Former Hearts and Motherwell striker joins St Mirren

John Sutton is returning to St Mirren. Picture: Toby Williams

Sutton has concluded his departure from St Johnstone after being told at the end of the season he was free to find a new club midway through a two-year contract.

The former Hearts and Motherwell striker has signed a two-year deal at St Mirren, for whom he scored 30 goals between 2005 and 2007, helping the club to the First Division title in the process.

Promotion is again the target for the Buddies and Sutton is optimistic that they can challenge the likes of Hibernian and Dundee United in the Ladbrokes Championship.

The 32-year-old told St Mirren’s website: “I met Alex probably a month or so ago and was really impressed by what he had to say. Certainly the squad of players he is getting in now, hopefully we can have a good season.

“It pretty much sold the move to me and it was just a case of waiting for everything to get sorted out and finalised, I’ve been looking forward to this for a little while now.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect obviously, I love the club and had a brilliant time here in my first spell but it needs more than that to come back here and for us to do well and me to enjoy it.

“I think Alex convinced me that we can be successful here and hopefully I can play a part in that.”

Sutton made 24 appearances but only five starts for St Johnstone after arriving from Motherwell, and his only goal came on the first day of last season against Hearts at Tynecastle in a 4-3 defeat.

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