Hodson hoping for arrival of ‘bubbly character’ Nicholl to give dressing room a boost

over joining Oran Kearney’s coaching staff, although no move is imminent this week.

Hodson, who has worked with the 61-year-old with both Northern Ireland and Rangers, said: “Jimmy’s a great character. He’s been in the game a long time and played at the highest level. So with his knowledge of the game and experience, to come in to help the lads out can only add more knowledge to what’s already here.

“We have a great manager and backroom staff already and bringing in Jimmy can only help us.

“I have known Jimmy a long time, since he came into the Northern Ireland set-up with Michael O’neill maybe seven or eight years ago, and he has helped me massively.

“With him being a full-back himself, he pulls you aside after training and says you need to do a bit of this and a bit of that and what you need to improve on.

“Jimmy’s a great character to have around as he is a bubbly, lively person. He has his stories that he tells which can get morale up and you can have a good laugh with him as well.”

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson has told his players they can still ensure they have a decent start to the season.

The Fir Park side have taken only five points from their first nine Premiership games and face a pivotal week with matches against the two teams below them in the table – visiting St Mirren tonight before hosting Dundee on Saturday.

“It’s huge,” said Robinson, left. “St Johnstone had a run of results against top teams and were down in the mix with the bottom four of us. They have won a couple of games and pulled away from it. “So we are the same. What is not a good start at this moment could turn into a decent start – a quarter-final and potential- ly sitting eighth in the league after these two games.

“But we have to go and do that – turn performances and chances into results.”

Striker Curtis Main claims there is “not a lot of difference” in their play compared with last season, when Well finished seventh and reached two finals. “Certain games this season we would have won last year,” he said. “In terms of performances they have been similar. If anything we have played better in some areas.”