ST MIRREN midfielder Josh Todd is desperate to be let loose against his former side Dumbarton on Saturday.

The 22-year-old realised his dream of playing full-time football last month when manager Jack Ross brought him to Paisley from The Sons.

Todd was a trainee at Carlisle United before making the short trip north of the border to Annan where he spent nearly three seasons, before moving to the Rock last summer.

The Englishman has been frustrated by a slow start to his Saints' career. A delay in paperwork being completed on his transfer meant he missed the Buddies' trip to Dunfermline and he was cup tied for the Scottish Cup tie at Dundee.

However after making his St Mirren debut as a late substitute in Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Falkirk, and netting a brace in a 2-1 win over Dundee United in an under-20s game two days later, Todd is eager to be handed a starting spot and a chance to sink his former club in what could be a pivotal match in Saints' bid to avoid relegation.

He said: "I made some good friends at Dumbarton so I know the lads really well. But as a players you have to put all of that to one side, I've got to give it my all to be successful at St Mirren.

"It's been a bit of a slow start for me with the cup tie and not getting the deal done before the Dunfermline game. Hopefully I'll get a chance from the start or off the bench."

Jack Ross' side are seven points adrift at the bottom of the table and face the three teams closest to them in the next four league games.

A poor points return from those games might well give St Mirren's new-look squad too big a mountain to climb to beat the drop, but Todd prefers to look on it as a good chance to move closer to safety and start a league revival in Paisley.

He said: "It's a really crucial league period for us. We have Dumbarton, Ayr and Raith Rovers in the next three games. Those games are massive, if we can get a decent number of points from those games it can totally turn for us.

"Especially with the new players coming in, if we can get results quickly it will give the squad confidence that those players are making a difference."