SAINTS HELP JAKE GET FIT
STEPHEN ROBINSON has revealed ex-Motherwell star Jake Carroll is training with St Mirren and close to a playing comeback.
But the Buddies boss admits Carroll’s return to action is unlikely to be with the Paisley side.
Carroll is bidding to make his return from nearly 16 months out with a serious knee injury.
The Irishman left Fir Park at the end of last season following four years with them and his old Well boss Robinson stepped in to help with his rehab.
The Northern Irishman reckons Carroll can shortly resume his career, but is gutted that it won’t be with Saints, unless they can free up fresh finances soon.
Robinson said: “Jake is a boy I have worked with and I like to try and look after all my players I’ve worked with.
“He’s someone I’ve a lot of time for, he’s a great boy and we are just trying to help a player along the way who was very good for me.
“Jake is getting to full fitness now, which is great. We’ve helped rehab him, (physio) Gerry Docherty has been brilliant with him and we’re getting him to a point where he can go and play football.
“We’re not in a position
to do anything with Jake ourselves at this moment because we don’t have the funds for that.
“But you never know, things change.”
Carroll’s last game was a 1-0 defeat to Saints in July 2022 but Robinson, who signed Carroll from Cambridge United for Well in 2019, hopes the 32-yearold will believe he can return to competitive action shortly.
He said: “That will be up to Jake. It’s about making sure he’s ready to play – he has had a really bad injury.
“He is starting to look a lot better and brighter. He’s getting fitter and stronger every day.
“We have given him an environment to train and he’s been good for us in our training games as well.
“So it’s just a case of when Jake feels he’s ready to go and be in full-time football again seven days a week.”