Jim Goodwin to miss Celtic game after positive Covid-19 test

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not take charge of his team for Saturday’s Premiership match against Celtic.

The Paisley club confirmed the news in a brief statement on Friday, shortly before Goodwin was due to hold his pre-match media conference.

The statement read: “St Mirren Football Club can confirm that manager Jim Goodwin will miss this weekend’s match away to Celtic after testing positive for Covid-19.

“Everyone at the club wishes Jim a full and speedy recovery.

“Lee Sharp and Jamie Langfield will take charge of first-team duties until the manager returns.”

Sharp said: “Jim is okay, I have spoken to him pretty much non-stop the last couple of days.

“He wasn’t feeling great on Tuesday night, he was fine during the day and then had couple of tests but he is okay at the moment other than a bit of a cough. I think he is more frustrated than anything else.

“On Tuesday we did a lot of preparation for tomorrow’s game. There was no close contacts at all.

“No doubt he will be on the phone to someone and he will communicate through watching the game and maybe see bits that we don’t see. It will be fine in terms of that.

“Last season was similar when he was suspended (from touchline) for a couple of games and it worked so it will be similar even though he will not actually be in the stadium.

“He will be instructing us what to do at times. He has every confidence in the coaching staff that is here and if we see something we will act on it and he has the added advantage of watching it on the TV, maybe be able to rewind and pause things and look at it at a different angle from us and maybe see something that we don’t see.”