GOALKEEPER Jamie Langfield has become Ian Murray's latest recruit at St Mirren after the veteran stopper penned a two year contract as a player coach at St Mirren Park.

Langfield had spells at Dundee, Raith Rovers and Dunfermline before moving to Aberdeen in 2005. After 10 years and 335 appearances at Pittodrie the 35-year-old has made the move to Paisley.

Langfield told the club's website: “I’m absolutely delighted. After leaving Aberdeen it’s been great to get something tied up so quickly and to come to my hometown club is that bit special. To go into the player/coach capacity is another step on the ladder and hopefully I can cut my teeth here.

“I spoke to the gaffer and he made it clear that he wanted me to come in as a coach and use my experience but obviously I said I’m not just here to sit on the bench and make up the numbers and retire, I still want to play and I still want a lot of competition.

“There’s a lot of young boys in the team who need a little bit of help and hopefully guys like us [Steven Thompson, Alan Gow and Jim Goodwin] can do that and hopefully it can push us up and get us up to the right area of the table where we want to be competing with Rangers and Hibs.” Ian Murray said of his latest signing for St Mirren, “Jamie has signed, he’s going to have a dual role, he’s going to be a goalkeeper who will compete with Mark [Ridgers] for the jersey now and also the goalkeeping coach, which is great for us all because we needed someone in to help Mark predominantly in that role and someone who will push Mark for a starting position.

“Mark will realise that he needs to be pushed and it’s always good to have other options. Mark’s attitude in the whole process has been fantastic, we understand he’s not had a lot of specialised goalkeeping coaching and that’s what he needs.

“Jamie’s at an age where he’s maybe got one eye on the coaching role and certainly improving a younger goalkeeper in Mark as well. Hopefully they can work hand-in-hand together and help each other throughout the season and hopefully be behind a defence that doesn’t concede many goals.” Read more in next week's Gazette