Saints in safe hands as Dundee prepare for first SPL home game

St Mirren manager Danny Lennon moved quickly to make the capture after summer signing Grant Adam was injured while playing for the under-20 side on Tuesday.

Adam is expected to be sidelined for up to four months and Saints have recruited Smith until January. The 26-year-old was a product of the St Mirren youth system before going on loan to Dunfermline midway through the 2009-2010 season and making the move permanent.

Lennon told the club’s website: “Chris Smith is no stranger to St Mirren Football Club. We got a bit of bad news about Grant Adam’s injury so to keep the depth in the squad strong we felt it important to go out there and see to that.

“Chris looks in great condition and under Jim Jefferies at Dunfermline he played well at the tail end of last season and we’ll look to kick him on again.”

Lennon added: “Grant will be out of action for the best part of three to four months as he has damaged his posterior cruciate ligament and has a hairline fracture on his tibia. It is a big blow for Grant and a big blow for the club. While Grant is on the mend we have reacted to it and we still give ourselves very good depth in the squad by signing Chris.”

Meanwhile, Dundee manager Barry Smith has called on his injury-hit side to dig deep and pick up their first win of the new season in today’s SPL match at Dens Park.

The Dark Blues are down to the bare bones with no fewer than five first-team players sidelined through injury for the visit of Danny Lennon’s side. Dundee will be minus skipper Stephen O’Donnell (groin) and fellow midfielders Nicky Riley (hamstring), Kevin McBride (foot) and Jamie McCluskey (Achilles), along with striker Carl Finnegan (knee).

The SPL new boys are preparing for their first top-flight home match in seven years, with Smith challenging them to overcome adversity by securing the three points to get the campaign off to a flier.

Smith, who has Davide Grassi available after receiving international clearance for the former Aberdeen defender said: “We’re very thin on the ground in terms of numbers because of all the injuries. But that’s just the way football is at times and we have to deal with it and get on with the job in hand.

“We’re relying on our togetherness within the squad and team spirit to get us through a time like this. We’ve always had a strong dressing-room and that’s what you need when you’ve got injury problems like we have right now.

“It’s not ideal obviously but I’ve got players who I know will fight every inch of the way to try and get the right result.”

Dundee made a solid start on their long-awaited return to the SPL with a goalless draw at League Cup holders  Kilmarnock last week.