SAINTS HIT BY DOUBLE BLOW
But Goodwin says club could do nothing about ‘positive’ tests
JIM GoodwIn was speaking in the wake of goalkeeper Jak Alnwick being confirmed as the St Mirren player who had tested positive for coronavirus. He wouldn’t be the last player in the SPFL to succumb this season, the Paisley boss suggested. How right he was.
It was late last night when St Mirren found themselves having to release another statement: a second player had tested positive.
what that means for their clash with Hibs tomorrow remains to be seen but surely it must be in serious doubt.
For certain, Alnwick is out after being quarantined under government guidelines.
Hamilton defender Lee Hodson shares a flat with his former Rangers team-mate and has also been ordered to self-isolate for two weeks.
Goodwin feared his keeper would be one of a number of players inevitably exposed to community transmission during an increasingly fragile season.
Speaking before the second case was confirmed, his views proved painfully prescient.
‘There are not many walks of life that haven’t been affected by this,’ said the Saints boss.
‘For me, it’s something that’s going to continue to happen through the course of the season and for as long as this virus is here. Footballers, like every other member of the public, are susceptible.
‘what I can say is that we as a football club can do no more in terms of testing. Jak certainly didn’t pick it up here at Ralston or at the stadium.
‘Unfortunately, players and staff members, everyone needs to go home.
‘Your wife or partner might have been out working all day, I know I have three kids at home who are back at school and mixing with 600, 700-odd other pupils.’
nicola Sturgeon placed Scottish football on a yellow card after two Aberdeen players contracted the virus after breaching lockdown rules.
The dons had three games postponed while Celtic had two fixtures put back after Boli Bolingoli flew to Spain without the club’s knowledge and failed to quarantine.
The First Minister warned of a red card for the SPFL season unless the game toed the line.
Insisting both St
Mirren and Alnwick have strenuously followed the rules, however, Goodwin added: ‘Look, we can only do what we are being asked to do.
‘I don’t think any of us want the First Minister or anyone else for that matter to suggest we close the game down again.
‘Hopefully, this doesn’t happen regularly but, in the current climate with the R rate gradually creeping in the wrong direction, it’s hard to see how there won’t be more instances like this.
‘we are confident Jak hasn’t been in a pub or a nightclub. It’s just a really unfortunate situation.
‘our players are well aware of what’s expected of them.
‘The players know they are not allowed into public situations (while) not adhering to social distancing.
‘The players need to go to shops to get groceries, but are doing the best they can.’
This was the second Covid scare to hit St Mirren after seven members of staff tested positive in July. Six were eventually found to have been false positives after nHS screening.
Further tests were conducted on players and staff yesterday, with another case subsequently discovered.
‘Jak had a bit of a headache on Monday afternoon and felt a bit under the weather but he hasn’t been violently ill or anything like that. It is just probably as you would expect,’ added Goodwin.
‘He is fine. I spoke to him yesterday and he is in good spirits. He is disappointed that it has happened but the most important thing is Jak’s health.’
The latest positive diagnosis for a Premiership
player adds to a growing anxiety surrounding the domestic game.
A spike in cases will curtail plans to gradually reintroduce fans to grounds, with test events at Ross County and Aberdeen tomorrow likely to be a short-lived and unfulfilling experience.
while october 5 is the new indicative date for the re-opening of grounds to supporters, the game is now walking on egg shells.
St Mirren’s proposal to pilot the return of 300 fans at tomorrow’s game was scuppered even before two of their players tested positive for Covid.
The imposition of local restrictions across much of the west of Scotland make it difficult to see fans back in grounds in 2020. The financial implications for clubs — and the 20/21 season — are potentially grave.
‘we are all desperate to get supporters back and it is difficult when there are local lockdowns,’ acknowledged Goodwin. ‘we are disappointed with that and we have to be understanding of that.
‘I don’t see why we should be treated any differently to restaurants and cafes and pubs. If they can do social distancing in a much smaller area, then so can we who have an 8,000-seater stadium and who can definitely adhere to any guidelines put in place that will keep people safe. And that’s the most important thing.
‘we have to prove to the government that we can do it safely and hopefully it is sooner rather than later. ‘I am sure fans are desperate to get back and cheer on their team and I know from our perspective we are desperate to get them in.’
Goodwin, meanwhile, has snapped up Ross County striker Lee Erwin. ‘we got wind that Lee wanted back down to the Glasgow area for family reasons,’ said the Irishman.
‘He is a player I have always liked. A good young Scottish prospect and a great age for us.’
Erwin, 25, said last night: ‘I’m over the moon to get everything official. The manager sold me on the move. I spoke to him and he gave me the confidence that this was the right place for me to be.’