BY KYLE GUNN

St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin is keen to add two further signings to his squad this month, after making a strong start to the window with three new faces so far. 

Centre-half’s Conor McCarthy and Akin Famewo, who have joined from Cork City and Norwich City, respectively, with attacking midfielder Jamie McGrath also checking in at the the Buddies following the expiry of his Dundalk contract. 

And 38-year-old Goodwin reckons that there was no excuse for not going into the market quickly after months of planning. 

He said: ‘We found ourselves wanting for numbers in the last five or six games due to injuries. I don’t like running with a 25 man squad. The finances won’t allow it but also it’s too difficult to keep senior players happy.

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"It also hinders the opportunities for the academy boys. So I’d like 18-20 senior boys and I can take a few academy boys across if necessary.

"But I don’t want us to be left with 14 or 15 players if injuries strike in the second half of the season. The board are understanding about that and if we need to get one or two more in I’d be delighted. We would be in a good position.

“In the summer when people are coming in late, it got done kind of in a rush and the boys who came in had not had a proper pre-season. There’s no excuse now because I’ve had since the summer to plan for this window.

"We have been doing that and the same will be done ahead of the summer.

"Already we are looking at players for pre-contracts in the summer. We can’t be waiting for windows to open and then reacting to it. You have to be in a position to act when the window opens and to get these players in so quickly is great so they can bed in. It’s invaluable.”

Goodwin was delighted to be also able to extend the loan deal of Calum Waters from Kilmarnock until the end of the season. 

The left-back has established himself a regular, making 18 appearances for Saints since joining from the Rugby Park outfit in August. 

And Waters joins a list of players who could make their return from injury in the Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Broxburn Athletic a week on Saturday. 

Goodwin continued: ‘You’re in the lap of the Gods with loan players because they can take them back halfway through the season.

"That happened with Sean McLoughlin who was outstanding for us. Calum has been outstanding for us too and it’s hard to find a left-back and a left-sided centre half.

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"To lose Sean was a blow but to lose two would have been a killer for us. The fact Calum is staying is brilliant and the fact we had Akin lined up to replace Sean in left sided centre-half fills that hole. They are big shoes to step into but I’m confident he can do that.

“Kirk, McKenzie, Waters, McAllister are all in there. But Callum, Gary and Kirk should be back training on Monday ahead of the cup game.

"Kyle will probably be a couple of weeks after that. Stephen McGinn will hopefully not be too long either.  There’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”

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