Europe makes us an easy sell, says Goodwin

JIM GOODWIN has challenged St Mirren to clinch top six and then gun for a potential European place to aid his summer recruitment. If the Buddies win at Hamilton tomorrow, they will confirm their place in the top half of the table. That would be the Paisley club’s strongest league finish since reaching seventh place in 1988-89. Clinching a first top-five finish since 1985 would qualify them for European football if Rangers, Celtic, Hibernian or Aberdeen win the Scottish Cup. And manager Goodwin feels that would help the club attract a better calibre of player for next season. ‘Should we qualify for the top six, then I don’t want us to stop there,’ he said. ‘I want to push on and try to catch Livingston because fifth place could prove to be enough for a European place this season. ‘That would make my summer recruitment a lot easier. ‘It’s not like last summer, where you’re trying to sell yourself as a big team when, realistically, players look at how you finished the previous season in a relegation battle. ‘Now there’s a chance that I can say: “We are going to play in Europe — do you want to be a part of it?”. ‘It would make us a much more attractive proposition. And managing in Europe would be brilliant, amazing. ‘Looking back, if it hadn’t been for that issue we had with Covid earlier in the season, I think we would be right up there on Aberdeen’s coat-tails pushing for fourth place. But I don’t want to get too greedy because we’re in a fantastic position.’ Goodwin would also have more money at his disposal in the summer should Saints complete their top-six mission. ‘From the financial aspect, the higher you finish the more placement money you earn,’ he said. ‘To finish top six, we have to beat Hamilton. I expect St Johnstone to beat Ross County, so that means we need to win as well.’