St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin has appealed for Covid-19 unity and vowed the Buddies will team up with their Premiership rivals to beat the virus.
Saints face a Scottish Professional Football League disciplinary hearing next week after they were forced to postpone their last two league fixtures following a coronavirus outbreak among the Paisley squad.
But Goodwin has been grateful for the backing of fellow clubs in recent weeks.
Motherwell coach Maurice Ross irked St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick with comments claiming clubs – not specifically Saints – could be “opportunistic” to get matches called off in the event of an injury crisis.
But on the whole Goodwin has praised the support his club has received from their top-flight counterparts.
And given the seriousness of the threat posed by the pandemic, he insisted Saints are ready to return the favour with advice on how to steer clear of the Covid risks that caused last month’s clashes with Motherwell and Hamilton to be shelved.
The Irishman – whose team will return to action for the first time since October 10 when they host Dundee United on Friday night – said: “I think it’s important as a football community that we all stick together during this period.
“What happened to us can happen to anyone, it’s as simple as that.
“I think the SPFL and SFA, all the leagues, we all need to look after each other.
“Unfortunately it was our turn to have a bad time of it. The majority of the people out there have been very supportive and as a club we appreciate that.
“If this situation happens again to anyone else then we’ll certainly support them and talk them through some situations that might help them in future.
“The most important thing for me as Premiership clubs is that we try to help each other and assist each other and not shoot each other down and I’m glad to say most people have been very supportive.”
The Buddies have not played a league fixture since their defeat to Aberdeen on October 2.
But you have to go back even further to mid-August to find the last Premiership win for Goodwin’s men after a run of six straight defeats.
But the Paisley boss – who could unleash new signings Jake Doyle-Hayes and Brandon Mason against United – said: “Hopefully this will be a fresh start for us.
“I’m really hoping we’ve had our case of bad luck and we can look to the future with a fully fit and healthy squad.
“I’m not anxious, it’s still very early days. We’ve missed a couple of fixtures but we look forward to replaying those when the dates are re-set.
“But we’re still firmly in the mix. If you win a couple of games you find yourself in the top half and everything looks rosy.
“It’s far too early to be looking at the table. We’re well aware the run of results haven’t been good enough but there has been a lot of outside circumstances involved in that.”
