SPFL in danger of becoming a laughing stock, warns Goodwin

ST MIRREN manager Jim Goodwin last night warned that unless there is common sense and discretion applied with regards to positive Covid cases, the SPFL is in danger of becoming a laughing stock.

In the aftermath of his two goalkeepers Jak Alnwick and Dean Lyness testing positive for coronavirus and the club’s third-choice stopper having to self-isolate, Goodwin was forced to bring in Hearts back-up goalkeeper Bobby Zlamal on an emergency loan deal for the 3-0 home defeat by Hibs yesterday.

He had been told that if he didn’t have a goalkeeper, an outfield player would have to

take the role in order for the club to fulfil their fixture obligation.

‘These are extreme circumstances,’ said Goodwin. ‘When you have three goalkeepers at the club who are all not allowed to play because of the pandemic, you’re looking to your league for some leadership and compassion.

‘I don’t think any other club or fan would have begrudged us a postponement today. It beggars belief the powers that be couldn’t see it the way the majority of people in the country saw it.

‘I got messages from people in disbelief the game was going ahead. We only got Bobby Zlamal registered at 11.45am.

‘We know we’ll have positive tests between now and whenever we find a vaccine.

‘The lesson that should be learned if this situation happens again in the goalkeeping department, is let us show a bit of common sense.’ St Mirren were prevented from training on Friday amid fears that the virus could continue to spread and the club will undergo another round of tests prior to Wednesday night’s game against Celtic.

While Goodwin conceded that the defeat to Hibs yesterday came at the expense of a better side, he was still irked at the decision to force the game to go ahead.

He added. ‘Our argument to the league was that, as a country, we’re trying to publicise the game in a positive light. We would have been the laughing stock of world football if we had a Premiership team putting an outfield player in goal for a competitive game.’

Saints’ 40-year-old goalkeeping coach Jamie Langfield was forced to take up a place on the bench yesterday after he was added to the playing staff on Friday.

‘We suggested to the SPFL we move the game to a week on Wednesday,’ said Goodwin. ‘We had no game, Hibs had no game. But the league said no.’