Motherwell new boy Brodie Spencer will come up against an inspirational figure when St Mirren visit Fir Park on Saturday.
The 19-year-old Northern Ireland defender, who joined Well on loan from Huddersfield in August, began his career at Cliftonville where as youth player he watched Conor McMenamin with a sense of awe.
McMenamin made the switch to Paisley in the summer after a spell at Glentoran and the two men are now international team-mates.
Spencer looks forward to a reunion in the cinch Premiership in Lanarkshire.
“Obviously I know Conor McMenamin quite well,” he said.
“He was at Cliftonville while I was a young player and I remember watching training and seeing how good he was.
“He was probably the best player at the club. He was levels above the other players.
“He was always destined to go across the water to a bigger league and that’s what he has done.
“He has come here and proved himself. He has fitted in very well and he is another reason why I thought this league would be perfect for me.
“I seen how well he has been doing and when I was away with him (on international duty) last week, watching him in the games and I seen how much he has improved from playing a few games in this league. It’s amazing.
“I’m seeing a number of players from Northern Ireland in the league who are thriving, they’re really enjoying the football, they are playing every week and getting the most out of the league that they can and that’s what I want to be doing.
“I think at some point in everyone’s career, you need to be exposed to that men’s football, fighting every week for three points, that’s another stepping stone in your career. So I think this will be really beneficial for me.
“As soon as the time’s right, I think everyone should just go for it and they have very good staff and players and coaches at Huddersfield who could sort of see that it was my time and I’m also being advised by people of when the time’s right to go.
“Obviously Motherwell is a big and very competitive club and that’s what I think I needed.”
