Saints do the double ahead of Aberdeen encounter

Jul 22 2011 by Greg Christison, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

DEREK McINNES has handed Saints a massive boost ahead of their SPL opener by signing-up Canadian goalkeeper Alan Mannus and Irish striker Cillian Sheridan.

And both will be available for selection for tomorrow’s 3pm kick-off at Pittodrie.

Signing a one-year deal, Mannus (29) has turned his back on Champions League football with former club Shamrock Rovers to fight for the number one jersey at McDiarmid Park.

Whilst 22-year-old Sheridan, who enjoyed a loan spell at St Johnstone last year, has again secured a temporary six-month move from CSKA Sofia, which will provide Saints with a much-needed threat in front of goal.

Explaining he has been casting an eye over Mannus’ talents for some time, Saints boss McInnes told the PA he expects the experienced stopper to push for a first team place.

“He is a keeper we’ve looked at in the past,” he said. “We had him over in January during the Irish close-season and he played a few bounce games for us.

“Since then we’ve been monitoring him and have been over to see him on a few occasions.

“He is regarded as being the best keeper in Ireland in the past couple of years.

“They [Shamrock Rovers] were fighting to keep him but Alan was keen to come across here to try something different.

“He has a real hunger and determination about him, which is really refreshing. He is really keen to get the best out of his career and take up the challenge.

“Hopefully he can do it. He’ll provide real competition for Peter Enckelman.

“Peter is in pole position, he has got the jersey at the minute and will start the game on Saturday but that can change on a weekly basis.”

Following last season’s well publicised lengthy goal-drought, McInnes has made it his number one priority to add vital firepower to the squad ahead of the Perth club’s trip north.

With Sean Higgins and Carl Finnegan already signed-up, the Saints boss is pleased to welcome former Celtic and Motherwell frontman Sheridan into the fold.

He continued: “We’re getting Cillian on a six-month loan and I’m delighted.

“We know him as we’ve worked with him before and I was very keen to get him in.

“We knew that there was interest from others and that he is on a fantastic salary at Sofia but we’ve managed it.

“I always thought we were in with a chance because of the relationship we still have with him. A couple of players still speak with him and I’ve kept in touch with him as well.

“Last time around he got six goals in 13 starts for us. Any team in the SPL would have a striker with those stats.”

The duo join fellow new boys Higgins, Finnegan, David Robertson, David McCracken, Frazer Wright, and Callum Davidson, with McInnes likely to add one more striker before the transfer window closes.

However, the Saints manager, who has several players on his radar, will have to look further than Swiss target Danijel Subotic after complications have appeared to have killed the deal.

McInnes, who watched Aberdeen lose 1-0 to Villareal in Darren Mackie’s testimonial on Tuesday night, has been given a further boost ahead of Saints’ Granite City encounter, which will be screened by BBC Alba.

Murray Davidson, who had been struggling with a thigh strain, has recovered in time for the match.

But his midfield counterpart Liam Caddis has been sidelined for two weeks after suffering an ankle knock in a bounce match on Tuesday.

Saints, who won both of their league matches at Pittodrie last season, will be keen to take all three points and secure an early lead over the Dons, who have finished a mere six points behind the Fair City club for the past two seasons.