St Mirren v Celtic: Paul McGowan’s success since Celtic departure no surprise to Neil Lennon

It was a performance which helped earn him the SPL’s Player of the Month award and was no doubt savoured almost as much by Celtic manager Neil Lennon as it was by his Saints counterpart and namesake Danny.

But as thrilled as he is by McGowan’s excellent form for the Paisley club this season, the Celtic manager has no regrets about allowing the midfielder to move on from his squad last summer.

Lennon played a telling role in McGowan’s football education when he was in charge of Celtic’s development side but reached the conclusion at the end of last season that the player’s progress would be stunted if he remained at Parkhead.

“We were fully justified in doing what we did because Paul has gone and done what we thought he would do,” said Lennon. “He would have been restricted at Celtic with the number of games he would have played. He was 23 when he left so he needed to go and play football, and he’s done that.

“He is having a great time of it at the minute and it doesn’t surprise me. He has a real appetite for the game. I watched him the other night against Hamilton Accies and he was St Mirren’s best player again. He just loves playing football.

“We couldn’t guarantee him a spot and felt it was best for him to move on. We’ve done that with numerous players but in Paul’s case he wasn’t a million miles away from the first-team squad. I just think he’d have become very frustrated had he stayed because he wouldn’t have got the opportunity he’s getting now.”

Lennon, who will hope to subdue McGowan this afternoon when Celtic look to extend their winning SPL run in Paisley, can empathise with the career path now being undertaken by the 24-year-old.

“You sometimes need to get away from a club,” added Lennon. “When I was a kid I was released by Manchester City and three or four years later, when I’d played 150 first-team games for Crewe, there were still boys at Maine Road who’d played less than ten times.

“I gained a wealth of experience while these guys were still plodding around in the reserves not really making a career for themselves. The best thing for me was leaving Man City and starting again. In Paul’s case he’s done that as well.

“He had been at Celtic a long time. Tony Mowbray gave him a couple of first-team games but it’s no disgrace in not making it at Celtic. We just decided to go a different way, with new players coming in. I felt Paul would get pushed further and further down the pecking order, so we were honest and said he had to go and play somewhere else.

“It was hard letting him go, but we felt it was best for everyone concerned. We protected ourselves, because there is a sell-on fee if and when he moves on from St Mirren I think he will go further. I wouldn’t like to say what level he will make it at, but he will certainly make a decent career in the game.

“He is brave and also tremendously fit. It goes unnoticed sometimes that he works very hard for the team. His movement is very good and the way he manipulates the ball under pressure is excellent. I’m actually delighted for him because he was a really good boy to work with. He really wanted to progress and make a career for himself and I’m glad he’s done so.

“When I had him with the reserve side, he could play off the striker in that clever role he’s now doing with St Mirren. He’s very good with his back to goal and the ball at his feet, twisting and turning. What Danny has done is give him a licence to play and their system suits that.”

Lennon will also come up against another of his former charges today with midfielder Graham Carey also making a positive impression with St Mirren this season.

“Graham was another lad who was doing okay but who we felt would be better leaving because he’d probably not play consistently for us,” added Lennon. “I felt duty bound to allow him to take his career somewhere else. It was the same with Paul Caddis and Simon Ferry who are now doing well at Swindon Town.

“They were in the same boat but what our club have done is give these guys a foundation to go and play. Now whether they play for our first-team, or don’t make it at Celtic, what they have is a base to go on and forge a career elsewhere which we’re all very pleased about.”