New St Mirren signing Gregor Buchanan says his mind was made up on a move to Paisley as soon as he was told of Saints’ interest.

The 27-year-old signed a one-year contract with the Buddies on Friday, making the move from Championship rivals Dumbarton.

Buchanan barely missed a game for the part-timers in two successful seasons for the Sons where they avoided relegation.

His Dumbarton form perked the interest of several Championship clubs, but the centre back was convinced of where he wanted to go as soon as Saints manager Jack Ross made an approach.

Buchanan said: “It’s exciting times for me, I’m happy to get everything sorted. As soon as I got word of the interest my heart was set on it.

“To get back to full-time football is great, it’s something I’ve been working hard to get back to, but more importantly to move to a club like St Mirren is a brilliant thing for me.

“There was a few other teams interested but when I heard St Mirren were interested, my mind was made up. We started talking on Wednesday and everything was done by Friday.”

Buchanan watched on nervously as a resurgent Saints made up the gap at the bottom of the Championship table in the second half of last season, bringing Dumbarton back into a relegation battle they looked set to stay well clear of.

Dumbarton were safe before their final league game but that was far from the case for St Mirren.

Rory Loy netted the goal which kept them out of the play-offs at Easter Road on the last day, and in the aftermath Buchanan couldn’t help but cast a watchful eye to the jubilant scenes as a bumper travelling Saints support were whipped into delirium.

The former Dunfermline player says the lure of playing in front of a passionate Paisley crowd was a big draw for him.

He said: “Playing in front of thousands of fans every week is every player’s dream. I’ve seen the images of the last day of the season. The crowd St Mirren took to Easter Road was unbelievable. If you get that kind of backing it puts you in a great place mentally.

“It makes you strive for more success. If the fans can get behind the team it gives a momentum to the club. When they came to Dumbarton the away end was near enough sold out and that’s what you want to be doing as a footballer – playing in front of passionate fans.”

After two seasons in the Championship battling relegation with Stevie Aitken’s Dumbarton, a quick look around St Mirren’s Ralston training ground and the Paisley 2021 Stadium left Buchanan in no doubt as to what the club should be aspiring to next season.

He insists the aim is to continue the momentum built up in the second half of last season and earn promotion back to the top flight. He said: “Looking about the club, not even considering last season, it is a massive club that should be in the top league in Scottish football so everyone’s aim is to get back there.

“No matter if it’s winning the league or through the play-offs that has got to be everyone’s target.

“In the last four or five months there has been a massive swing at the club and there seems to be a real buzz about the place so we need to take that into next season.”

Nearly 80 appearances in the Scottish Championship over two seasons and starring at grounds such as Ibrox, Easter Road and Tannadice would usually be on the CV of a seasoned professional player.

But Buchanan plied his trade in the junior ranks up until 2012, turning out for Armadale Thistle and Bathgate Thistle. He was picked up by Airdrie and them moved to Dunfermline before Dumbarton took him to Scotland’s second tier.

His new surroundings at St Mirren are a far cry from Bathgate’s Creamery Park, and Buchanan conceded that even he has been surprised by his progress in the professional game. But at 27, he is convinced he is coming into his peak and hopes to show that in his time at St Mirren.

He added: “Five seasons ago I was playing junior football. In the five seasons since I’ve had nearly 200 professional appearances. If you had told me that five years ago I wouldn’t have believed you.

“To that extent I’m still learning the game, every time I get the chance to work with a new manager or assistant manager I’m always keen to learn.

“Hopefully in the next four or five years I will be coming to my peak, as I feel I’ve improved every year I’ve been been playing professional. I’m looking forward to working under Jack Ross, he played the game at a great level and I’ve heard great things about him as a manager.