Goodwin on why Dundee United passed on signing Paton permanently

Jim Goodwin says Dundee United considered a permanent move for Ruari Paton but chose different options, with the striker now thriving at St Johnstone ahead of their weekend meeting.

Jim Goodwin has revealed Dundee United considered signing Ruari Paton permanently after his loan spell, but ultimately pursued other transfer targets. The Dundee United manager spoke about the striker, who now plays for St Johnstone, ahead of their Scottish Premiership meeting at McDiarmid Park on Saturday.

Goodwin praised Paton's character and work ethic from his time at Tannadice. "The one thing I need to say is: I'm absolutely over the moon for Ruari that it's worked out well at St Johnstone," said Goodwin. He described the forward as a bubbly, positive professional whose attitude was valued by the squad, even if his goal return during the loan was modest.

United's transfer decision

The manager confirmed Paton was a serious option when he returned to Port Vale. "Ruari was quite high up on our list when he went back down to Port Vale after the loan had expired," Goodwin stated. "He was one that we were considering, but we felt that there were some other options out there that we wanted to pursue." Paton later joined St Johnstone on a permanent deal under manager Simo Valakari and helped them win the Championship title.

Previewing the St Johnstone test

Goodwin acknowledged the threat posed by Paton and his current team, who are level on points with United. "There will be nobody who works harder than Ruari Paton, I would imagine, within that St Johnstone squad," he said. He also pointed to St Johnstone's strong recent form, noting narrow defeats to Hearts and Celtic and valuable points against Aberdeen and Hibernian. Goodwin compared their momentum to United's own rise from the Championship a couple of seasons ago.

Dundee United go into the match sitting fourth in the Premiership with 13 points from eight games, a position built on back-to-back wins. Their most recent result was a 1-0 victory over Hibernian. Goodwin expressed confidence in his own squad, stating they will approach the fixture positively. He highlighted the team's resilience, pointing to their ability to grind out results and the strong defensive foundation that has been key to their start.

After facing St Johnstone, United's attention turns to a home match against Rangers at Tannadice next Saturday. Fans can check the full fixtures schedule and the latest standings on the club site.