MANAGER'S STRIKER SEARCH IS SUCCESSFUL

The search for a big striker came to fruition for manager Derek McInnes this morning when he secured the services of Derek Holmes on a one year deal.

The former Hearts and Ross County front man has spent the last eight years in England.

The Saints gaffer is delighted to have secured Derek’s signature as he told the media this morning.

“I feel that we had the best strikers in the division already but what we didn’t have was anyone with a physical presence. All our strikers bring different qualities to the team whether it is pace or movement or natural finishing but Derek will give us something which is just a wee variation on that.

“I felt we lacked a big presence at the start of last season when Owen was still here and then you saw the difference that Kenny Deuchar made during his time at the club and I had hoped that Daniel McBreen would do something similar but he was troubled by injury. In Derek we have someone in their mould – maybe not as mobile as the other guys here but a player with a great first touch and a proven goal scorer.”

Derek came up against the former Bournemouth, Carlisle United and Rotherham United striker when he was a player at Millwall and kept tabs on him after that and he feels that in certain games Derek, who has 77 career goals to his name, will be just what is required to make the difference and give the option of getting the ball into the box a bit quicker on occasion.

The Manager – who watched Holmes and David Weatherston score in a 2-1 win over Ayr United on Saturday - is pleased at the way his squad is coming together and he will cast his eye over a Polish left back in a closed door game against Hibs later this week.

“Other than left-back, we have real competition in all areas of the team now. I’ve had to trim my working squad down from 24 to 20 but all 20 are guys who will expect to be playing and will be unhappy if they are not and that’s what I need. There are no ‘fringe players’ now.”

Photo: Derek Holmes at McDiarmid Park this morning