lomas was named the Clydesdale Bank manager of the month for September after winning four straight games. Hasselbaink believes his side can maintain that form and challenge for a place in the Europa League once again.
"We can get European football, because we have a very big squad which is useful to have," he said. "Competition for places is good and we have to go for the top six. We will qualify for the Europa League – we have a good team to do that."
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