Fans look for the return of the Saint

Jun 29 2012 by Andy Newport, Paisley Daily Express

WITH the seemingly-never-ending Rangers newco saga still running, it’s easy to forget that the new football season is little more than a month away.

However, the black and white army are doing their best to put aside the SPL’s off-field shambles and turn their attention to on-field matters.

And so is St Mirren manager Danny Lennon, who welcomed his squad back for their first day of pre-season training yesterday and is busy drawing up preparations for the club’s summer trip to Spain on July 11.

However, as Express Sports exclusively revealed yesterday, the Buddies boss will have to put any transfer activity on hold until bosses at TV broadcasters Sky reveal whether or not they plan to continue backing Scotland’s top flight with a £30million-a-year deal.

Should Sky stick to that bumper deal with the SPL, one man who could be walking back through the front door of St Mirren Park is defender Jure Travner.

Currently playing with Mura 05 in Slovenia, 26-year-old Travner has been linked with a move back to former club St Mirren.

And regular Buddie Banter contributor Scott Crawford is crossing his fingers that Lennon can do the deal.

Scott, of Dykebar, Paisley, said: “I was a big fan of Jure during his first spell at Saints.

“I thought he had a slow start and I remember seeing him in a pre-season game at Dumbarton when I thought he looked a bit ropey but he really came onto a game and proved to be a solid defender who could also chip in when the team went forward.

“I was disappointed when he rejected our contract offer but, now that we have lost Jeroen Tesselaar to Kilmarnock, I’d be delighted to have him back.

“Hopefully, Sky will make their minds up soon and we can get a deal sorted for Jure.”

That is a view which is shared by fellow Buddie Kenny Mooney (@kennymooney), who took to Twitter to post this message: “Jure Travner coming back to St Mirren? Good signing, I say!”

Meanwhile, Neil James Hayton (@haytonator) is looking forward to the start of the new season so that the debate about Rangers will die down.

He wrote: “Need St Mirren to start playing fitba again. Bored of all the CIC/Newco news.”

Rangers were liquidated earlier this month after running up potential debts worth £130million and have now had all hope of regaining their place in the SPL extinguished after a host of SPL clubs – including St Mirren – announced they would vote to banish them to the lower leagues.

And, with St Mirren’s takeover tale still to be resolved, Stuart Gillespie (@SMTID) pondered: “Rangers have cost the taxpayer a fortune, so £1.5million for St Mirren is a bargain.”

And Daniel Brown (@MiniKitson) added: “If I wanted to buy a football club, it would be St Mirren – well run, good stadium, zero debt – not RFC.”

Meanwhile, Saints supporter Robert Miller (@Robertmiller99) has been keeping a close eye on the Euro 2012 tournament – and Portugal in particular – and has suggested a rather unlikely transfer target for the Paisley club.

Robert, from Barrhead, said: “I’m hoping Danny Lennon goes for the boy Nani!”

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