IF Jim Goodwin had not stuck to his principles, he could be plotting the downfall of Alloa from the home dugout at the Simple Digital Arena today.

Instead the St Mirren legend is ready to sting his old club by dumping them out of the Scottish Cup on his first visit back to Paisley since leaving in 2016.

Goodwin, who skippered Saints to League Cup glory in 2013 during five years at the club, turned down the chance to replace Jack Ross in the summer, insisting he could not turn his back on Alloa.

READ MORE: Oran Kearney promises resolution to Anton Ferdinand saga

The Clackmannanshire club had given him his chance in management and he’s delivering with a tremendous six-game unbeaten run that has hoisted the Wasps away from the Championship danger zone.

That’s a major warning for Oran Kearney and his players, who are coming back from the winter break.

The Gazette: Alloa manager Jim Goodwin

The Irishman was named Championship manager of the month for December 

Goodwin said: “It will be strange going back there with a team trying to beat them.

“As soon as you get over there and get in the dressing room before the game then the business head comes on and it’s all about doing what’s best for Alloa.

“I think if we go there with the right frame of mind and are positive then we’ve got a really good chance of winning the game.

“I’m really looking forward to it and I’ve spoken to one or two people that are at the club that I’ve kept in touch with down the years.

“It will be a special occasion, there’s no doubt about it.

“Of course, we are huge underdogs and rightly so. St Mirren are a Premiership team at the end of the day.

The Gazette: New boy Jim Goodwin in action against Alloa captain Graeme Holmes last season

Goodwin says he is loving life with the Wasps, but is looking forward to a Paisley return 

“If we can go there with everybody fit and the boys playing with the confidence they have been showing then we can be one of the teams to cause an upset.”

Goodwin has been playing the underdog card since the start of the season and his players have responded by beating Dundee United, Queen of the South and Morton in recent weeks to pull clear of Falkirk and Partick Thistle.

He added: “I’ve always loved that. In my career, I’ve always lo v e d people writing me off. People say the teams I have been at aren’t going to do anything and you just have to use that in the right way.

“I think keeping Alloa in the Championship would be right up there with anything I have achieved in my career.

“Obviously you can’t beat winning trophies – like the League Cup with St Mirren in 2013.

READ MORE: New St Mirren signing Brad Lyons laughs off Twitter reaction

“For me, it’s just great for the players more so than anything else. A lot of players in my dressing room have been written off.

“When I signed them, people were scratching their heads and saying they wouldn’t be able to do anything in the Championship. It’s just fantastic the players are proving everybody wrong.

“For us, the only part time team in the league, we are proving people wrong and have to continue in that spirit going forward as we head to Paisley.”