Stephen Robinson didn’t expect to do any business in the January transfer window, but in Richard Taylor the St Mirren boss appears to have discovered another diamond in the rough.
The towering defender joined St Mirren in a short-term deal to the summer on the expiry of his contract with Irish club Waterford. Taylor’s arrival was only accommodated by Jay Henderson’s loan exit to Inverness.
But already, the signing appears to have been worth any potential risk with Taylor putting in a monumental effort against Hearts on his first start – despite a narrow defeat at Tynecastle.
"It was an eventful game and it was good to get going again,” said Taylor of his first start in the stripes.
"This is the standard. These games are the reason I came here and I'm looking forward to more of the same.
"I wouldn't say I enjoyed being so busy and making so many blocks, but that's my job and I'll do it when I need to.
"We've got a great team. We've got leaders in the squad and everyone wants to work for each other.
"We want to get the best outcome we can out of every game."
It might have been one of his first tastes of Scottish football, but already Taylor has been left aggrieved by a VAR decision. St Mirren were denied shouts for a penalty after the ball ricocheted off Kye Rowles in the box.
Referee David Munro waved play on and was not asked to check the pitchside monitor with VAR backing the on-field decision.
In Taylor’s mind it was a definite spot-kick – even if he only caught the incident from the bench after being subbed in the final minutes.
He said: "The penalty has got to be given. I know you can't get everything.
"I was off the pitch at the time, but I could definitely see it from the stand. It's a poor decision, what else can you say.
"They definitely should have used VAR. The ref should have gone over, but for some reason he didn't."
For Taylor, it’s set to be another serious test in what would be just his third appearance for St Mirren as the Paisley side to Celtic Park after a cameo debut against Hearts the week previous.
The 22-year-old however, is bullish about his side’s chances having been the only club to beat the league leaders so far this season.
"We've got a great side so we don't fear going to Celtic,” he said. “We've got all the means to get a result there.
"We're so close to improving our away record and I'm sure we're going to get there. We just need to keep pushing and we'll get there eventually.
"We've got to go harder. The first half of the season is done and we need to go again and try and get as high up the table as we can.
"I would love to play at Celtic Park. The atmosphere will be amazing, so I'm looking forward to the challenge if I get the nod."
St Mirren hold the option to extend Taylor’s terms past the summer – and boss Robinson has certainly been impressed with the stopper so far.
“Richard Taylor has not played a game since October,” said Robinson as he praised a number of St Mirren players for their performance in the capital.
“We’re paying him buttons, absolute buttons as a professional footballer and he has put on a performance like that.”
