St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin is already regretting the departure of striker Kristian Dennis to Carlisle United.
Although he wasn’t playing regularly, key injuries would have pushed him up the pecking order for the weekend game with Hibernian.
Goodwin has been talking to Renfrewshire Live and insists the Buddies weren’t expecting to lose Dennis on deadline day.
He moved to Brunton Park after being offered a one-and-a-half year deal to make the switch, but then Eamonn Brophy suffered ankle ligament damage against Motherwell just 24 hours later.
With Curtis Main also still recovering from a groin strain, the Saints are struggling for options up front for their trip to Easter Road tomorrow.
Goodwin admits Dennis was still firmly in his plans for the rest of the season until the surprise late swoop from Carlisle.
Goodwin told Renfrewshire Live Sport: “Hindsight is a great thing. We weren’t expecting to lose Kristian in the January window.
“It wasn’t even a thought in my head. I was pleased having him in the squad but a club in England came in and made Kristian’s agent a substantial offer for next season as well.
“I wasn’t willing to commit to Kristian for next season. I thought we’d see how the season panned out.
“If he’s got a run of games and scored some goals the contract maybe would have been there then.
“I need to be fair to the players. He hadn’t been playing a lot of games and was heading into the final five months of his contract.
“He’s at an age where the next contract is so important. He’s got people relying on him and there’s a human element.
“I felt we had good striking options to afford to let Kristian go. Unfortunately, the night after then Eamonn goes and gets this injury. That’s the way it goes.”
Yesterday Goodwin revealed he could be forced to find a free agent striker if top goalscorer Brophy is ruled out for a lengthy spell.
Dennis might be short of serious match practice, but Carlisle manager Keith Millen is banking on him not forgetting how to score goals.
Dennis could be the key signing out of the late rush of recruits Millen managed to complete before the January transfer window closed.
Millen told the club website: “Kristian is one of the players we’ve looked at for a while, and you’ve only got to look at his goal scoring record. He’s a natural finisher who gets in good positions, and his record shows that.
“Kristian is very hungry to play, and with his goalscoring record, that’s not going to change now – he scores goals, and we lack goals. He’s a really good addition to the squad.
“I didn’t want another young lad out from an academy and Kristian is experienced. Even just the way he is around the place, he’s great to talk to, really good in the dressing room.
“I think that’s a positive as well. I think he’s a good pro that likes high standards. Obviously I want him to score goals but he brings more than just that.”
Dennis had scored lots of goals in lower League football prior to his move into Scotland.
